|
|
Winston Mideast Analysis & Commentary
Destroying Arutz Sheva
by Emanuel A. Winston, a Middle East analyst & commentator
Israel's Attorney-General Elaykim Rubenstein has taken a leading
position in the crusade to silence Arutz 7, the educational radio
station promoting traditional Jewish-Zionist values identified with
the Nationalistic camp that brought Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
to power. Rubenstein is following the example of former
Communications Minister Shulamit Aloni, a radical Left wing member of
the Labor/Meretz Government. Arutz-Sheva broadcasts from a ship in
In Israel, almost all of the Hebrew newspapers, as well as the government-controlled TV stations and most of the radio stations, are deeply and blatantly involved with the political Left. Whenever there is a political thrust against the Right, the major newspapers, TV and radio can be relied upon to carry the Left party line. Until Arutz-7, national news was well controlled by the political Left, guiding the nation with whatever thoughts the Labor Party (and those Left of the Labor Party) wanted them to have. Ten years ago, the Left went wild when Arutz Sheva began broadcasting contesting facts from a ship. They had to go to sea 12 miles beyond Israel's territorial waters to broadcast because the Labor Party controlled Israel's communications industry was could not tolerate any competition - particularly from the religious right. As the station and its audience grew, more Israelis began to question the honesty of the Left wing news. For the many years prior to the startup of Arutz-7, the Labor Party had a virtual strangle-hold on the information flowing to the nation. Arutz-Sheva became a station to listen to as it shined a revealing light on the lies of government officials (and even those out of office) who wanted to give up land in Israel for a questionable peace process with the PLO. Left wing media supporting Labor/Meretz redoubled misleading reports and commentaries to smother the Arutz-Sheva reports. In 1992 Labor/Meretz regained control, thanks in part to this slanted media manipulation. Shulamit Aloni was first Education Minister until her anti-religious public remarks caused her removal over to the Ministry of Communications. She ordered the first raid on the Arutz-Sheva ship, Eretz HaTzvi. Although it was Aloni, who ordered up this illegal raid on the ship while in port for repairs, Rubenstein was then one of Labor's legal advisors. July 29, 1998 the government announced plans to legislate a solution for Arutz-Sheva - an amendment to the existing Second Broadcasting Authority Law with the approval of Attorney General Rubenstein. Strangely, Thursday night July 30, one day later, the State Attorney's office commanded the police to raid the Arutz-7 ship. The boat is currently docked in Ashdod port for its periodic maintenance and, as every year, isn't broadcasting during the nine days of mourning before Tisha B'Av. Because the Supreme Court ruling prevented disruption to Arutz-Sheva's broadcasts, the police didn't confiscate equipment, but took many photographs as an act of intimidation. "Sources close to the PM's Office said the raid is another attempt by the State Attorney's Office and police to cause unrest between the PM and his voters, 'even as the government is proceeding to solve the issue.'" (2) What is Rubenstein's prejudiced interest in Arutz-7 and exactly
which political party is he serving? Officially, he is Attorney
General and the government's lawyer. In fact, he has personally
quashed a number of attempts by the government to find a legal
solution to allow Arutz-7 to broadcast from land. His virulent
obsession to close down Arutz-7 tells us that he is dedicated Leftist
who is still loyal to the work of Labor/Meretz. He hasn't changed his
Now, under Rubenstein's 'guidance', the plan is to shut up Arutz-7 for all time. Under Rubenstein the police are recommending indictments against 30 Arutz-7 employees on suspicion of operating an illegal radio station. This includes Yom Kippur War hero and Arutz-7's Director General Ya'acov Katz (Katzele), Technical Manager Yoel Tzur, who's wife and son were killed by terrorist murderers 18 months ago; popular program host Adir Zik, Rabbi Zalman Melamed, Arutz-7 founder, and his wife, Shulamit Melamed, a station manager, Hagai Segal, news editor; and Pinchas Wallerstein, chairman of the Council of Jewish Settlements in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, who is suspected of permitting the installation of the station's transmitters in YESHA (Yehuda, Shomron & Aza). (4) Rubenstein is trying to arrest Arutz-7 principals and get the courts to jail them, thereby effectively closing down the station. His back-up plan is to give them a severely restricted land broadcasting license Arutz-7 won't be able to tell its loyal listeners all over the country the truth but rather a sanitized truth filtered through Rubenstein's censors. Strange, that none of the Left wing newspapers or TV/radio is subject to a censorial review of the type demanded by Rubenstein for Arutz-7. Labor glorified Abie Nathan's pirate radio ship which broadcast for 22 years. Only after Nathan closed his station and sunk his ship, did Arutz-7, whose ship sailed along nearby, became the primary target of the Leftist-dominated legal system which seems prepared to selectively apply and bend the law to achieve their political agenda. More strange is that there are currently more than 120 illegal "pirate" radio stations operating all over Israel - without maintaining a ship on the open seas at huge costs to avoid violating