If you are perhaps upset at the firing of Larry Derfner, please, don''t be upset. And for sure, don''t be hypocritical.If you are opposed in principle to his firing, then, I hope, you are opposed also to the demand by radical progressives to fire another meida personality.
The initiators are Shutafut-Sharakah which is a "Forum", made up of groups marshalled along the extreme fault-line of the Left including Agenda – Israeli Center for Strategic Communication; Arab-Jewish Community Center in Jaffa; The Citizens’ Accord Forum between Jews and Arabs in Israel; Keshev – Center for the Protection of Democracy in Israel; Shatil; Sikkuy –Association for the Advancement of Civic Equality in Israel; The Abraham Fund Initiatives and others.
The rationale in English:
It’s time for the last word: Sign the petition to fire Avri Gilad
Countless complaints have already been submitted to the Galei Tzahal (Israel Army Radio) about the incitement and racism that Avri Gilad reveals in his program, but the broadcaster continues on as usual. We cannot allow Mr. Gilad to continue to misappropriate his role as a journalist and to sabotage the prospects for a shared society in Israel! The time has come for a public call for the firing of Avri Gilad.
…Mr. Gilad called for the revocation of the citizenship of Arab citizens of Israel who live in the “triangle” region so as to turn Israel into a state that is “as Jewish as possible,” while also mocking the customs of Ramadan…
From the petition itself:
Dear Mr. Isaac Tonic, Commander of Galei Tzahal, and the Israel Press Council:
As Jewish and Arab citizens, we are appalled by the recurring, offensive statements of Avri Gilad against the Arab citizens of Israel in his program, “The Last Word”, and we strongly urge Galei Tzahal to fire him.
With the ridicule, venom and hatred that Mr. Gilad insists on conveying toward one-fifth of Israel’s citizens, he is violating the ethical guidelines of the Israel Press Council, which demands fair coverage and an avoidance of incitement, and misappropriating his role as a journalist in a democratic country.
Mr. Gilad systematically makes statements that incite against, and generalize about, Arab citizens of Israel…we stand by our demand to fire him so that he will not be given a platform from which to continue to sabotage the prospects for a shared society in the State of Israel.
I will pass no judgment on the content of his remarks, whether he has the right to say them or whether I am for them or not.However, if Gilad should be fired, according to the Left, which is now supporting Derfner, for words of presumed racism, what is the punishment for someone who advocates terror and murder?
Hypocrisy reigns.^