Author Slams Protestors' Double Standards in Treatment of Minister
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Author Gaula Even-Saar criticizes the selective outrage of protesters and commentators, contrasting the condemnation of Yinon Magal's "monkey" comment with the lack of outcry over a woman verbally attacking Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf while he was with his infant son. Even-Saar highlights that Wasserlauf's home has been a target for protesters, and questions why verbal abuse against him is ignored while Magal's word choice sparked widespread condemnation. She argues this demonstrates a double standard based on political affiliation.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Author Gaula Even-Saar criticizes protesters' double standards regarding verbal attacks.
- A woman verbally attacked Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf during a medical visit with his infant son.
- Protesters have frequently targeted Wasserlauf's home and family.
- Even-Saar contrasts the outrage over Yinon Magal's "monkey" comment with silence on Wasserlauf's abuse.
- The author argues that condemnation is selective based on political alignment.
Author Gaula Even-Saar criticizes what she terms the "ugly face" of protest, highlighting a double standard in public outrage. She questions the silence of those who condemned commentator Yinon Magal's use of the word "monkey" in reference to Gadi Eisenkot, while ignoring an incident where a woman verbally attacked Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf during a medical visit with his infant son.
Even-Saar recounts the incident, where the woman yelled at Wasserlauf, calling him a "Ben-Gvirist, Kahaneist" and blaming him for the October 7th disaster, demanding he leave Tel Aviv for the Galilee. The author praises Wasserlauf for his restraint, especially given he was with his week-old baby.
Wasserlauf's home in North Tel Aviv has been a frequent target for protesters against the judicial reform, with demonstrators holding signs, chasing him, and shouting at him as he escorted his children to school. Even-Saar notes that Wasserlauf and his wife have faced harassment from a "violent" group from the left for years, blurring the lines between his role as a minister and as a father.
She contrasts the intense reaction to Magal's "monkey" comment, which sparked widespread condemnation and accusations of racism, with the muted response to the verbal assault on Wasserlauf. Even-Saar argues that this selective outrage reveals "flexible" moral boundaries, where condemnation is reserved for those the accusers identify with, while political opponents face indifference.
The author points out that during the attack on Wasserlauf, no one intervened or asked the woman to stop. She also recalls an earlier incident where left-wing protesters came to Wasserlauf's home shouting, causing distress to his disabled daughter. Even-Saar questions why such behavior, especially towards a minister with a newborn, is overlooked, suggesting it's because Wasserlauf is associated with "Otzma Yehudit" and is not "one of us."
Even-Saar concludes that Wasserlauf's right to live in Tel Aviv and have a private life should not be contingent on his political views or affiliation. She implies that those who were so outraged by the "monkey" incident should similarly condemn the documented verbal assault and humiliation of a minister with his infant son, arguing that such actions cross a line.
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