Orit Strock (Maariv Online)
Orit Struck is many, many things.
A convert, a mother of 11 children (fucking eleven children!), a settler who lives in the Jewish settlement in Hebron, a Knesset member from the extreme right and a woman full of style, without cynicism.
And perhaps most of all, Orit Strock is the Israeli behind one of the most controversial entries in the history of the Hebrew Wikipedia.
In fact, every time someone tells you "but it's even written on Wikipedia", refer them to the talk page about Struck's entry.
In 2013, Wikipedia editors discussed the almost bizarre question in retrospect, "Is Orit Struck a human rights activist?".
The system in the Wikipedia community is clear, in the event of a dispute, a vote is taken between Wikipedia editors, and the majority decides.
What a beauty - democracy.
In practice, this is a very stupid method when it comes to the encyclopedia.
For example, if a vote is held regarding the color of the flag of the State of Israel, and the majority of editors vote for the color red, then the value of the State of Israel will say that the color of the flag of Israel is red.
So simple, so idiotic.
An encyclopedia is supposed to be based on facts and truth, and not on people's opinions - and this is exactly where Wikipedia's bias was exposed.
By a majority of 28 voters against 23, it was decided to define Struck as a human rights activist.
By the way, this definition would be accurate if the word "person" was replaced by "Jews".
Strock certainly worked for the rights of the Jews.
Elderly Jews, young Jews, Jews with disabilities - but assuming that the word "person" includes non-Jews as well, not to mention - Arabs - then the definition is a bit illusory.
From 2013 until last November, anyone who entered Struck's Wikipedia entry learned that she was a human rights activist.
Just a month ago, a repeat vote was held, and this time the Hebrew Wikipedia, the place where facts are decided by tug of war, corrected one of the biggest distortions in its history.
The furthest thing from a human rights activist.
Orit Strock (photo: official website, no)
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Could it be that Struck was so offended by the removal of the mandatory title "human rights activist" that she decided to take revenge?
Could it be that she decided to adopt the democratic decision of the site's editors and chose to prove them right and she is indeed the furthest thing from a human rights activist?
We will probably never know, but the fact is that last week Struck decided to show her true face, when she chose to be the presenter of the "discrimination law" that was included in the coalition agreement ahead of the swearing in of the upcoming government.
Who lived on the moon and missed: Struck's bill states that any person will be able to refuse to provide service to "certain" people.
The language of the law is washed out, but it is clear that those who will be mainly harmed by this law are women, Arabs and members of the gay community.
You know, humans.
Strock, who was defined for nearly a decade as a human rights activist, decided that there are more important and less important people.
In the statements she made since then, she only clarified her point, when she explained that even doctors could refuse to give medical treatment to people for religious reasons.
As hard as it is to tolerate these opinions in Hebrew, it was even harder to hear a report about the emerging law abroad. The headline of the British "Guardian" newspaper reported extensively on the anti-LGBT law that is about to be passed by the far-right government led by Benjamin Netanyahu.
Struck must have enjoyed knowing that her storm had reached abroad, but how is Netanyahu not ashamed to be a signatory to a government that even contemplates passing such laws, not to mention - undertakes to do it in coalition agreements?
And maybe, maybe it's just a distraction from the real story?
It could be that this whole story of all doctors refusing to treat gays is just a trick by Netanyahu, the smart politician, so that we don't talk about the real thing.
Strock is going to be minister in the next government.
The role given to her is "minister for national missions".
The role that was tailored especially for her sounds like bloating in a closed room, a lot of bad smell but no real casualties.
However, it was then clarified that as part of the agreements between Netanyahu and the religious Zionist party, the division for Jewish culture would be transferred from the Ministry of Education to Struck's new office.
It's already a big deal.
A Palestinian boy's clothes were kicked to death.
"Zviki" stroke (photo: Walla! system, Emil Tabusov)
"The Division for Jewish Culture", or as they used to affectionately call it in the Ministry of Education: "The Religion Division".
This is not the only gift Struck received from Netanyahu.
In addition, the division of pre-military preparations, the responsibility for the national service and a number of other areas that were taken from other ministries and handed over to her and her extreme views will also be transferred to her.
For some reason, no one is talking about the fact that this woman - who on the day of Ariel Sharon's death thanked God for "taking" the former Prime Minister - will be responsible for the education of Israel's children.
Could it be related to the fact that there is much more power for gays in the media who swell (justifiably) in the face of any fear of harm to the community, and less for mothers who are anxious about their children's education?
you said
Any Israeli citizen with a modicum of conscience should be appalled by the fact that Strock would be in charge of some department related to education, let alone several.
As mentioned, this is about a mother of 11 children, who chose to raise them in the most dangerous area in the territories - the old city of Hebron.
Four of her children were physically injured in encounters with terrorists or as a result of throwing stones.
This is of course not her fault, although one can certainly ask how much more clear God can be in his warnings than shooting at a 7-year-old boy?
Yes, it is worth recalling the story of Zvi, Struck's eldest son.
The one who is called by the sweet nickname "Zviki" by his mother was convicted of violent crimes that are usually only seen on Netflix.
Here is a reminder of what the son of the human rights knight did.
In 2007, Tzviki arrived together with a friend to the village of Kosra while they were riding an ATV.
According to the indictment, the two shot in the air, grabbed a 14-year-old Palestinian boy, beat him all over his body, tied his hands behind his back, covered his eyes, and drove him in an ATV, where he lost consciousness.
When he woke up, he was wet, and heard a voice asking: "Am I shooting him?", then a negative answer.
He was abandoned in the field, basking in his blood for hours.
On the day of Ariel Sharon's death, she thanked God for "taking" him. Orit Struck (Photo: Reuven Castro)
Tzvika was convicted in court and sentenced to 18 months in prison.
In the appeal, several other facts became clear, including Zvi's attitude towards helpless puppies (to Struck's credit, she never claimed to be an animal rights activist), when he was also convicted of kicking the clothes of that Palestinian boy to death months before that incident.
They say that education begins at home, and there is no doubt that if abusing Arabs is a value, then Strock should be proud of the education she gave her son.
The Supreme Court, by the way, decided to increase Zvika's sentence to 30 months in prison.
What's really mind boggling about this story is what a shame the liberal camp doesn't have some kind of bulldozer like Struck.
Think about how much mental strength it takes to be a political activist for decades while raising 11 children.
Think about the last few years, since she was kicked out of the Knesset, how she continued to run again and again, while lobbying in the Knesset, until she finally got back in, straight to the position of Sarah.
Few would continue to make an effort, and certainly few.
In a government with so few women, Strock certainly stands out as a strong and inspirational woman.
It's a shame that this inspiration comes with a side dish of homophobia, racism and uncompromising religious conservatism.
In 2013, shortly after Wikipedia named her a human rights activist, she began collaborating in the Knesset with Merav Michaeli regarding feminist legislation.
It was a beautiful collaboration between the extreme right and what was then at least the left marker of the Labor Party.
They decided to put their differences aside and unite for a common goal - empowering women.
It may be that Michaeli regrets this cooperation today, but in any case there is a lesson in it - female empowerment is a value, but if feminism comes together with fascism and racism, it is not worth too much in the long run.
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Orit Struck
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