Mamzer of the Month: Daniel Machover

There is an interesting article in today’s Jerusalem Post about the near arrest of Maj.-Gen. (res.) Doron Almog, former OC Southern Command, after his El Al flight touched down in London in 2005. A warrant had been issued for his arrest on account of his alleged role in the demolition of Palestinian homes in 2002.

Almog received advanced warning that British police were waiting for him and he refused to disembark from the plane. Apparently one factor that kept the police from boarding and removing him by force was a fear that they would face a shootout with Israeli sky marshals (may God bless and protect them).

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So who is the mamzer in this story? Daniel Machover, an Israeli-born partner in the London law firm of Hickman and Rose, was behind this attempt to have Almog tried by a British court for war crimes. Machover’s other activities include:

1988: co-founder of Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights
2000: signed a letter comparing the Olso process to apartheid
2005: signed a letter supporting a British academic boycott of Israel
2005: legal representative of the Palestinians Center for Human Rights
2006 (?): represents Ahmed Saadat, secretary general of the terrorist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine

Note that while Machover has been living in England since 1967--brought by his parents?--and thus has a dubious Israeli identity, individuals living in Israel may be in cahoots with him. According to one report, which Machover would neither confirm nor deny, the fifth columnist Yesh Gevul organization was active in his legal initiative against Almog. And how did Haaretz react? Predictably:

One can complain about the hypocrisy of legal authorities who are tough on Israel and easy on other countries. One can ascribe political and anti-Semitic motives to plaintiffs and judges. But it is hard to claim that our hands are clean.

References: click, here, here, here, here and here.

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And on the topic of Haaretz, I would just like to note that a previous inductee to the Mamzer of the Month Club, David Landau, is stepping down as editor-in-chief of the esteemed newspaper; unfortunately he is remaining on board on the editorial board (click here).

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For more mamzerim, click here.