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This week has witnessed a veritable army of fools articulating everything from baseless hatred to recycled lies.
While nothing new as far as this phenomenon is concerned, the spouting of irrational nonsense was given a boost by the terror attack at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. This holiest site in Judaism has been the target of conspiracy theories and incitement for well over a century. Like all such fictitious claims they have taken on a life of their own and with the help of social media and cyberspace have spread to all parts of the globe.
The fact that seemingly educated individuals can still be seduced by such blatant nonsense speaks volumes about the mendacity of the media and those tasked with disseminating news to the public. It also demonstrates how lies left unchallenged can infect whole swathes of society. It also explains how seemingly civilised populations can be brainwashed into believing the worst about Jews, Judaism and Israel and is a chilling reminder of how this technique was successfully exploited in past times to demonise and delegitimise.
A close examination of the latest verbal outbreaks should help to demonstrate what is occurring and how ignoring it merely postpones the inevitable dire consequences.
Following the murder of two Israeli Druze policemen by Israeli Arab terrorists at the Temple Mount, the site was closed by security authorities. This was to facilitate a search for weapons and other items which had been smuggled in and stored for further attacks. In addition, the installation of metal detectors was initiated, something which should have been done from the very beginning. Those who have visited the Kotel will be well aware that one must pass through these machines and be searched before entering the Western Wall area. This has been the situation for years and is part and parcel of normal procedures.
However anything to do with the Temple Mount itself always develops into a drama of Hollywood proportions. The most insane and idiotic move ever made was to give the Islamic authorities and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan control of the Mount. Ostensibly Israel retains security control but more often than not Islamic incitement and provocations are the order of the day. Anyone who still thinks that the Temple Mount is really in “our hands” is sadly misguided.
In the wake of this latest outrage and bearing in mind security requirements it was no surprise that the usual suspects were not long in shooting off their mouths with statements that were as predictable as our endless days of summer.
The Speaker of the Jordanian Parliament had this to say about the Islamic terrorists who carried out their foul deed:
“Allah should have mercy on our martyrs who watered our pure soil. Their families deserve honour and fame.”
It is useful to remind ourselves that this expression of support for terror emanates from the Speaker of a country which ostensibly professes peaceful relations with us. How can any sane person believe that giving control of the Temple Mount to those who mouth hateful inanities is anything but insane?
In a similar vein the preacher in the town from where the terrorists originated proclaimed:
“All we know about them is that they served the religion of Allah faithfully.”
Similar expressions of support for terror were forthcoming from various other Arab officials. It is amazing how some political commentators still do not get the message that after every such incident and expressions of terror support, more Israelis become disillusioned with left wing peace hallucinations.
The new security arrangements have sparked daily Arab riots and outpourings of incitement. The media are out in force and this of course encourages more extreme manufactured outrage.
The PA “Minister of Jerusalem Affairs” accused Israel of taking advantage of the two-day closure of the Temple Mount to check for ways to dig under the Al Aqsa Mosque. This claim is as old as Methuselah and is trotted out on a regular basis in order to prove that the Jews want to undermine the Mosque in order to rebuild the third Temple.
Not to be outdone the deputy Prime Minister of Turkey proclaimed that the temporary closure of the Temple Mount was “a crime against humanity.” This priceless piece of hypocrisy comes forth from a Government which still does not acknowledge guilt for past genocides against its Armenian citizens.
Totally ignored by Islamic protesters and media alike is the fact that five years ago explosives detectors were installed at the gates of Mecca’s holy Mosque. Security officers at the time explained that this was part of a series of measures designed to improve safety inside and outside the holy site.
The fake outrage we witness at present is therefore nothing more than the usual manifestations of intolerant invective whipped along by the media and others who should know better.
Demonstrating the spread of “foot in mouth disease” here are some other examples which surfaced this week:
Arab Member of Knesset: “Abraham is our forefather. He is NOT the father of the Jews. All the prophets are Muslim or they would not be prophets.”
Hebrew University Professor: “all Jews living in Judea & Samaria are terrorists.”
World News editor of Ha’Aretz in response to President Macron’s statement that anti-Zionism is really anti-Semitism: “Macron is wrong. Anti Zionism is resisting the racism inherent in today’s Zionism – it’s not anti-Semitism.”
CNN’s Christiane Amanpour interviewing the international spokesperson for Jewish Hebron: “Do you hear God telling you to take this land? What is the symbolism of the two blue lines on the Israeli flag? Is it that Israel will control the land from the Nile to the Euphrates?”
Mark Twain was spot on when he stated:
“It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove any doubt.”
Michael Kuttner is a Jewish New Zealander who for many years was actively involved with various communal organisations connected to Judaism and Israel. He now lives in Israel and is J-Wire’s correspondent in the region.
