Notes from a murder
A young Greek man, aged 26, was murdered in Tel Aviv last week, in yet another bloody display of recycled hatred. Along with Ionas Karussis, terrorists murdered a Georgian national, a woman of Ukrainian origin, and more. From the long list of victims of the terrorist attack a year ago we understand that Israel is now the largest, in proportion to its population, melting pot of cultural traditions. Yes, 80% are Jewish (20% are Arabs), but the Ashkenazi culture was different from our own Sephardic, or of those who came from Russia. What our domestic far-right (who surprisingly and suddenly decided they loved Israel) do not understand is that diversity is not a weakness – it is the wealth of a society.
Another impressive element is the perseverance of the bereaved father. “My only son was sacrificed here in the madness of war,” Dr Dimitris Karussis, head of Hadassah Hospital’s Department of Neurology, told Greek state-run broadcaster ERT. He did not curse the Palestinians, the Arabs, or the Muslims. “I want to say that it is madness that both of them, one side with the Quran and the other with the Old Testament, are constantly looking to kill each other. This will never stop. This madness also kills innocent people, people in the prime of their life, the best people.”
So, the other element of Israel’s strength is that it has many very educated individuals who understand that hatred has no genetic characteristics. It has citizens who, even in the most difficult of circumstances, can think calmly, in contrast to those on the other side of the border who rush to shout “death to the Jews,” after every murder. Not that there is a lack of disturbed people in Israel, but fortunately – for now, at least – they are not setting the tone. But their number is increasing, and this is worrying for Israel and its democracy.
The third impressive element is the endurance of their democracy in difficult times. What would happen if similar things happened in Greece? Would there have been articles and statements by intellectuals against a war that started with 1,200 civilian deaths? Would we have demonstrations in favor of some compromise, which in Israel is really painful as the blood of 18-, 20-, and 25-year-old victims is still fresh?
Israel’s power is due to everything that its recent admirers hate: diversity, Democracy, the literacy of its population. Such a bedrock makes the country’s defense – its weapons, tanks, airplanes and other paraphernalia – effective.
