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I Believe We Have a Duty to Condemn Anti-Semitism and Unprovoked Acts of Aggression Against Israel
Throughout my lifetime, everyone I know has decried anti-semitism and denounced the genocidal horror of the Holocaust, many virtually implying it could never happen today. Surely we are more enlightened now. “Never again.”
We tend to look upon the German population at that time with disdain for standing silent and/or acquiescing in the slaughter of innocent Jews, as if to suggest such passivity or tolerance for unspeakable evil could never happen among civilized peoples.
And that was before today’s information explosion when everyone (in moderately open societies) has immediate access to current events unfolding around the world. Yet today we are seeing a proliferation of open hostility toward Jews throughout the globe. It is absurd to argue that these feelings aren’t widespread or that they are merely a result of Israel’s recent military incursion into Gaza. Not only have these sentiments been percolating for a long time, but Israel is hardly proportionately culpable in Gaza anyway, unless we have become so cynical as to blame the victim of terrorism as a morally equal wrongdoer. On what are these worldwide protests against Israel based if not anti-semitism?
I don’t want to be overly dramatic and declare, “Yes, it can happen again. It is happening again.” On the other hand, is that so far -etched? In all candor and sobriety, Hamas has been deliberately shooting missiles into Israel’s civilian population without provocation. It is committed to the extermination of the Jewish state, and it is not alone. But for Iron Dome and Israel’s military supremacy, we might be witnessing a slaughter right now. If Hamas were militarily capable, can anyone doubt they’d proceed on a genocidal path?
The moral state of the world scares me; not just global Islamo-terrorism, but the apparently growing support for causes that are purely evil. The United Nations routinely blames and condemns Israel. Greater and greater swaths of this planet have fallen into the Twilight Zone. It would be hard enough to combat pure evil if we were united in our opposition to it. But it seems that the numbers of those supporting what is good, moral, and right — including in the United States and the rest of the Western world — are shrinking and the moral certainty and confidence even of those who continue to combat evil is diminishing. The forces of evil are not similarly ambivalent.
I realize that many see far less moral clarity in this current conflict, or assess it differently. But I’ll be da**ed if I’m going to capitulate to the current trend of moral relativism or pretend to be high-minded and sophisticated by seeing nuance and moral parity in what’s going on in Israel. I think we have a duty to speak out against evil — and what Hamas is doing is evil. No nation in the world with the capacity to defend itself would be nearly so tolerant as Israel has been. Israel deserves credit and high praise for its behavior — not condemnation. And it deserves our unqualified support. It’s disgraceful that our leaders can’t bring themselves to recognize and articulate moral clarity in this matter.
Speaking of a lack of moral clarity, has this administration even condemned the actions of ISIS against Christians in Iraq? If so, I missed it. Obama and his team should be loud and clear in denouncing these unspeakable actions.
Published in General
Hamas’s Absurd War against Israel
Across the Arab-Muslim world there is the stultifying absence of what it means to be a “people of the Book,” of a culture that progresses through criticism and self-examination. The Quran came to be worshipped by Muslims instead of being read, examined, reflected upon, contextualized, and discussed openly with the understanding that God’s Word is infinite in meaning.
The Quran states, “If all the trees of the earth were pens and the oceans ink, with many more oceans replenishing them, the colloquy of God would never come to an end.” [31:27] This verse means –almost as a warning for Muslims – that no one Muslim should absurdly claim he has a monopoly over its reading, for that would amount to reducing the majesty of God to the smallness of man.
The Quran was, nevertheless, turned by a significant number of Muslims into a weapon by which to kill, maim, destroy, enslave others and, most ironically, effectively to prevent the development of a culture of books or, in other words, a culture of enlightenment.
Furthermore..
Saudi Official Says Hamas Responsible for Deaths in Gaza; Columnist Calls for Peace With Israel
The former head of Saudi intelligence services Turki al Faisal said that Hamas was responsible for “the crimes Israel has committed in the Gaza Strip,” according to a report by Israeli news website NRG.
In an interview quoted Sunday from Asharq Al-Awsat, a pan-Arab newspaper based in London, Faisal said that “Hamas is responsible for the slaughter in the Gaza Strip following its bad decisions in the past, and the haughtiness it shows by firing useless rockets at Israel, which contribute nothing to the Palestinian interest. The Hamas rockets pose no threat to the Israeli occupation, even when they reach Tel Aviv.”
