In radio interview from hospital, Israel Prize winning prof. says pipe bomb attack a risk to democracy.
By JPOST.COM STAFFzeev sternhell 224.88(photo credit: Courtesy)
The Anti-Defamation League, in a statement released Friday, condemned Wednesday's pipe bomb attack on Israel Prize winner Professor Ze'ev Sternhell, saying that "Any act of violence against innocent civilians is an act of terrorism and should be forcibly condemned by all-law abiding citizens and public officials."
"While police are still investigating the source of this despicable attack against an
Israeli peace activist, we are concerned by reports that Jewish extremists were behind the bombing," the statement went on.
"It is abhorrent that a person be physically targeted for their political views and this is a blow to democracy."
Two days after the bomb exploded at his door, Israel Sternhell accused right wing elements in the attempt to hurt him.
Lightly wounded in the attack, Sternhell was interviewed by Israel Radio from his hospital bed, saying "it was obvious that this was the work of the extreme right wing. It could have been a lone lunatic, an organization, a cell of three or a whole settlement which have to decided to 'set the record straight' with me."
"[The attack] could not come from anywhere else; I am not Abergil," Sternhell said, referring to the mafia kingpin.
Sternhell, who was released from hospital shortly after the interview, warned that the attack constituted a veritable danger to the future of Israeli democracy.
"These are processes that I have been studying for years. Society is not responding as it should. One of the worst incidents was when [then prime minister] Yitzhak Shamir defined the Jewish underground as 'excellent young men, real patriots'. The moment these people are not defined as criminals is where the problem begins," he said.
"Democracy is a fragile form of government based on [societal] conventions. If these conventions are not protected they will collapse. These bastards were not worried they might kill a whole family," he said.
"If someone thinks he can physically hurt another just because [he] has a different opinion, democracy cannot exist. Democracy requires that discussions, as heated as they get, remain within the realm of speech. Thus decisions are made by the majority while protecting the minority's rights."
"I have been saying this for years," Sternhell summed up. "Occupation is illegitimate. There is a right to oppose it and this has to be done nonviolently."
Police have suggested the attack was ideologically motivated, but have not yet accused any party of perpetrating it.
Elana Kirsh contributed to this report.
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