In a move that may represent a turning point in the direction of the conflict with the Palestinian people, the Israeli government has approved a plan to form a new security arm, called the National Guard.
According to the plan, the "National Guard" will be directly subordinate to the extremist Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, and subject to his direct instructions, as this arm will carry out broad security tasks specifically in times of "emergency", based on the order of priorities determined by the minister.
Although the Israeli government's decision did not specify the geographical scope within which the "National Guard" will operate, there is no disagreement among observers in Tel Aviv that the cities and towns of internal Palestinians will be the only arena that this security apparatus will target. Ben Gvir claims that the formation of the "National Guard" is a "learning lesson" from the events that took place in the Palestinian population centers inhabiting the interior during the war on Gaza in May 2021; It was represented in the outbreak of major confrontations in the mixed cities inside Israel, which are inhabited by Palestinians and Jews.
It is not possible to ignore the personal background of Ben Gvir, who grew up in the ranks of the "Kach" terrorist organization, which was founded by Rabbi Meir Kahane and which demanded the expulsion of Palestinians to Arab countries.
According to the Israeli government's decision, the "National Guard", for which a budget of one billion shekels has been allocated, will be composed of regular forces affiliated with the "Border Guard" and "volunteers". Although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reservations about forming a "National Guard" and subordinating it to Ben Gvir, the political shifts on the internal level reduced his maneuvering margin and forced him to accept Ben Gvir's dictation.
When Netanyahu was forced to postpone the implementation of the judicial reforms that his government had begun to pass under the pressure of the Israeli street protests, Ben Gvir stipulated that accepting the postponement be approved for the formation of the "National Guard".
What prompts the belief that the formation of the "National Guard" will establish a new, extremely dangerous stage in the history of the conflict between the Palestinian people and Israel is the fact that Ben Gvir, in his policies as Minister of National Security, bases his ideological visions and political perceptions on resolving the conflict with the Palestinian people, which means that he will employ the new security arm. In an attempt to embody these visions and those perceptions.
The declared political program of the "Jewish Resilience" movement led by Ben Gvir clearly and explicitly stipulates the necessity of working to push the Palestinians to emigrate to neighboring Arab countries, which means that Ben Gvir will not hesitate to direct the "National Guard" to carry out practices inside the cities, towns and villages of the Palestinians inside. He believes that it could contribute to reducing their ability to withstand and survive.
It is not possible to ignore the personal background of Ben Gvir, who grew up in the ranks of the "Kach" terrorist organization founded by Rabbi Meir Kahane, which demanded the expulsion of Palestinians to Arab countries in trucks; As well as Ben Gvir's personal role in carrying out the terrorist attacks on the Palestinians. The Public Prosecution Office in Israel directed Ben Gvir 53 indictments related to violence against Palestinians, specifically in the Hebron area and the southern West Bank. Ben Gvir was famous for hanging pictures of the terrorist Baruch Goldstein, the perpetrator of the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre, in his home and office, in addition to the fact that Israeli TV channels recently showed from their archives a large number of videos in which Ben Gvir expresses his support for the massacre.
Ben Gvir presented more than one evidence that he actually intends to employ the "National Guard" as his armed militia to systematically carry out attacks against Palestinians inside.
Ben Gvir deliberately invited members of violent Jewish groups that systematically carry out terrorist attacks against Palestinians to volunteer in the ranks of the National Guard. In an interview with Channel 13 on the night of April 1, Ben Gvir urged members of the "La Vimlia" organization, which represents the association of fans of the "Beitar Yerushalayim" soccer team, to join the new security arm.
It is noteworthy that ministers in the previous Israeli government, deputies and security leaders demanded that “La Vimlia” be removed from the framework of the “law” due to the attacks carried out by its elements against the Palestinians, specifically in the mixed cities inhabited by Palestinians and Jews.
In addition, "La Vimlia" relied, in encouraging the "Beitar Jerusalem" team, on slogans that are deeply racist and provocative of the feelings of Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims, as the most prominent of these slogans are: "Death to the Arabs", "Muhammad is dead", "Burn their villages", and others. .
Because of its overflowing racism, the "La Vimlia" organization thwarted the purchase of "Beitar Yerushalayim" by Emirati investors, as its members did not hesitate to write slogans insulting to the Emirates and its rulers as part of their protest against the deal, which was eventually retracted.
The list of people nominated by Ben Gvir to lead the "National Guard" indicates the nature of the goals that stand during the idea of forming this militia. In its issue of April 2, Haaretz reported that one of the candidates for the leadership of the National Guard is Avinoam Amona, who previously led the special "Magellan" unit, and who was documented calling on his soldiers to kill Palestinians even when they flee. from the Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip.
And if we take into account the ideological and political premises of Ben Ghafir, and the nature of the manpower that will form the "National Guard", there is a basis for fear that this formation will commit massacres in the cities, towns and villages of the Palestinian interior.
What lends credibility to these fears is the fact that Ben Gvir's assumption of the position of Minister of National Security contributed to an increase in the killings carried out by the occupation police against Palestinians, specifically in Jerusalem. Although Ben Gvir's influence on the police is much weaker than his influence on the National Guard.
And since Ben Gvir is concerned with exploiting all the influence and power that the "Jewish Immunity" movement gained after joining the government of Benjamin Netanyahu, he will make sure that the official institutions that have come into the grip of the movement play complementary roles to achieve his goal of pushing the Palestinians to emigrate.
Perhaps one of the most important official institutions that completes the role that the "National Guard" will play is the Ministry of "Negev and Galilee", which is handled by Isaac Visralov, the number two man in the "Jewish Fortress".
And given that the vast majority of Palestinians living in the interior are located in the Negev and the Galilee, their ability as individuals and local councils to receive official services depends on the directions of Visralov, who was clear after taking office, as he made it clear that his ministry would provide services only to "those who prove their loyalty to the state." And since Ben Gvir and his colleagues in the "Jewish Fortress" explicitly accuse the Palestinians of the interior of conspiring against the "state", they will work to combine the reduction of services provided by the Ministry of "Negev and Galilee" with the repression that will be practiced by the "National Guard", in an attempt to harm the ability of these Palestinians to stay on their land.
Despite the foregoing, Ben Gvir will quickly discover that his plans will not only fail to undermine the steadfastness of the Palestinians and their attachment to their land, but that the attempt to implement these plans will have a boomerang effect on Israel and its interests.
Nevertheless, the Palestinians and their living forces must deal seriously with these dangerous projects, and urgently agree on a comprehensive national program that serves as a starting point for confronting these plans by exacting a heavy price from everyone who thinks of inflicting a second catastrophe on them.
