Haaretz runs editorial criticising own publisher’s Palestinian ‘freedom fighters’ speech
Israeli newspaper's opinion piece is headlined 'Terrorists are not freedom fighters'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Israeli newspaper Haaretz has published an editorial criticising remarks made by its own publisher, Amos Schocken, in reference to Palestinian “freedom fighters” at a conference in London.
Leonid Nevzlin, co-owner of Haaretz, has also publicly expressed his strong disagreement with statements made by the publisher.
In a leader column headlined ‘Terrorists are not freedom fighters,’ published on Monday, the influential left-leaning paper said that while Schocken had not been referencing Hamas when he used the term “freedom fighters” and had instead been referring to those resisting occupation in the West Bank nonetheless: “Deliberately harming civilians is illegitimate.”
The editorial continued: “Using violence against civilians and sowing terror among them to achieve political or ideological goals is terrorism. Any organisation that advocates the murder of women, children and the elderly is a terrorist organization, and its members are terrorists.
“They certainly aren’t ‘freedom fighters’.”
The opinion piece adds: “Throughout history, nations have waged armed struggle against oppressive occupiers to liberate themselves and achieve independence; not every armed struggle is terrorism.
“But the term ‘freedom fighter’ has a positive, even romantic, connotation, which could lead people to support illegitimate acts of violence. Those should be unacceptable in any way, shape or form.”
Schocken had delivered an introductory speech at the start of last Sunday’s Haaretz conference, held at JW3 in north London, which attracted over 650 people.
The editorial in Haaretz notes that in his speech he said, among other things, that: “The Netanyahu government doesn’t care about imposing a cruel apartheid regime on the Palestinian population. It dismisses the costs of both sides for defending the settlements while fighting the Palestinian freedom fighters, that Israel calls terrorists.”
Schocken was referring to the Palestinians living in the West Bank, and later clarified his remarks saying he misspoke when using the term “freedom fighters”.
Nevzlin, a partner in Haaretz, stressed his commitment to liberal values and the importance of a free press, but added: “I wish to express my complete disagreement with Amos Schocken’s stance on the events of October 7 and the current war.”
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