Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman this morning (Tuesday) instructed Army Radio to cease playing the works of or interviewing Israeli poet and songwriter Yehonatan Geffen, after Geffen published a poem on his Instagram account glorifying a Palestinian Authority teen who slapped Israeli soldiers.
On December 15, Ahed Tamimi, her cousin Nour Tamimi and Ahed’s mother Nariman Tamimi confronted two IDF soldiers stationed in the PA town of Nabi Salih following the outbreak of riots in the area.
In footage of the incident that went viral, the Tamimis can be seen pushing, kicking, slapping, and shouting at the soldiers, who do not respond to the provocations.
Ahed Tamimi was later arrested on December 19, and was indicted on January 1. A total of 12 charges were included in the indictment against Ahed, spanning 6 different incidents. The charges include aggravated assault, interfering with army operations, incitement, making threats, and throwing stones.
On Monday, Geffen published a short poem on his Instagram account, comparing Ahed Tamimi to heroic victims of oppression throughout the generations, from David against Goliath to Chana Senesh, who courageously parachuted into Europe to rescue Jews during the Holocaust and was later tortured and murdered by the Nazis, to Anne Frank, murdered in the Holocaust.
“A pretty girl 17 years old did a terrible thing
And when a proud Israeli soldier
Again invaded her home
She gave him a slap.
She was born into it and in that slap
Were fifty years of occupation and humiliation.
And on the day that the story of the struggle will be told
You, Ahed Tamimi,
The redhead,
Like David who slapped Goliath,
You will be in the same ranks as
Joan of Arc, Chana Senesh and Anne Frank.”
“I instructed this morning the commander of Army Radio to cease playing or interviewing Yehonatan Geffen on all station broadcasts,” Liberman said in response. “The State of Israel will not grant a platform to a man who compares a girl who perished in the Holocaust and a heroic warrior who fought the Nazi regime with the brat Ahed Tamimi, who attacked a soldier. Geffen’s headline-seeking is sickening and outrageous.”