Israeli Society Grapples With Legacy of Vigilantism and Morality
A recent incident involving Knesset Member Zvi Sukkot attempting to dismantle a Palestinian monument near Nablus has drawn parallels to a controversial act of revenge by Meir Har-Zion in 1955. Har-Zion, a celebrated figure of Israel's early paratrooper units, killed several Bedouin youths in retaliation for the murder of his sister and her friend. This event, and the subsequent cover-up by the military, highlighted a deep moral and legal dilemma that has resurfaced throughout Israel's history.
At the time, then-Prime Minister Moshe Sharett expressed profound concern over the military's refusal to cooperate with a police investigation into Har-Zion's actions, fearing it would legitimize vigilantism. Sharett famously questioned which of Israel's "two souls", one capable of great refinement and the other of cold-blooded murder, would ultimately prevail. Despite his efforts, Har-Zion and his accomplices were not brought to justice, a decision supported by then-Defense Minister David Ben-Gurion.
The article traces this tension between military necessity and moral conduct through subsequent events, including the Sabra and Shatila massacres, which led to the dismissal of Ariel Sharon as Defense Minister, and the Elor Azaria shooting incident in 2016. In the Azaria case, Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot warned against the army adopting a "gangster ethos," contrasting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's initial wavering stance that seemed to appease public opinion favoring the soldier.
Sukkot's recent action, while not necessarily deemed wrong in its intent by critics, is questioned for "taking the law into his own hands." The article notes that the military itself has been dismantling Palestinian "terrorist" monuments, arguing they foster radicalization. However, it questions whether such actions truly deter violence or merely deepen Palestinian resentment and the desire for revenge.
The author concludes by reiterating Sharett's seventy-year-old question about which of Israel's "two souls" will ultimately win, suggesting that the upcoming elections may determine the nation's moral trajectory. The piece is an opinion piece by Yoram Peri, an emeritus professor of sociology.
