Times of Israel Staff and Judah Ari Gross tells us:
Enough is enough, as my dear old mom used to say.A border Police officer succumbed to wounds suffered during a shooting and stabbing attack near Jerusalem’s Old City Wednesday, after efforts to save her life at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus failed.
The woman was identified as Hadar Cohen, 19, from Or Yehuda.
Cohen was rushed to hospital in critical condition after she was wounded in the attack shortly after 2 p.m. local time. Paramedics who treated her at the scene said she was fighting for her life.
Hospital officials said she was shot in the head. “We succeeded in stabilizing her condition for a time, but her head wound was so severe she never had a chance,” a hospital spokeswoman said.
Israel needs to behave like a normal nation, a normal people, and fight back when their own children are under assault.
The basis of the conflict is nothing other than long-standing Arab-Muslim prejudice against the Jewish people. That is all that it is. The Arab people living under Jewish-Israeli rule in that small country enjoy greater civil liberties and greater opportunities for personal and financial advancement than do their own brothers and sisters throughout the rest of the Arab-Muslim Middle East.
The problem that Israeli-Arabs have living under Israeli rule is fundamentally the same problem that French and German Arabs have living under French and German rule. For reasons primarily of religion, Muslims in Europe are reluctant to assimilate and therefore sometimes create highly inhospitable neighborhoods ("No-Go Zones") for those of the ethnicity of their host countries and are managing to actually create al-Sharia courts in European cities.
Within Israel, Arab children are raised from birth to regard Jews as an Eternal Enemy that Allah enjoys the murdering of.
It is Arab-Muslim religious bigotry that is driving this conflict and until the West recognizes this fact it will go on and on and on. But, as we know, the never-ending war against the Jews in the Middle East serves the political purposes of the Arab governments. The Arab invention of a Jewish Demon serves to distract the uneducated Arab masses from their abuse by their own governments. Furthermore, the western governments have every reason to pander to Arab-Muslim anti-Jewish bigotry because there are 1.5 billion Muslims in the world compared to 13 or 14 million Jews.
Anti-Semitism, and anti-Semitic violence, as Ruth Wisse reminds us, is political.
This young woman was murdered by a Palestinian-Arab for no other reason than that she was Jewish.
When vicious western-leftists imply that Arabs have good reason for killing Jews, due to the "Occupation," what they are really saying is that Jews have no rights to live in the Jewish heartland of our ancestry, Judea and Samaria. This is precisely what UN chief, Ban Ki-moon, suggested just the other day.
When Arabs seek to murder Jews for political reasons, it is resistance.
When Arabs seek to murder non-Jews for political reasons, it is terrorism.
The real question is what should Israel do about this third intifada?... and, make no mistake, this is very definitely a third intifada, the Stabbing Intifada... the Car Ramming Intifada.
If Israel gets tough, the EU, the UN, and the Obama administration will come down upon it like a ton of bricks.
If Israel does not get tough, then violent Palestinian-Arab racists will continue to kill their children.
What would you do?
k,
ReplyDeleteOne reason the BBC, CNN, and so on, hate Israel is because the Arabs hate Israel.
You want consideration for the long game, the one that Kumbaya Israel has been losing? There's more than one way to invite abuse. Israel pulled out of Gaza unilaterally, and has been held in contempt for it by those who urged it. Israel will come up with some plan to stop these murders of its citizens. No matter how benign a method Israel finds, you can be certain it will be condemned. It will be condemned for whatever it does. Israel needs to do what is right, not do a dance for the delight of anti-Semites.
Jeff,
ReplyDeleteOf course I agree that one reason why the BBC etc hate Israel is because the Arabs hate Israel. But it's not the first reason why they hate it. And, given everything going on, it's important to understand how deep that hostility goes. And how irrational it is.
I agree that Israel will - always is - condemned whatever it does. Totally.
But that in itself tells us something. The irrationality behind it all can only come because people are not in any way concerned with evidence or facts. In truth, they do their best to say black is white and up is down. It is Kafkaesque.