Faisal further blamed Qatar and Turkey for their mediation efforts, saying that instead of preventing Israel from destroying Gaza, these two countries were destroying Egypt’s leadership role in the Arab world. He also attacked the US and Europe for giving Israel the diplomatic credit to continue its campaign.
Well said. Perfectly said.
Do you suppose that if iron dome did not work and Israel lacked the means to defend itself there would be such outrage at Hamas for killing hundreds of Israeli citizens? The answer to that question tells whether or not anti-Semitism is at work. BTW, how many Christians have been killed in the Middle East (Egypt and Iraq, in particular) over the past few years? Does anybody count? Does anybody care?
I will never understand why what you see and what you have written here is not crystal clear to everyone.
I can’t get Elie Weisel out of my head today. Why is the world indifferent?
I never listen to Glenn Beck, but Mr. N does, and sometimes I overhear Glenn. One evening I heard him say (seriously paraphrasing here, :) ). “These guys are the working for the devil. These other guys are working for God. And I know who’s going to win.” So I am holding that thought. :)
I often listen to Mr Beck, but it does seem like Lucifer is on the ascendant, right now.
Actually, the Obama administration is quite clear in its amorality – let’s party like it’s 1939!
I saw the ubiquitous Hanan Ashrawi a couple of days ago, and she was asked if Hamas had any culpability in the Israeli response to the Hamas rockets . She rejected it completely, saying that would be blaming the victim.
Maybe it just isn’t reported, but the Palestinians in Gaza put Hamas in power. I have never heard of an effort by them to alter their support for this terrorist organization whose charter calls for the absolute destruction of Israel. How can they be regarded as innocent victims? The Palestinians are paying the price of their own decison. I remember some years back when Israel ripped their citizens out of their homes in Gaza so that the Palestinians could have the territory Judenfrei. The Palestinians immediately destroyed everything the Israelis left behind. There is only one country in the Middle East where Christians,Muslims, and Jews live as equals side by side…Israel. Jews can’t live in any other country in the Middle East. Now the Christians are being driven from their homes of thousands of years. If the Muslims controlled this country, Jews Christians, gays, and women would be very sorry. Be careful who you support and what you wish for, is my advice for those on the left who root for Hamas and those libertarians who just don’t want to get involved. My question is, what should Israel do now?
David Ignatius has a pretty damning article in WaPo.
As for this immediate conflict, I can’t see how Hamas essentially uses human shields and then complains that innocent lives are being lost when Israel returns fire. The inhumanity of Israel shooting back at us after we fire at them!
For the long term, however, I know as much about solving the middle east conflict as I know about growing daisies, but Ignatius asks an interesting question:
Once you make the distinction between Palestinians and Hamas, Ignatius’ question makes more sense. I wonder if my Ricochet betters can shed some light …
I hope future generations will understand that moral relativism born of atheism ultimately leads to nihilism. The foundational pillars of western civilization, rooted as they are in Judeo-Christian morality, have been under assault now for generations. What else can we expect from people who declare there is no God and no such thing as objective truth? One of the great pitfalls of Marxism is to substitute a manmade morality for a God-centered understanding of right and wrong. It does not take long under such conditions before power becomes the final arbiter between right and wrong.
That’s a profound and generous hearted insight. For some it’s become the golden calf.
Personally, I find the whole concept of a two-state solution about ass viable as bellbottom pants. There may have been a point – about 3 Arab wars ago, but today I believe the whole concept ought to be buried and let Israel get on with being a nation. The Arabs/Palestinians forfeited this option long ago. Wars should have consequences.
Sorry to disagree with the general chorus, but this is all nonsense, name-calling and heavy-breathing pontification. The only relevant question is how do we get a resolution of this 70 year old conflict with the lowest loss of life? Leaders on either side who don’t have an answer should be ousted. Enough killing already.
I found this interview with Yuval Diskin to be informative. Maybe David Limbaugh wants to call him an “anti-Semite” because he criticizes Netanyahu and the West Bank settlers. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/interview-with-former-israeli-security-chief-yuval-diskin-a-982094.html
That’s poppycock.
