The right to life is a supreme value and trumps even the right to have freedom of movement. It should be obvious to everyone that this distinction has nothing to do with religion, ethnicity, race, gender, or any other human trait. There should be a distinction, though, between innocent law-abiding civilians and murderous terrorists.
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The smart and quiet policy that Israel has pursued – in which it treats innocent Palestinians differently than terrorists – has saved many lives, both Arabs' and Jews'. The fight against Palestinian terrorism is very precise, intelligence-based, and pinpointed; it does not involve collective punishment that only leads to more people becoming terrorists.
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Had Itamar Ben-Gvir simply stated these facts, there would have been no problem explaining his comments abroad. But he made an unfortunate statement in which he implied that his family's right to travel on the roads in Judea and Samaria trumps that of Palestinians – all Palestinians. This is a racist, immoral statement and is also a stupid one politically and diplomatically.
This gaffe not only slanders Israel but also inflicts major PR damage on the world stage on an unprecedented scale. For years Israel had been highlighting its democratic character and the principles on which it had been founded: the biblical prophets' vision, equality, democracy, and enlightenment.
Israel haters have for years tried to pigeonhole Israel as an apartheid state in the hope of having it excluded from the club of enlightened nations. Not only is this comparison insulting and slanderous – it is very dangerous. The Palestinians have long realized that they cannot overcome Israel with military or economic means. That is why they have trained their firepower on the political-diplomatic arena. Having this narrative sink in – that Israel is what South Africa was several decades ago – has become a top foreign policy objective for Ramallah.
As a result of Ben-Gvir's gaffe, even the most talented diplomats will now find it hard to explain Israeli policy to the world and have its smiling face shine. The threat posed by Ben-Gvir's comments – which represent the ideology championed by his party and the faction led by Bezalel Smotrich – is not just external; it could also impact our lives inside the country and for the settler enterprise and its residents in Judea and Samaria.
There is no doubt that the majority of the settlers are law-abiding citizens, who subscribe to Jewish morality and democratic values. But today they are represented by radical leaders. Ben-Gvir and Smotrich not only put Israel in danger because of their conduct – but they also jeopardize the support for the settlement enterprise among large swaths of the Israeli public. If the more moderate and sane elements among the settlers do not disavow the radical leaders, they could threaten the very existence of the settlements. Settlers will be the losers if they fail to embrace the strong ethical ethos of Israel and the Jewish people. Smotrich and Ben-Gvir have proved they no longer share it.
Danny Ayalon is a former ambassador to the United States who served as deputy foreign minister and MK. He is the co-founder and chairman of the Silver Road Capital holdings and financial advisory firm.
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