but what is your point in this post?

It's true that Avidgor Lieberman teeters on that line between terrifying and hilarious - this is the major national politician who once physically attacked a child for bullying his son - but this post is quite offensive. There seems to be an anti-Russian immigrant undertone, suggesting that because Lieberman immigrated to Israel, he should have no say in Middle Eastern politics.
Does Jon Papernick know how Israel works?
Is he really suggesting that as a Moldovian immigrant, Lieberman - maniac that he may be - should keep his mouth shut and let the 'real israelis' lead the nation?

If only Ashkenazi Sabras - ideally left-leaning secular ones - still had a stragglehold on the state!

Considering the high proportion of new immigrants in Sderot, this objection stands out as especially heinous.

It's too bad that you are offended by my post and that you misread what I wrote to suggest that Lieberman should have no say in Middle Eastern politics.

But, as Lieberman immigrated to Israel as an adult, one might see how this might be problematic if he lays waste to the Gaza Strip (where Palestinians have lived for generations) in a number of hours.

I don't see how there is an anti-Russian immigrant undertone here at all. I don't think that Lieberman represents all Russians living in Israel. I certainly hope not! You should be comforted to know that this post has an anti-Lieberman overtone, not an anti-Russian undertone..

So, Anonymous, if you're going to be so easily offended, why don't you come out of the shadows and have a real conversation?

Examples of anti-immigrant attitude:
- "I find it strange that it is Lieberman who is taking the most militant stance, considering he did not move to Israel until he was 21 years old."
- "Russian born Lieberman has a long record of anti-Arab rhetoric"
- " I wonder whether a Moldavian born gangster like Lieberman has the moral authority to make any claims on land in the Middle East."

In four paragraphs, Lieberman’s foreign origins are stressed three times. Noting a man's origins is not, in itself, anti-immigrant, but the first and third quote suggest a disconnect between the fact that Lieberman "did not move to Israel until he was 21 years old" and his “militant stance.” The second and third unnecessarily remind the reader of Lieberman’s national origins, referring to him as “a Moldavian born gangster." Is this relevant? Why not just "a gangster"? The repeated emphasis on his FSU origins is suspicious.

I’m also troubled by Papernick’s response:
"As Lieberman immigrated to Israel as an adult, one might see how this might be problematic if he lays waste to the Gaza Strip (where Palestinians have lived for generations)"
This is on murkier ground, but the acceptance of immigrants is a fundamental, indisputable goal of Israeli society. Questioning the rights of Olim to lead the country, is, in effect, a challenge to origins and purpose of the state, a nation of immigrants. Could Israel exist if it were only led by men and women who’s families have been in the area for generations?
(If this were the case, we should certainly have ignored Shimon Peres, Golda Meir and Menachem Begin, all born abroad)
Finally, is it really preferable that a native Israeli lay waste to the Gaza Strip? To my mind, the sin lies in the ‘laying waste,” not the origins of the politician calling for it.

In general, I’m not defending Lieberman, who I’ve always felt is a sleazy thug. Instead, I’m uncomfortable with the linking of his sleazy-thugitude with his immigrant status.

It's amazing how you jump to conclusions:

The acceptance of immigrants is a fundamental, indisputable goal of Israeli society. Questioning the rights of Olim to lead the country, is, in effect, a challenge to origins and purpose of the state, a nation of immigrants. Could Israel exist if it were only led by men and women who’s families have been in the area for generations?
(If this were the case, we should certainly have ignored Shimon Peres, Golda Meir and Menachem Begin, all born abroad)

Yeah, I get it. But Peres and Meir weren't thugs, (Moldavian-born or otherwise), and Begin, though head of the Irgun, also managed to make peace with Egypt and win the Nobel Prize. But Lieberman is a maniac to the core, and I would be careful defending him with your false outrage and spurious claims of anti-immigrant bias.

Perhaps you expect your writing to be entirely adjective free and prefer bland generalizations. That doesn't make me anti-anything.

Good luck with your Aliyah.