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A Few Words about my Personal Experience with the Israeli Democracy
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hayal_bilbo on 2011.02.22 at 23:03
Today I was invited to the Knesset to attend a meeting, dealing with the issue of racism and anti-democratic tendencies in the Israeli media in Russian. The meeting organizers were MK Dr. Afo Agbarie and the Israeli association Our Heritage. I decided to come, because it was agreed in advance with the meeting’s organizers that I would present a solution to this regrettable phenomenon. I intended to present an initiative (promoted a small group of volunteers) to translate the Israeli newspaper, the Haaretz, into Russian. Our group believes that the information provided by this newspaper could correct the bias low quality of information found in the Russian media. However, I had to flee from the Knesset building, due to intimidation and harassment by the security personnel of the institution. The matter was that from the very first moment MK Yulia Shamalov-Berkovich (from the “Kadima” party), who attended the meeting, tried to disrupt the event by hysterical screams. Everything started, when the presiding parliamentary aide exchanged with someone a few words in Arabic. MK Shamalov-Berkovich immediately screamed hysterically that it is prohibited in the Knesset to speak Arabic. During the meeting, a report by Our Hertage was presented about racist and anti-democratic discourse in the Russian-language media. MK Shamalov-Berkovich constantly interrupted the speakers with boorish words. Like in the circus, she made theatrical gestures and shouted loudly, "Well, I did not yet attend such a racist meeting." At one point I broke down and asked into the microphone, if MK Shamalov-Berkovich is not in need of a medicine or medical care. As a result, I was immediately approached by the guards and asked to calm down. I answered that I am absolutely calm, so they're gone. However the MK Shamalov-Berkovich called them upon, then the guards approached me again and asked to leave the room. I went out after them and asked what was wrong. Then, I was told that now I must wait for the commander, who will decide my fate. A few seconds later a fat man ran in. He wore a security uniform with some badges on his jacket. He told me (while his eyes crawl out of their socket) that his name is Ziv Yaron, and that he is the chief officer of the Knesset. The officer Yaron brought his face – trembling with anger – to mine, with a distance of no more than 5 centimeters, and began aggressively accusing me of attacking an MK. He said that I must realize that I spoke to a People’s Representative, and that his duty, as well as mine (!) is to serve the People's Representatives. When I asked him, why he speaks to me in such an intimidating and aggressive manner, the officer Yaron said that he could in an instant to throw me out of here, and this is his duty. This “record” about insulting a People’s Representative and his violent ability to kick me out was playing non-stop. I was surrounded by about 5 huge guards. At first, I thought that these threats will be sounded for the sake of ritual, and afterwards I will be allowed to get back to the hall. Therefore I stood and silently listened. But since the record did not cease, I realized that it just will not end. And indeed, the commander Yaron said that he is going to ask the MK Shamalov-Berkovich, whether I might return. A parliamentary aide, present during the conversation broke in, and said that the MK Shamalov-Berkovich cannot be addressed to solve this issue, as she is not the meeting’s organizer. But the commander Yaron replied that he is one, who decides here. The situation became similar to lynch. I felt disgusted and frightened. I remembered the humiliation by teachers in the Soviet school, and by junior officers in the Israeli army. I did not want to help them to perform those of their responsibilities, so I said that I want to leave, and asked if one could carry my stuff out of the meeting room. However the officer Yaron did not rush to loosen the grasp of his victim. He continued intimidating and harassing me. I told him again and again that I do not want to listen to his threats and want to leave. Finally, my stuff was taken out, and general Yaron’s grasp weakened. Realizing that I am free, I broke my silence and said to Ziv Yaron that he is a servant of the dark regime in which it is NOT that the elected officials serve the people, but rather the citizens are forced to be servants of the "deputies;" the regime, which treats citizens in the Parliament with intimidation and harassment. The officer Yaron ordered one of his servants to lead me out of the Knesset complex - the prison complex. Such was my experience of solving political issues through the parliamentary channel in the country, which has proclaimed itself to be the only democracy in the Middle East. This is my experience, as a Jew, to solve problems by cooperating with the authorities of the State, which declared itself the state of the Jews.
