See the Haaretz editorial (December 12, 2021).  Allow the archives to speak.  Haaretz English Edition. On Haaretz website the title of the editorial was changed as follows: Editorial | Israel’s ‘Most Moral Army in the World’ Can’t Keep Running Away From Its Past.  https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/editorial/israel-s-most-moral-army-in-the-world-can-t-keep-running-away-from-its-past-1.10458062

“Prime Minister and Defense Minister David Ben-Gurion described the actions as ‘shocking,’ but in practice he covered for the army and prevented a genuine investigation.  In so doing, he laid the foundations for the culture of support and cover-up still prevalent in the IDF (and the Israel Police) regarding brutality against Palestinian and Lebanese civilians.

Columnist Gideon Levy writes that Haaretz editors are convinced that the truth that has been revealed “will provoke penetrating public discussions throughout the country,” but they are “mistaken… The spreading of lies and false propaganda, which began immediately after the war and has never stopped, has succeeded above and beyond all expectations. The door to the truth is closed to most Israelis.  Most do not see Palestinians as human beings like themselves. Levy continues, “The vast majority will adhere to the ‘truth’ that has been drilled into their heads: There was no choice, we don’t want to think about what would have happened had the situation been reversed, we were the few against the many, the Arabs started it, they rejected partition – and of course, the Holocaust.” (I can add that all of the above were literally responses that I heard from guests in my home – all fine upstanding people as seen in everyday life – the weekend the story broke – Ed.)

OTHER INTERESTING RELATED ARTICLES

Shenhav-Shahrabani, Yehouda (December 13, 2021).  The skeletons in Israel’s closet.  Haaretz English Edition. [Writer is a professor of sociology at Tel Aviv University and Editor of a book series on Arab literature in Hebrew].   Haaretz online changed the title: Opinion | Ironically, It’s the Israeli Right That’s Acknowledging the Palestinian Nakba. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.HIGHLIGHT-ironically-israel-s-right-raises-awareness-of-the-nakba-1.10460015

“Israel’s recognition of the Nakba is the opportunity that will give rise to a discussion that will prevent the second Nakba.”