Israel’s Vice PM: Some Arab States Not Ready For Democracy
- Posted on December 12, 2011 at 10:58pm by
Buck Sexton
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(The Blaze/AP)– Israel‘s vice premier declared Monday that many Arab countries aren’t ready for democracy – a comment sure to rankle many in the Middle East, where thousands have died and thousands more have risked their lives in uprisings against brutal dictators.
file photo
Vice Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon said Israel learned a bitter lesson about democracy in the Middle East when Islamist Hamas militants came to power in free elections in Palestinian territories in 2006. The following year, the group violently overran the Gaza Strip, ousting forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas.
Democratic elections, Yaalon said, don’t necessarily make for democratic practices.
“We are not sure, to say the least, what we witness now is real democratization,” he told a group of foreign journalists. “Hamas exploited the democratic rules of the game … to impose a non-democratic regime.”
Moshe Yaalon
“We believe that you can’t reach democracy by elections,” he added. “We believe in a long process. It should start by education.”
Tunisia – which does not border Israel – might be ripe for democracy, he said. But Palestinians, he said, are not.
“We believe the Palestinian society is not mature (enough) to exercise civil society,” he said.
Immediately after Hamas’ election victory, the militant group “began to kill the opposition and to throw the (rival) Fatah activists from the 18th floor of a skyscraper,” Yaalon said, referring to an event during the 2007 takeover.
Palestinians argue that Israel and the West applied double standards, by preaching democracy but then refusing to recognize the results of the 2006 election, widely perceived as fair and free.
Palestinian spokesman Ghassan Khatib said Yaalon harbors a “racist attitude” that is “unacceptable from an official in the state that is occupying Palestine and is contributing daily to its suffering and problems.”
“Israel is the last country in the world that is allowed to speak about human rights because Israel was, throughout the occupation period, violating the rights of the Palestinians through unjustified killing, including of children, demolishing of houses, (and) confiscating of land,” he said.
Yaalon, a former Israeli military chief, is a member of the governing Likud party and reflects mainstream thinking in the party.
Palestinians plan elections for May 2012, part of their declared program to reconcile the dueling governments in Hamas-run Gaza and the West Bank, which is controlled by Abbas. The strong showing by Islamist parties in Egypt’s recent elections has fueled fears in Israel about future ties between the countries. Israel’s 1979 peace treaty with Egypt, a landmark first with an Arab nation, has been the cornerstone of regional stability since.
Tunisia protests (file photo)
Egyptians plan to hold two more rounds of elections through January and president elections later next year.
Asked if Egypt was ready for democracy, Yaalon replied: “For Europe, it took hundreds of years, centuries, to bring about real democracy. In the Middle East, we are at the beginning of the first century of democratization.”
In another observation, Yaalon said Iran should be faced with the choice of “whether to have a bomb or to survive.”
“A nuclear Iran would be a nightmare, not just for Israel, but for Western interests and for the free world,” Yaalon said.
In line with official Israeli policy, he called for stiffer economic sanctions on Tehran, and said a military strike should be a “last resort.”
Israel, like the West, disbelieves Iran’s claims that its nuclear program is designed to produce energy, not weapons.
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c0mm0nsense
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 10:01pmBoy sure would of been nice if he would of told us this before Iraq.
Report Post »I-HATE-THE-WORD-DISENFRANCHISE
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 9:08amHeads up Israel, the stealth drone Iran now has maybe reloaded and used as a first strike weapon against Israel. What was BO thinking, we should have destroyed it by any means.
Report Post »JRook
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 10:41amWhen Biden tried to educate Americans that places like Iraq could not function well as a democracy people mocked him.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 1:58pmYou have to be Christianized before Democratized…
Report Post »A Conservatarian
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 2:13pmTell that to Athens, Luke
Report Post »melbhinn
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 8:09amDemocracy is based on the idea that people know what kind of government they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
Report Post »Ron Staiger
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 7:38amDo you believe that a people who would sentence a woman to 17 years in prison for reporting a rape is ready for Democracy? Do you believe that a nation in which 88% of its people think it is ok to execute Christians for spreading the gospel is ready for Democracy? Do you believe that a nation that would condone the hanging of people because they are gay is ready for Democracy? Do you believe that a nation that prohibits women from driving because of an alleged resulting increase in prostitution is ready for Democracy? Do you really believe that any nation of muslim cultists who openly practice pedophilia is ready for Democracy? No, of course not- they’re not even ready for the human race!
Report Post »InversionTheory
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 8:50amA democratic country could do all those things…and worse. What proves they are not ready is that whenever offered the chance, they immediately vote away their freedoms in favor of religious tyranny.
