What is the difference between a homeowner chasing a mouse and a cat pouncing on a mouse? They both seemingly do the same thing, but there is a profound difference between them: the homeowner wants no mice in the house, while the cat wants as many mice as possible so that he can chase them.
The political and media celebration surrounding the Hill Boys does not appear to be the behavior of someone who wishes to bring a cure to a fracture and a solution to a problem, but rather that of a cat that is overjoyed and happy about the 'mouse' that has fallen into its paws.
It is also easy to discern the real motives – it is not the youth of the hills who are the target, but the entire camp of lovers of the Land of Israel.
How nice it is to be shocked, to express cries of grief, and to call for self-examination – which, of course, the opposing camp must do.
Don't get confused.
Indeed, there is a problem here.
This is a youth who has lost faith in the system, and as is the custom of youth, who tend to see things in black and white, he is certain that he has the entire truth in his hands, and that he represents the handful of Hasmoneans, the bearers of the jug of pure oil, who rise to wield the miracle of rebellion and bring redemption to the world.
It is clear that when things escalate into violence and serious acts that could ignite a dangerous fire, legal means must be used to punish and deter. But it is important to do so in a way that does not add fuel to the fire and does not deepen the distrust that will push more and more youth into these corners.
The harsh allegations being made about the behavior of Shin Bet interrogators, about outrageous statements made against those who wear large kippahs and grow thick wigs, and even harassment of relatives who have no hand in the actions of those boys - are likely to increase distrust in the law enforcement system, which is already not very high.
The disproportion in the focus on the actions of those boys also increases the feeling of discomfort.
Let us not be confused. It is not Jews who are stabbing people, women, and children in the streets of cities. We are in the midst of a campaign against a wave of Arab terror, in which a knife dance is not an unusual and outrageous event, but an everyday occurrence. Murderers of women and children are presented as heroes, and the entire society supports them.
At this time, directing the spotlight with such intensity towards a silly dance by a few boys is a complete loss of proportion.
It is completely clear that there is an opportunity being exploited here by one camp to attack the other, hence the attempt to expand the circle of the 'guilty' – the rabbis, the settlers, the entire camp.
The seeds of rift
Those who seek correction must offer real solutions to those youth who have lost their way. The best experts must be brought together and an action plan must be developed that will return these youth to a healthy framework and prevent them from falling into the arms of extremism.
Meanwhile, it is appropriate for the branches of government and the media to examine themselves as to why they have lost the trust of large segments of the public.
Maybe it's the lack of enforcement of illegal construction by Jews and Arabs? Maybe it's the unbalanced coverage of the media? Maybe it's the excessive activism of the Supreme Court, against the decisions of elected officials? That's where the seeds of the rift lie, and that's where the correction needs to be made.
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