Two synagogues were set on fire last Shabbat. One was completely burned down, with all the holy books and sacred objects in it; the other was saved, and the fire caused only limited damage. However, reporting on these events was pushed to the margins of the news.
A short time ago, the entire country was in uproar. The news broadcasts opened with dramatic descriptions. The president of the country was quick to condemn. Newspapers competed with flashy headlines. Radio and television programs dealt with the serious event for several days. Indeed, this is truly something that requires the entire country to stand on its feet: someone scrawled childish inscriptions on the wall of a mosque.
How can we understand this behavior? How is it possible that every bit of nonsense against Arabs turns into a huge public outcry, while the burning of synagogues and the burning of Torah scrolls and sacred objects pass in complete silence?
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Malicious bias
Let there be no misunderstandings: Destruction of property of peaceful citizens and acts of vandalism of all kinds are completely unacceptable. Such acts incite hatred, and may cost the lives of citizens who accidentally find themselves in an Arab village. All it takes is someone to spread a rumor that these are 'price tag' people and the crowd will seek to lynch them. Such incidents have occurred recently, and miraculously, they did not end in disaster.
But the disproportionate exaggeration of the poor graffiti inscriptions expresses no less malicious intentions. Some incite hatred by scribbling on walls, and others do so by making huge headlines in newspapers and putting the issue at the top of current affairs programs. They mobilize the entire top brass of the country for a parade of condemnations, and the snowball rolls and swells, until a famous writer declares that the graffiti scribblers are 'Hebrew neo-Nazis.' No less.
These are precisely the motives that cause the media to downplay the arson of synagogues. Highlighting these events will emphasize the disproportion in inflating the acts of 'price tag', in the face of the burning of synagogues across the country. Such a public outcry will force the heads of state to condemn these acts and call them 'hate crimes' as well, and the parade of condemnations is intended only for Jews, and not against those who harm Jews.
In general, when have you heard the term 'hate crimes' associated with arsonists of synagogues or stone-throwers at Jews? Have you ever encountered this term in the context of harming the holy places of Israel, desecrating cemeteries, or harassing Jews? When Arabs commit these acts, they call it 'nationalistic motives,' but hatred? - Unthinkable.
Catch and punish
This biased behavior on the part of the mainstream media primarily damages their credibility. The public knows how to identify these foreign motives, and they quickly realize that this is not fair media reporting but a campaign of manipulation. The blatant unfairness causes anger and frustration to build up, and these can erupt into unwanted channels.
Either way, the media and state authorities must not allow synagogues in Israel to be set on fire. These events must shake the foundations of the sword. The police must allocate all resources to catch the perpetrators of the crimes, and the justice system must punish them to the full extent of the law. It is impossible that in the Jewish state, synagogues will be burned without a word being spoken and a whistle blown.
