Hebrew University
The Left declares Jihad against Freedom of Speech
for its Critics!!
Hebrew University - Zeev Sternhell (Dept of Political Science)
defends anti-democratic Leftist McCarthyists being sued by Im Tirtzu
for calling Im Tirtzu "Fascists"
Im Tirtzu filed its suit a year
ago against the seven owners of the Facebook page [called "Im
Tirtzu - Fascists"]: Roy Yellin, Yuval Yellin, Edan Ring, David
Remez, Noam Livne, Tal Niv and Ari Remez. The movement's suit argues
that the aim of the seven is to silence the activities of Im Tirtzu
by delegitimizing it.
…
In texts written by Shuval, Sternhell sees
a clear expression of fascist thinking. References to the nation as
an organic body, Sternhell says, are fundamentals of fascist
thought. Other signs of fascist thought include the view of an
atrophied West and the sense that the situation in Israel is an
emergency requiring extremist action and struggle against the
"traitors."
…
Attorney Nadav Haetzni, representing Im Tirtzu, said: "This is an
attempt by members of the radical left to publicly destroy Im Tirtzu,
which is a Zionist and Democratic movement in line with the spirit
of Zeev Benjamin Herzl." He charged that the defendants have
violated the law because their actions are slanderous and libelous.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/jerusalem-court-starts-debating-meaning-of-fascism-as-im-tirtzu-sues-activists-1.412357?localLinksEnabled=false
Jerusalem court starts debating meaning of
Fascism as Im Tirtzu sues activists
Rightist organization sues
seven people behind Facebook page called 'Im Tirtzu -
Fascists,'claiming libel; defense stands by statement.
By Nir Hasson
Published 12.02.12
What is fascism? How is the
word "fascist" perceived in the current Israeli discourse? And does
the group Im Tirtzu meet the definition of a fascist movement? These
are the questions which the Jerusalem District Court will deliberate
in an upcoming libel suit.
Im Tirtzu styles itself as an
"extra-parliamentary movement that works to strengthen and advance
the values of Zionism in Israel." It has a filed a suit against the
seven people behind a Facebook page called "Im Tirtzu - Fascists,"
and the defense is due to present its depositions on Sunday. The
page's activists, being sued for NIS 2.6 million, are defending
themselves with the argument that they are merely speaking the
truth, in an effort to prove that Im Tirtzu contains fascist
elements.
They add that presenting the group as fascist is
protected by the principle of freedom of expression, and that theirs
is an opinion they are entitled to hold and express.
One of the depositions comes
from Prof. Zeev Sternhell, an internationally-recognized expert on
fascism. He concluded that Im Tirtzu's ideology and actions
contained elements of fascism.
There is also a deposition
from journalist and spoken Hebrew expert Rubik Rosenthal, who
concludes that in the current Israeli discourse, the term "fascist"
is being used by both right and left and does not necessarily refer
to the historic meaning of the term.
Another interesting deposition
comes from Tomer Persico, a journalist writing a Ph.D. in
philosophy. Persico describes a conversation he had with one of Im
Tirtzu's leaders, Ronen Shuval, in which Shuval admitted to being
influenced by German romanticism's ideologues, regarded as the
precursors of European fascism.
Im Tirtzu filed its suit a
year ago against the seven owners of the Facebook page: Roy Yellin,
Yuval Yellin, Edan Ring, David Remez, Noam Livne, Tal Niv and Ari
Remez. The movement's suit argues that the aim of the seven is to
silence the activities of Im Tirtzu by delegitimizing it.
In their defense, the group
says that Im Tirtzu, in its overall activities and particularly in
its campaign against the New Israel Fund and human rights
organizations, is characterized by nationalist and also fascist
elements. They also say that the purpose of the suit aims to
threaten and silence criticism.
The defendants, all left-wing
activists, say the suit may result in their financial demise,
launching a website
to collect contributions that would cover their legal expenses.
In his deposition, Prof. Sternhell says there is no
clear and unequivocal definition of a fascist movement, and that no
movement in history has all the components of the definition.
In texts written by Shuval,
Sternhell sees a clear expression of fascist thinking. References to
the nation as an organic body, Sternhell says, are fundamentals of
fascist thought. Other signs of fascist thought include the view of
an atrophied West and the sense that the situation in Israel is an
emergency requiring extremist action and struggle against the
"traitors."
Sternhell points out that a
decision on whether a movement is fascist or not must be based not
on comparison with a classical fascist state but with movements at
their early stages, and which later turned the state into a fascist
one.
"If we take into account that
Im Tirtzu is just beginning and is operating in a society where
rejection of the fundamentals of liberalism is perceived to be a
sin, then it is showing early and troubling signs of fascist
potential," Sternhell writes.
Attorney Nadav Haetzni,
representing Im Tirtzu, said: "This is an attempt by members of the
radical left to publicly destroy Im Tirtzu, which is a Zionist and
Democratic movement in line with the spirit of Zeev Benjamin Herzl."
He charged that the defendants have violated the law because their
actions are slanderous and libelous.
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