Look at the last 70 years of suffering in North Korea. What would have been the best way to end that? Drop a nuclear bomb on Pyongyang. “The lowest loss of life” does not mean “don’t destroy your enemy.” The best way for Israel to limit the loss of life is to completely destroy Hamas. A feat which, obviously, will involve the loss of life.
I cannot take you seriously but I will try. The idea that this will destroy Hamas is attractive but unrealistic. What will take its place? Disciples of Thomas Jefferson? Israel made the same calculation about the PLO. It sort of destroyed it in 1982 but got Hezbollah in its place.
Oh, I see your logic. We should not have defeated Nazi Germany in WW2, because we just got the Soviet Union in its place. Yes, that makes total sense. From now on we should not ever confront evil because some other evil will take its place.
What I mean to say is: Poppycock.
Actually, the right analogy was the defeat of Germany in WW1, the intransigence of the allies who demanded heavy war reparations, the 1923 invasion of the Ruhr by the French, and other humiliating actions which contributed to the radicalization of Germany and the rise of Nazism. We learned from the experience and after WW2, helped rebuild Germany with the Marshall Plan. Moral of the story: Humiliation leads to radicalization, even in complete defeat.
Oh, I see what you’re saying. Belgium should have just rolled over and let Germany steamroll into France. Tell me, in what circumstances should a nation defend itself? Or is it never worth it, because “something worse will happen later”? This is a death wish.
In fact, WWII was not the fault of the victories WWI allies being over exuberant in extracting reparations from Germany at Varseilles. WWII was entirely Germany’s fault.
And do you subscribe to the bogus theory that Israel is at fault for Hamas’s terrorism, too?
I have to revert to my first response: “I cannot take you seriously”. You may persist in your delusions. That is certainly your prerogative.
Marion — you ask: “The only relevant question is how do we get a resolution of this 70 year old conflict with the lowest loss of life?”
I think that’s actually a very good question and the best answer to it comes from Bibi Netanyahu who said, (and I’ve seen various iterations of this so don’t know which is the exact quote), “If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence. If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel.”
I think that’s indisputable and speaks for itself. History vindicates the statement, as does the current conflict. My purpose is not to name-call or be disrespectful, but to urge people not to abandon their moral compasses and view what’s going on with moral clarity.
That is a misread of WWI.
Germany did not lose territory in WWI. They did not, in Hitler’s eyes, lose at all. The leadership quit when they saw the writing on the wall. But the people did not internalize the loss, so they flocked to Hitler who told them that with the right leadership, Germany would become a victor again.
In WWII, Germany was invaded and destroyed. They have behaved ever since.
Hamas needs the same.
Thanks for your response. I understand the terrible sadness of the situation. But what is Netanyahu’s plan for lasting peace? By itself, eliminating terrorists won’t get us there.
And remember: it is not loss of life TODAY or in five years. It is about minimizing loss of life for the foreseeable future.
And that requires long term, strategic solutions that eliminate the desire to wage war in the first place.
Here are the choices:
1: Leave the arabs to run their own affairs. That leads to war, and the Expected Value is negative. If Israel does this, it almost certainly guarantees recurring campaigns on a regular basis.
2: Expel them all, beyond tunnel and rocket reach.
3: Annex it all, and deal very swiftly and harshly with troublemakers… try to make Israeli Arabs out of the lot of them. Israeli arabs are hardly zionists, but they are not rebelling. They are very wealthy (compared to any average arab population in the Middle East) and reasonably focused on standard and acceptable life goals.
Those are the real, strategic choices Israel faces. Unless someone can suggest something else that I missed?
I agree. It treats the symptoms, not the disease.
Is everyone who disagrees with you delusional?
Don’t forget we still have troops in Germany.
Why not?
What amount of money are you willing to wager on this statement?
It was slightly hyperbolic, but quite close to the mark. Alsace-Lorraine were lost – but they were acquired in 1871, so that was hardly heartland stuff. Germany lost a corridor for Poland to access the sea.
Germany lost overseas possessions, but heartland German land remained intact. Germany was NOT INVADED, so the populace never really believed that they had truly lost the war. That is my point.
Of course not. Every entity or person is ultimately responsible for its own actions. But actions by other parties can also be provocative or have unintended consequences. Good leaders are aware of this.