Just before addressing the nation announcing that he is willing to to freeze the laws on legal review until the summer session of the Knesset for the sake of “dialogue”, the premier Benjamin Netanyahu signed a commitment to establish a National Guard which will be subordinate to the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir. Ben-Gvir, a disciple of the racist rabbi Meir Kahaneis an aggressive, extremist and criminal repeatedly convicted. Forming a militia that will be subordinated to him instead of the police is a move that risks endangering Israelis who have committed no crimes. “A political leader who is not interested in a civil war – wrote the newspaper Haaretz – does not create and finance a private armed police force for the most extremist member of his cabinet. This move effectively demonstrates that Netanyahu is preparing for civil war”.
Meanwhile, the prime minister bought time until the summer to crack down on protests and pretend to engage in a “dialogue”. But it is clear that he intends to use this time mainly to be better prepared for the next wave of demonstrations. And he and his Kahanist partner will meet that wave with a strength of private police at their disposal and beyond the control of the police commander Kobi Shabtai. It’s easy to guess who will join the ranks of the militia. The thugs of “Family”the infamous fans of the Beitar Jerusalemthe racists of “Lehava”The “Hilltop Boys”the boys of the hills who live in the settlements in the West Banklike the protagonists of the recent ones pogrom against the Palestinian village of Huwara.
While speaking on live TV, Prime Minister Netanyahu deliberately failed to announce the formation of this self-styled “National Guard”. Itamar Ben Gvir took care of making the announcement via Twitter: “I thank the Prime Minister for accepting my request for an institution of the National Guard”. As usual, the premier omits, hides. The money to finance Ben Gvir’s militia is ready. The Cabinet approved the State Budget in January – which in Israel is biennial – and 9 billion shekels (nearly 3 billion euros) for the Ministry of National Security, that of Ben Gvir. According to the hazy plan of the leader of the ultra-right, the voluntary National Guard will join the army and the border police in the hot momentsespecially in mixed cities, such as Lod, Jerusalem, Haifa, Bersheeva. And of course in West Bank to protect the settlements. The 400,000 settlers who live in the 167 settlements of the West Bank are already equipped with a paramilitary organization. Weapons were handed out by the handfuls Israel Defense Forces (Idf) during the second intifadain the early 2000s, and have never been withdrawn.
According to rumors, Ben Gvir’s idea would be to recruit about 10 thousand volunteers. His party associates (Jewish power) are already at work in the local administrations where they are founding Jewish self-defense groups which count a thousand members and who will then be integrated into the ranks of the National Guard. The mixed Arab-Jewish city of Lod – in central Israel – has already equipped itself with an armed volunteer militia. Another militia was formed at Bat Yama mixed Arab-Israeli suburb just outside of Tel-Aviv, to “defend our homes”. In Beersheva, the southern capital of Israel, the municipality has decided to distribute scholarships of 10,000 shekels for students who will voluntarily join the Negev patrolfounded last year by the local deputy of Jewish Power, Almog Cohen. On his Patrol website – dubbed Sayeret Barel – the promise to help restore law and order is false, given that the founder repeatedly invites soldiers to execute Palestinians and defines uniformed police “post-Nazi attack dog”. Sayeret Barel reflects the zeitgeist. His real goal is to show the Bedouins, the Arabs, “who’s boss” and pass on a vision of the world with a clear Jewish supremacy. Soon these militiamen will be integrated into the new National Guard.
This week the messages about the pro-Netanyahu social network which they ask “people of good will” to training in polygons shooting range and refresh your combat skills in preparation for the day when it will be needed. Netanyahu’s pasdarans they are preparing for the summer.
