You’ve probably already read about it: the embarrassing statement by Israel’s Deputy Regional Development Minister Ayoub Kara (Likud), attributing recent earthquakes in Italy to divine retribution for that country’s abstention in the recent UNESCO vote on Jerusalem, which prompted this apology by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
We repudiate the remarks of Deputy Minister Kara. They are unworthy, and it would have been best had they not been made at all.
Since making the statement, Deputy Minister Kara has issued an apology, which is also endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The remarks in no way reflect the depth of the relationship between both the peoples and government of Israel and Italy.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a clarification meeting with the deputy minister in the near future.
No doubt Kara’s comments were reprehensible. And naturally, Israel haters and antisemites are trying to milk them.
https://twitter.com/oohincensed/status/792061149881786368
https://twitter.com/dave1163sag/status/792161883113525248
https://twitter.com/JamesWilarUpton/status/792056624764456960
An Israeli ministe said that recent Italy's earthquake is God punishment for Unesco voting: what a pity #Israel is becoming as Saudi Arabia!
— Riccardo Fiorito (@riccardofiorito) October 29, 2016
And again, Israel’s MFA condemned them and in doing so, made it abundantly clear that he does not represent the Israeli government’s position.
But there is one bit of information these haters – and seemingly most of the media – is missing.
Ayoub Kara is not an Israeli Jew. He is Druze. His views do not point towards some supposed Jewish notion of supremacy, as the haters would love you to believe.
In fact, as despicable and misguided as his comments are, what they do show is his passion for the state of Israel, as a non-Jewish citizen. And there are plenty more like him. Hardly what you would expect from a supposed “apartheid” state.