Israeli differentiation and the lynching of Haftom Zahrum

Israeli media has remained true to form, seeking the route of sensationalism and choosing of the state and settler terror attacks to magnify as part of its colonial propaganda.

The lynching of an Eritrean man, Haftom Zahrum, by a mob of bloodthirsty settlers - who mistook the migrant for a "terrorist" - went viral on social media.

The gruesome footage provided a perfect example of the concordance between the state, Israeli security forces and settlers, portraying the extent to which Netanyahu's policy of shoot first, ask later, has been fully embraced by the citizenry.

Eritrea's ambassador to Israel has called upon Tel Aviv's foreign ministry to conduct a thorough investigation. The embassy advised Eritrean citizens in Israel to "exercise caution", stating that "racism does exist in Israel".

Predictably, Israeli police have not arrested anyone involved in the murder.

The security guard who shot Zarhum was briefly detained for questioning and released. 

"We have arrested no one at this point, but we are still looking for people for questioning over this incident," Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld told reporters. 

The lenient attitude is despicable, given that the footage could provide the foundations for identifying the participants in murder, yet, it is to be expected. In the case of the arson terror attack in Duma, Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon publicly admitted that the identity of the Israeli settler terrorists was known to authorities.

Predictably, Israeli police have not arrested anyone involved in the murder

However, it was decided to not to reveal their identity, or to proceed with proper investigations, due to "security concerns" - the euphemism that continues to provide Israel with absolute impunity.

Meanwhile, other Palestinians have been murdered or injured by Israeli settlers and security forces. The victims' Palestinian identity, however, has ensured that only social media and activism have played roles in shaping discourse and disseminating individual details of each of the victims.

International and Israeli media have relied upon the alleged terror narrative, as well as normalising state and settler violence, in order to restrict the flow of information, give a false, collective narrative to support the convenient "terror" premise and, in turn, give Israel the opportunity to hypocritically distinguish between the murder of Palestinians and others such as Zahrum, under the pretext of mistaken identity.

Hypocritical 'soul searching'

Israeli diplomatic rhetoric reached new heights following Zarhum's lnching. During a Likud meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared: "We're a nation of laws. No one may take the law into their hands. That's the first rule."

Yaakov Amidror, a former security adviser to Netanyahu, called the lynching "a disgrace to Israeli society".

It is clear, however, that Israeli officials have not expressed revulsion at state or settler terror. Rather, they have availed themselves of the opportunity to manifest a selective conscience which clearly portrays their callous attitude not only towards Zarhum, but also towards Palestinians.

African migrants in Israel have frequently been the target of state and settler racism.

The concept of "infiltrators", once applied to Palestinians attempting to return to their lands after forced expulsion, was applied to African migrants, in a bid to define and protect Israel's demographic aims.

Any talk of regret and soul searching is nothing but a veneer disguising ulterior motives - the main reason being to continue state propaganda of "Palestinian terrorism" - hence the differentiation between Zarhum's murder and the daily extrajudicial killing of Palestinian civilians.

Dependency 

Israel's colonial project is primarily dependent upon violence and the necessity to construct impunity both within Israel and in the international community.

Netanyahu's reference to Israel as a nation of laws should elicit serious questioning to include the historical violence that characterised the establishment of the Zionist colonial project.

Israel has, since its inception, acted with impunity and in defiance and contempt of international law through land appropriation, ethnic cleansing, forced displacement, torture, extrajudicial killings and disappearances.

There has never been an endeavour to regulate state policies in accordance with ethical norms, hence any reference by Netanyahu to legislation ultimately infers that state-approved violence against Palestinians is enshrined and the complicit settler population is acting within well established parameters.

On a humanitarian basis, there should be no difference between the murder of an Eritrean and that of a Palestinian

Israel would prefer to extend the terror narrative in order to divert attention from the reality of Palestinian anti-colonial struggle.

Since the settler incursions in Al-Aqsa, Netanyahu has continued to provide evidence of Israel's manipulation of being a law-abiding nation by authorising sniper fire upon Palestinians actively resisting colonial violence.

The international community has articulated its acceptance through collective silence and normalisation of Israeli violence, thus adding pressure upon Palestinians who are not only resisting Israeli brutality, but also international complicity.

Zarhum's murder will unfortunately provide additional fodder for Israeli impunity. A reason to mildly chastise Israel has been found - one that does not threaten the international community's vested interests in Israel. On a humanitarian basis, there should be no difference between the murder of an Eritrean and that of a Palestinian. Politically, both have suffered under Israel's colonial policies.

Within the current context, however, it is Palestinians that stand to lose. Unwittingly, even activists for Palestine will be upholding Zarhum's lynching as an example of Israel's racist character and Zarhum will become a temporary epitome of such malevolence.

Israel will, undoubtedly, manipulate the event to stress, yet again, the "terror" narrative at the expense of a victim, thus constructing an additional version of self-styled impunity for its security forces and complicit settlers.

As Palestinians continue resisting, it is also the duty of activists to avoid the pitfalls of selective appendages to Israel's character.

Israel is undoubtedly racist. However, it is its colonial existence that should be challenged and dismantled, not only to invalidate Israeli rhetoric, but also to strengthen Palestinian anti-colonial struggle.

Ramona Wadi is an independent researcher, freelance journalist, book reviewer and blogger specialising in the struggle for memory in Chile and Palestine, colonial violence and the manipulation of international law.

Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of al-Araby al-Jadeed, its editorial board or staff.