Report Post »321481
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 7:19amWhen Islam is their government there is no freedom for the regular guy. Islam does not respect the rights of citizens. They are not created equal in the eyes of God with inalienable rights. A big difference right from the get go. Just accept the situation, we must deal with them where they are not where we wish they were. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 7:17amSome may never be. Afghanistan comes to mind.
Report Post »blue_sky
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 4:57amIn case some of you missed how Ron Paul had been exposed about his stance on Israel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrzzMbTNoZk
.
Report Post »Arc
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 4:20am“Palestinian spokesman Ghassan Khatib said Yaalon harbors a “racist attitude” that is “unacceptable from an official in the state that is occupying Palestine and is contributing daily to its suffering and problems.”
Just a casual observation…….Notice how easily the Palestinians can shout “ racist”? The latest “guilt trip” word to be thrown around for the sake of power. Racism is not CONTAGIOUS but the ones who throw the word around so loosely certainly wish it were, then there allegations would have merit. Until then, they shall be known as LIARS.
Report Post »Restore the Republic
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 2:00amIts not sup rising that the aren’t ready for democracy. They are 2,000 years behind the evolutionary curve.
Report Post »tzion
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 4:34amNot just them either. In India for instance they don’t elect leaders based on policies but rather on how closely they are related to Gandhi. All they’ve done with democracy is create an apparent monarchy.
Report Post »TH30PH1LUS
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 12:26amI am unaware of the particulars of Tunisian political development, but in general I tend to agree with Vice Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon.
Report Post »LUDWIKA BRONISLAWA
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 12:10amYou know, when a ‘bomb shelter’ (blast proof saferoom) is a must have when apartment shopping, I’d say your neighbors cannot be trusted. Confused? Immature? BRAINWASHED! We won‘t see ’peace‘ in ANYONE’S lifetime.
Report Post »Jenny Lind
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 12:02amThey never will be. Sharia law first, men in charge, women slaves. Auh yes, the religion of peace.
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on December 12, 2011 at 11:38pmNews Flash:
Report Post »Some Arab states aren’t ready for toilet paper, let alone democracy.
tzion
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 4:38amI personally am of the opinion that if they can‘t create it themselves without help they probably aren’t ready for it. Take guns in Africa for instance: those with them use them to steal from people so they can buy more guns and steal more. Iran only succeeded in their nuclear ambitions because foreign scientists helped them. Israel founded itself as a democracy and while I believe their system is flawed they have made it work so far.
Report Post »tzion
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 4:39amBy the way I like the reference of your user name. That was a great episode.
Report Post »jasmer
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 7:11amOh, so you’ve visited some of them too? My soldiers didn’t believe me when I told them Arabs consider the left hand unclean…
Report Post »One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
Posted on December 12, 2011 at 11:34pm“Some Arab States Not Ready For Democracy”
SOME? I would be one of those who say none of them are ready for it and won’t be overnight if ever, especially while they continue practicing ISLAM. ISLAM and FREEDOM are incompatible. Period.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on December 12, 2011 at 11:30pm“democracy” is only a nice sounding term, when compared to “ dictator”. When compared to our CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC, it pales in comparison
mob rule versus rule of law the problem with democracy is when your neighbors all vote to take your stuff , and decide your a threat to the collective .
you can keep your democracy, i will keep my republic, my stuff, and my life , and will protect said items with the second amendment. dont believe me???? come test my resolution
Report Post »DYNA
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 12:36amYes, I believe the founders of America referred to democracy as mob-ocracy.
Report Post »ShyMan
Posted on December 12, 2011 at 11:26pmWanna know why they are not ready for “democracy”?
Because they’d all vote for the one that promises to kill the most jews.
Sometimes the common sense just writes itself.
Report Post »tzion
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 4:42amDemocracy and Republicanism both require what the Arab countries have never possessed: an informed, educated public that shares a common desire to prosper.
Report Post »scout n ambush
Posted on December 12, 2011 at 11:17pmHamas is now firing rockets from across the gaza border in Egypt trying to get Israel and Egypt at war any day now it will all explode into a huge conflict likes of that we have never seen before with russia and possibly china on the arabs side.
Report Post »Steelhead
Posted on December 12, 2011 at 11:26pmyou better make sure your bunker is well supplied and defended lol
Report Post »gdbhusker
Posted on December 13, 2011 at 12:11amYes.. just as prophesied 3500 years ago… Russia, China, Libya, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Saudi….and all the “stans”…..what a wonderful coincidence…..I am amazed at the accuracy of a book that has been here all this time, and just waits on someone to pick it up…..once you do..you realize that nothing will matter and al that we do..we do in vain… Gods will is setting up all of this…he has foretold us EVERYTHING!!! so dont get a bunker…get a BIBLE!!! peace
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