You can never please anti-Semites. Israel has, however, been incredibly stupid in many ways, completely misunderstanding how important it was to get your own message out there. It didn't, for all sorts of reasons, see how vital that was. And now is suffering from that. It has seen its opponents play a much smarter - albeit utterly dishonest - game. I do think when such a
"game" is on, one needs to start to play "smarter." It is one thing to be right, it is also necessary to be smart.
Israel faces more complex threats now than at any time. And a fast- changing geo-political landscape. Also, one that contains even worse actors. And, on top of that, it looks like it is losing the support and goodwill of its most important ally.
It is likely that what is being suggested would cause not only frenzied condemnation but outright conflict. Where would America be if that happened? Where would its relationship with Iran be? Everyone is in bed with Iran now. European trade deals are worth a fortune. And "everyone" is looking for an excuse to "prove" that ISIS and Islamic extremism is
*not* the problem; Israel /Palestine is.
I don't know what the answer is, but I am seriously afraid of what can happen. None of that means I don't look at these appalling murders and attacks and don't rage and weep at what is going on.
Kate,
ReplyDeleteI want to address two of your points.
"I, as you know, fundamentally disagree with you about the main issue being long-standing Arab/Muslim hatred of Jews."
I would argue that although European anti-Semitism is, of course, a highly significant factor, traditional theocratically-based Arab-Muslim hatred for the Jewish people represents the first circle of bigotry surrounding the Jews of the Middle East.
European anti-Semitism, particularly of the left-leaning variety these days, represents a broader circle that bolsters the first.
You want a simple, defiant move by Israel. That's understandable when you see -and the Israeli people see - that they are burying their own. But defiance is useless if it is not married with pragmatism.
A simple, defiant move?
What I want is for Israel to implement a tough, comprehensive plan designed to teach Israeli-Arabs that seeking to murder Jewish people is perhaps not in their best interest. Just as Israel's borders should be determined by the Israelis, perhaps with some consultation with Jordan, so its measures to combat relentless and violent Arab-Muslim hatred toward its Jewish population should be up to them, as well.
I do have a few ideas, however.
Refusing to recognize the PA, for example, would be a step in the right direction. Israel should make it formal policy to never negotiate with terrorst groups like the PLO or Fatah or the PA or Hamas or Hezbollah or any of those heinous and brutal organizations.
I would also recommend the deportation of the immediate family of anyone convicted of terrorist acts.
Let's think in ways that are creative and that do not reflect fear.
For example, let's consider the Gazan terror-tunnels. Why is this so difficult? Israel should seek them out and destroy them by the safest and most efficient means necessary.
I think that a get-tough policy would serve Israel well and would actually bolster its respect throughout much of the world outside of Europe.
But Europe remains a big problem and the more migrants it allows to flow in, the bigger the problem will become in the coming years and decades.
In truth, I worry more about European Jews than I do about Israeli Jews. Israeli Jews have the IDF and know how to take care of themselves because they almost all have military training.
American Jews, at least for the moment, are on safe territory.
European Jewry is basically on its own.
But just how threatening is this political moment to European Jewry?
I know that it is becoming more threatening, but because I am not on the ground in your neck of the woods it is difficult for me to get a clear sense of European Jewish fears.
What say you to that question?
Too many Jews are playing for the enemy team.
ReplyDeleteMike,
ReplyDeleteVery quickly in response to what you said about the terror tunnels. ( I'll come back to the bigger questions a bit later.) Israel would have to go into Gaza - or "invade" as it's known - and do what it did during the last conflict. Hamas would make sure the tunnels were in ordinary people's homes etc and Israeli forces would have to use explosives to destroy the tunnels. Almost certainly, knowing Hamas' methods, that could only be achieved by blowing up large parts of residential areas in Gaza, with civilians in them. That's the general plan. Pretty much like last time. Although, given that Hamas have seen what happened last time - and the world's response- they have probably arranged it so there would be even more visible destruction. Etc etc.
I can't see many people - outside of strong supporters of Israel - respecting that. I *can* see what the likely response would be from everywhere else.
I will come back on the other questions, they are important.
