Settlers’ Rhetoric Stirs Fear of Violence in Israel

As Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank draws near, Israel’s internal political debate is growing so venomous that security details have been beefed up for the nation’s leaders and even opposition spokespersons say they fear right-wing extremists might resort to political violence.

In recent weeks, Jewish settlers and their supporters have moved their protests off barren West Bank hilltops and onto the nation’s highways. They have clashed with police, and there have been injuries on both sides.

But most worrisome to the government is the tone of political rhetoric at demonstrations held outside Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s office and home, and at the site of bombing attacks by Islamic militants.

Increasingly, protesters characterize the Rabin government as a minority acting against the will of the majority and without a political mandate to make far-reaching decisions, such as redeploying troops out of Palestinian population centers in the West Bank.

Rabin and Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, architects of the Israeli-Palestinian peace accords, are commonly referred to as “traitors” or “murderers” who are directly responsible for the deaths of Israelis killed by Islamic militants since the 1993 peace treaty was signed with the Palestine Liberation Organization. Police are denounced as “Nazis,” in a state where there can be no worse epithet.

Last Friday, Jerusalem Police Chief Arye Amit was assaulted by right-wing demonstrators outside the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, after his forces blocked busloads of protesters from reaching the capital.

Then, on Monday, Rehavam Zeevi, a right-wing member of Parliament, shocked the nation by calling from the Knesset podium for right-wing protesters to respond with force if the police use tear gas to break up demonstrations.

“We will consider this [tear gas] live ammunition and will respond accordingly,” Zeevi said. He also said he is developing a blacklist of officers whom he accused of using excessive force against demonstrators. He said he will “settle accounts” with them once the right regains power in national elections.

Leaders of the largest opposition parties condemned Zeevi’s remarks and said they are urging demonstrators to exercise restraint. But at the same time, they said they fear the political climate has deteriorated to the point where violence is possible.

“The feeling is that we have all reached a very, very dangerous point,” said Yehoshua Matza, a member of Parliament from the Likud Party, the government’s chief political opposition.

He noted that he began publicly urging demonstrators several days ago to stop referring to Rabin as a traitor and murderer and said most opposition figures are joining him in saying there are lines of political discourse that must not be crossed.

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But Environment Minister Yossi Sarid blamed those same opposition figures for already jeopardizing Cabinet ministers with the strident tone of their opposition to Israel’s 1993 peace accord with the PLO.

Sarid--a member of the government’s negotiating team with the Palestinians and long a firebrand of the political left--escaped injury last month when his car was run off the highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, allegedly by a Jewish settler.

Sarid told Israel Radio on Wednesday that there are intelligence reports that extremists might attempt to assassinate one or more Cabinet ministers but that there is no specific information that such attacks are being planned.

“It is quite clear that the more incitement grows, the greater the danger grows,” Sarid said. “The connection is clear.”