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Dec 3, 2023
Quote of the Day
What happened at the attack in Jerusalem was actually an armed civilian who made the decisive act and a soldier shot him. When you distribute weapons in large numbers, these things can happen. We know that in terror waves over the last decade frequently it was armed civilians who saved the situation and prevented a greater catastrophe. This has happened tens of times. So, I think in the current situation we need to continue with this policy - I definitely support it. It could be that we will have to pay a price for it. That's life.
-- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, about Yuval Kestelman shooting the terrorists in Jerusalem and then being shot by soldiers
what a horrible statement for the PM to make
This had nothing to do with the mass distribution of weapons. He was not errantly shot by an undertrained civilian who had just been given a gun a week before. Kestelman was shot by soldiers who are [at least somewhat] trained how to use guns and how to identify terrorists and respond to such situations.
That's life??? That's the response to someone, anyone let alone a hero, getting accidentally shot? Call for an investigation, talk about a forthcoming investigation.. that's life? Sorry, he was killed accidentally because we give out guns and that's just the way it is. It isnt even true but how can he be so callous? why is he defending the soldiers more than the actual hero?
I am not saying the soldiers who shot him are guilty. Maybe it was a perfectly understandable mistake. but at least investigate! Why is his death deserving of a flippant remark like "that's life"... ?
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Well said!
ReplyDeleteMr. Castelman was also not some trigger-happy yahoo who had just been given a gun. Before he became a lawyer, he served with the Border Police. He responded exactly as one is supposed to in these suspicious identity situations by putting down his gun , opening his coat and raising his hands. Plus telling the solders that he was an Israeli and not to shoot. Which rapidly became difficult because he was shot in the face(jaw). What is really upsetting is the government not responding to or supporting his family. It doesn't matter if its sensitive and embarrassing. And it could be still done in a way that doesn't impede or bias the investigation. They should have been told where to go to find him. They should have been informed to get his personal effects. They should have been contacted to know what is happening. None of that has been happening. And then to get hit with an insensitive remark like that. . .
ReplyDeleteI understand that you don't like Netanyahu but I do not think that quote is so terrible. What Netanyahu said was that increasing the %-age of gun ownership has advantages and disadvantages. Advantages -- Oct 7 would have looked VERY different if Israel had Alabama/Mississippi-style gun ownership laws. Disadvantages - unfortunate friendly fire incidents (or other accidents). Netanyahu gave the legitimate opinion that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages [the other side is also legitimate] As for the Y/N question of opening an investigation to this friendly-fire incident, I do not think that is Netanyahu's call, one way or another. That will be decided by the police and/or army and/or prosecutor's office [some combination of them] and believe me, they will NOT be asking for Netanyahu's opinion on the matter. It is possible that he might have chosen better wording, but .... MEH
ReplyDeleteObviously there will be an investigation. And obviously the soldier was trained. But soldiers are generally *not* trained to deal with situations like this, which are the province of the Border Police. You have a lot of soldiers carrying weapons now who may not have previously, and you have a *lot* more civilians carrying weapons, and those in uniform may not yet "get it" that not everyone with a gun is a bad guy.
ReplyDeleteThe Left is trying to use this to attack Ben-Gvir, because Ben-Gvir has been giving out a lot of guns, and the Left doesn't like Ben-Gvir and is "uncomfortable" with an armed citizenry, and Bibi is simply saying that Ben-Gvir is obviously correct and lots of people need guns in this country and so things like this will happen, at least at first.
Translation is often inaccurate and ca not capture the nuance of different cultures and terminology. Your accusation that this is a 'flippant remark' sounds reasonable to English speakers, but I actually heard the remarks in the original, and the connotation was different - along the lines of: 'most unfortunate', and: 'at times, life stinks'.
ReplyDelete