the Telegraph Law dating back to the 1930's British Mandate. Rubenstein and his cohorts in the State Attorney's Office and Serious Crimes Unit of the Police are not a bit bothered by these actual felons. But, Arutz-7, which has been broadcasting from international waters for 10 years is suddenly Israel's "crime of the century", considering the manpower, resources, time invested, and manner of investigation determined to catch Arutz-7 and only Arutz-7 in any illegal act. One may well ask the question: Why has PM Netanyahu not controled Rubenstein? Speculation is that Bibi is preparing to withdraw from a large section (13.1-15%) of the West Bank and Arutz-7 reaches too many people affected by this issue. Although the PM denies this, remember that Arutz-7's vast and active listenership includes a majority of Jews living in all parts of Israel (and abroad through the Internet) who recognize the inherent dangers to all the people and the State in such a surrender to the irredentist, unremittingly hostile PLO/Palestinians under the control of Arafat and Hamas. It is vital to those pushing a unilateral withdrawal, during this time of pre-transfer that no effective voice is raised, objecting to their still secret plans. The transfer proposed by the US of 13.1% plus the previous transfer of 29% adds up to 40% of land in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. In effect, this gives Arafat a State of Palestine. Remember that every 1% of land equals the size of Tel Aviv. Their top priority is closing down this independent radio station that over 30% of the country likes to listen to. Arutz-7's has influence as the only news channel that would put forth convincing arguments against such dangerous withdrawals. So, while Bibi tells the YESHA and the religious communities that he is against Rubenstein's efforts, one could just as easily believe that he knew and approved these actions, if he intends, as he says he will, to go ahead with the withdrawal Who knows?. Perhaps Netanyahu and Labor made a temporary pact to close down a voice which is inconvenient to their mutual covert plans for the withdrawal from vital historic Jewish land key to Israel's survival, as well as vital water resources and precious Jewish holy sites. Rubenstein seems to be attack dog for whomever is in power. His personal hostility though the powerful office of Attorney General aims at closing down Arutz-7, the only voice of the political center and right. So far, their plans are working and on schedule. First, they used the police to raid creating legitimacy; then slip the case into a Left-biased court system which can issue temporary arrest warrants and, in effect, close the station down by arresting its operators. Trials drain huge amounts of money from Arutz-7 and the individuals which is a deliberate goal in this process.. Closing down of Arutz-7 is not merely a personal vendetta by Rubenstein and the Left but a message that, in the near future, a major thrust will be made by the Government to give up excessive tracts of land, water and holy sites to Arafat and his Neo-Palestinian State. This Second withdrawal will be followed by Third, plus 'East Jerusalem' and finally the Golan down to the Kinneret. Any dictatorship knows that to control the people first you must have absolute control of the media, like the Arab nations, Russia, China, North Korea and most of the countries in the UN. The powers that control this issue don't want any witnesses who will broadcast facts to nation. They want only one story telling the people to be happy over the delusional peace they'll now have from the PLO and the hostile Arab nations. They don't want Whistle-Blowers telling the truth about a bad deal. How sad it is to watch successive Israeli Governments reach the level of corruption endemic in the surrounding Arab nations. Dictators, Monarchs, Kings, Prime Ministers all seem to view their own people as stupid and not capable of hearing the real facts but only massaged facts the Ruling Powers wish them to hear. They have secret meetings and secret agendas which are announced only after they are signed, sealed and delivered. Then the propaganda machine goes to work, telling you how wonderful this New World Order will be. When it fails, as it definitely has with Oslo/Hebron, they don't take responsibility but, try to sell the people the canard: "We didn't give enough away fast enough." Israeli politicians fight to keep their jobs no matter what the disgrace. Clearly, the only thing that frightens Israeli politicians is being driven from office. Dear Reader, Whether or not Binyamin Netanyahu is behind and approve of Rubenstein's actions, he hasn't used the power of his office to curb Rubenstein's actions. Both should be informed of your displeasure. 1. "Iran Judiciary Bans Newspaper Tied to President" NYTIMES 8/2/98
2. "Police Photograph Arutz-7 Ship" Arutz-7 DAILY NEWS
by Internet & www.a7.org
3. "Police Recommend Indicting 30 Arutz-7 Employees" by Doron Me'iri
Yediot Aharonot 7/27/98
|
international waters off the coast of Israel, specifically to avoid
breaking the law. In 1994, on what was a documentable trumped up
pretext, Aloni used the Israeli police to raid the Arutz Sheva ship
and confiscate hundreds of thousands of dollars of their broadcasting
equipment. This expensive equipment was never returned, although
seized illegally, even after a recent High Court order to explain why.
spots but merely his government of employment. Why is he still the
Netanyahu government appointee? Doesn't a Prime Minister have any
influence when the legal bodies officially subvert his government?