This is brilliant. Quite a long piece but full of insights.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thetower.org/article/how-martin-luther-kings-legacy-was-hijacked-by-academic-radicals/
Really worth reading.
Tunnels are engineered structures. They've been used effectively in modern warfare since WW1. Blow them up, flood them, gas them, bunker bust them. The techniques are well understood.
ReplyDeletek,
ReplyDeleteWhat I'm saying is that Arab/Muslim victimology has given Europe an excuse. Of course, anti-Semitism is just a symptom of a more general civilizational morass. The harder they pick on Israel and the Jews the greater the trouble you know they are in; not that I find any of this comforting.
Hi Jeff,
ReplyDeleteI don't in any way dispute the enormity of the problems of all the things you talk about. I talk about them, too.
One would have to be mad or blind not to. Of course all of that is of huge importance. Absolutely! All the history and the politics and the academic theories and, not least, the relentless narrative of the victimhood you mention. It's an endless recipe for what we are seeing.
I promise you I don't downplay any of that, at all.
If I may, because sometimes it is difficult to express what one would like to express, could I direct you to to the Twitter page of someone who, I think, is saying something that is absolutely right and terribly important. I can't express it, I don't have the skills.
He is David Deutsch, one of the top physicists in the world. Like Stephen Hawking in scientific circles, just not the same kind of household name. He happens to be Jewish, and also to take a keen interest in these matters.
He's to be found at @daviddeutschoxf
( He's a professor at Oxford)
If you check out his twitter page covering February 4th you'll find, amongst other things, a couple of tweets about anti-Semitism in a conversation with someone.
Deutsch calls it "the Pattern."
I'd urge you - and anyone else - to read it.
I think he speaks of something that is very difficult for many of us to understand. But necessary. Frightening, but necessary.
He is not hysterical or the kind of person who over reacts. Quite the opposite.
I'd be interested to know what you think.
K.
Oh, to help locate the first relevant tweet, it's in reply to Jeffrey Goldberg. Hope that helps.
ReplyDelete"Ban and others committed to universalism think this equation is fair. In fact, it diminishes Jew-hatred and sanitizes Islamic aggression. Which is why progressives who think they are pure because their hearts so conspicuously bleed for the oppressed are not pure at all. They are morally corrupt.
ReplyDeleteThey aren’t driven by compassion for any kind of victim. What drives them instead is hatred of supposed victimizers in the “powerful” West.
Their purported even-handedness thus camouflages a moral degeneracy.
For while denouncing Israel, they support Palestinians who throw gays from the top of tall buildings, who abuse women and children, who jail, torture and kill dissidents. They support the racist ethnic cleansing of Jews from a future state of Palestine. They help incite false grievances that kill.
They have the blood of innocents on their own hands.
But they think of themselves as fair, decent, progressive. This is where they are vulnerable. For like Ban, they also tend to be remarkably thinskinned.
That’s because their image of themselves really is all that matters to them. They don’t care about the world’s victims. They care about being seen to care.
They think of themselves as nice people. We have to show them that they are not. Self-regard is everything to them. It is therefore their Achilles’ heel.
We should puncture it."
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/As-I-see-it-Those-nice-Israel-bashers-Achilles-heel-443934
k,
ReplyDeleteI looked, but I'm not sure exactly what you wanted me to see. Was it the postings of the anti-Semites, or their favorite Jew-hatin' perfesser from Kent State U., or the recurring pattern comment?
Hi Jeff,
ReplyDeleteI meant the comments about
"the Pattern." I think Deutsch is right in what he is saying. This - rising tide - of anti-Semitism is something that happens about every couple of generations. It is isn't really possible to explain it. It's just something the world does. And for that reason there's not much anyone can do about it. That doesn't mean it shouldn't be fought, but history tells us that this is a pattern. That's incredibly difficult for anyone who wishes to be able to rationalize things. Particularly such awful things. But if it is something the world just does, and it has to keep going until it's run out of momentum, we should all be very alive to that. I would think that is what is happening. That is what we are now living through. How it goes this time, I don't know. But it seems to be like a "convulsion" that will go on until it is finished.