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Breaking What Silence?

(Wall Street Journal Europe) Editorial - Andrei Sakharov must be spinning in his grave. The European Parliament's prestigious human rights award, named after the great Soviet dissident, is now being used to stigmatize the Jewish state. Among the three nominees short-listed for this year's Sakharov Prize is the Israeli group "Breaking the Silence," which purports to uncover abuses by the military in Palestinian territories. The real insult is that an award meant to honor those who fight "intolerance, fanaticism and oppression" is being considered for activists operating in one of the world's most vibrant democracies. By putting Israel in the same category with oppressive countries such as Ethiopia and Cuba, from which the other two short-listed nominees come, Europe's lawmakers have again discredited themselves while trying to delegitimize Israel. Despite its name, there is no "silence" to break. Israel is a noisy liberal democracy in which sitting prime ministers are investigated on corruption charges, a supreme court rules on behalf of Palestinian petitioners against the Israeli government, and a strong press routinely criticizes the government and military. Last year, Sakharov's widow, Yelena Bonner, spoke at the Oslo Forum about her late husband's affection for Israel. "All wars that Israel has waged have been just, forced upon it by the irresponsibility of Arab leaders," she quoted him as saying.
2010-10-20 09:11:52
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