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Israeli parliament speaker Yuli Edelstein said on Sunday that the assassination of former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin had "no historical influence" after a controversial protest the night before marking the 23rd anniversary. of the murder of the former statesman and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rabin was shot dead on 4 November 1995 by an extreme right-wing activist during the implementation of the controversial Oslo accords, which were supposed to progressively establish a final peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians.
In an interview with Israel Military Radio Edelstein said Sunday morning that if Rabin's murder had achieved his political goals, "they would then be the opposite goals of what this heinous murderer was planning to achieve."
He was apparently reacting to the comments of the leader of the left-wing Meretz party, Tamar Zandberg, who said at the rally that Rabin's murder was "the most successful political murder in history."
After the interview, Edelstein's office clarified his statement, saying that Rabin's death did not immediately end the Oslo Accords, as his murderer Yigal Amir had hoped, but instead extended them.
"The assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was a terrible tragedy for his family and friends, as well as a difficult shock for the state of Israel." According to his remarks, the president of the Knesset said that the assassination did not help Yigal Amir to get the political result On the contrary, in his act, he extended the Oslo Accords, which were to fail from the beginning, "said the Edelstein office.
Edelstein's remarks immediately sparked negative reactions from Zandberg, who said that "the killing of Rabin has diverted Israel from its course and ended the peace process. That's what it was meant for and it's successful. Any attempt to deny [this] is part of the avoidance and inability to take responsibility for the atmosphere that led to the murder. "
The assassination of Rabin, the months of nationalist campaigning and the fiery slogans that preceded his assassination have been the subject of political controversy for years. In the months leading up to his death, Rabin was labeled a traitor by political extremists for signing the Oslo accords with PLO leader Yasser Arafat.
Members of the right-wing Likud faction, including current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, attended noisy political rallies in which the demonstrators described Rabin as "traitor" and "Nazi" and were criticized for ignoring inflammatory rhetoric prompted the killing of Rabin.
On Saturday, thousands of Israelis gathered in the central square of Tel Aviv, where Rabin was assassinated for an annual commemoration that tried, unsuccessfully, to unite Israelis from all political backgrounds in memory of the legacy. of Rabin.
Speaking at the event Saturday night, Zandberg went to Netanyahu for turning the kind of incitement that had preceded the killing of Rabin "into a central tool to keep the submissive, controlled and broken peace camp ".
"When Netanyahu mastered the wave of incitement in 1995, he thought he could control it, but today, he turned the incentive into a central tool to keep the peace camp submissive, controlled and broken, he uses it to make sure that the inheritance his assassination remains intact, that is, the legacy of peace will remain at the bottom of the grave, "he said. she declared.
Opposition leader, Tzipi Livni, of the faction of the Zionist Centerist Union made similar remarks, warning that "history is repeating itself".
"Just read the Prime Minister's messages, watch the videos, listen to the speeches, read the violent replies and blame anyone who thinks otherwise. Anyone who works for peace is not a traitor, it was true then and it is true today, "she said.
Speech at the rally by Netanyahu's Likud Party Minister for Regional Cooperation Tzachi Hanegbi sparked controversy over his opposition to Rabin, who led him to the assassination.
Hanegbi, who booed loudly during his speech, said that he felt it was important to attend the commemoration despite the opposition "and to oppose it. the banditism attempt to silence me ".
"Many of the public, and me among them, believe in [Oslo accords] were a terrible mistake. We opposed. But when the murderer killed the prime minister, each of my partners in this legitimate political fight felt exactly what the Israelis on the other side of the ideological spectrum felt, "Hanegbi said.
Hanegbi, like Netanyahu, was a harsh opponent of Rabin's policy and was often blamed by the left for inciting hatred.
Netanyahu, for his part, tweeted about the event: "It is unfortunate that the rally in memory of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin has been turned into a political meeting." Those who defend the freedom of expression try to silence those who disagree with them. "
Rabin served as Israel's chief of staff during the Six-Day War in 1967, as well as serving as ambassador to the United States, defense minister and prime minister.
In 1994, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with then Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and PLO President Yasser Arafat for the signing of the Peace Agreements. 39, Oslo. Most of the goals of the agreements, such as the self-determination of Palestinians and a lasting peace treaty, have never been achieved.
See also:
Analysis: Rabin's lost memory, an insult added to the wounds
The grandchildren of Prime Minister Rabin murdered in Netanyahu during a commemorative ceremony
Yitzhak Rabin's killer officially starts filing the petition for review
Finger on the pulse; are the Oslo agreements dead?
