April 06, 2008

The mechanics of Israel's racist rule

This is one of those, just-when-you-thought-that-Israel-couldn't-stoop-any- lower, sort of posts. It's Ha'aretz reporting on a new law that prevents people taking Israeli registered cars to be worked on in areas under Palestinian Authority. Here's the report in full:
A penalty of three years' imprisonment will be imposed on Israeli vehicle-owners who take their vehicles to mechanics in the West Bank under a law passed by the Knesset on Monday.

The new law, presented by Likud MK Moshe Kahlon, prohibits Israeli-registered vehicles from being repaired by mechanics in territories under Palestinian Authority control, including those that are towed there by another vehicle.

The law will empower police officers to confiscate any vehicle in violation of it, as well as the vehicle license from its owner, and the vehicle that towed it to the Palestinian territories.

Police statistics show that around 50 Israeli vehicles are dismantled by mechanics in Palestinian territories each day after accidents, and their parts are then transferred to Israeli mechanics or used-car dealerships.

The police will advise vehicle-owners of the new law through an advertising campaign as well as by placing signs at checkpoints at the entry points to the territories.

The law will initially be implemented for two years and Defense Minister Ehud Barak is currently discussing its extension for another two with the Transport Ministry and the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee.
In the whole article, nowhere is there a mention of the rationale behind such a racist piece of legislation. Helpfully though the article does end by telling us that the generous Ehud Barak not only supports the two-year implementation period but before the ink has dried on the statute itself, he has applied for it to be implemented for another two years.

Zionists have long argued that Israel shouldn't be called apartheid because it doesn't have petty apartheid. Well it definitely does now.

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