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The pervasive myth that maintains terror will vanish if only Israel appeases those dedicated to its destruction was proven yet again to be false this past week…writes Michael Kuttner.
As Jews worldwide celebrated Passover which marks the beginning of our march towards nationhood in our land, further examples of hate fuelled terror literally exploded in various parts of the globe. All of them had a common thread. None of them had anything to do with a lack of a “Palestinian” Arab State and everything to do with intolerance combined with barbaric disregard for civilised norms. The common denominator is the politically incorrect generally shunned words “Islamic terror.” Thankfully, recognition of what we are facing today has been reinstated in Washington even if it is still ignored as a reality in other capitals.
The worms stuck in the can and swept under the carpet by the Obama administration are now well and truly crawling out and being confronted by an American President. Red lines are no longer rhetoric to be ignored but actual lines which can only be crossed perilously. Gassing of civilians or anyone in actual fact will, it seems, now bear consequences more lethal than speeches at the United Nations followed by failed resolutions.
Heading the list of terror outrages undoubtedly was the gassing, yet again, of Syrian men, women and children by the Assad regime. Last time this happened, Obama huffed and puffed, the United Nations blew hot air and basically nothing else happened. Once again, as during the Holocaust, the international community preferred inaction and immoral outrage instead of decisive steps to punish and prevent future such occurrences. Russia promised to assist Syria in eliminating all chemical material. We can now see how worthless that pledge was. It ranks alongside the equally useless Iranian non agreement touted so triumphantly by Obama and Kerry, whose chickens have yet to come home to roost.
Obviously genuinely shocked by images of those gassed, Donald Trump wasted no time in taking action and warning of future consequences. What is sickening is the reaction of Russia which stoutly defends its client, Assad, and expressions of outrage against the USA by the usual motley collection of “progressives.” North Korea and Iran are no doubt beginning to internalise the lessons of playing with fire. Whether they in fact still think Trump is bluffing remains to be seen but one thing is clear. The rules of the game have drastically changed and as long as the State Department does not lose its nerve and reverts to previous appeasement policies, we can hope that the thugs and terrorist supporters of this world will finally be confronted.
The United Nations once again demonstrated its uselessness in the face of blatant human rights violations. How much longer can this farce continue?
On Palm Sunday, Christians in Israel (and elsewhere) flocked to churches to commemorate this important day in their religious calendar. Ignored by the international media and of course the Israel-bashing and defaming multitudes, Christians citizens of Israel and thousands of visiting pilgrims from overseas had no worries about freely worshipping. In contrast to the rest of the Middle East and most Islamic countries they attended services safe in the knowledge that freedom of worship is guaranteed.
Israelis had been warned about travelling to Sinai and of course this was ignored by the reckless few. Right on cue we learned about the two terror outrages perpetrated against Christians in Egypt which resulted in scores of deaths and casualties. The Islamic terrorists who carried out these attacks have two aims. The first is to murder non-Moslems, in this case Christians, and the second is to target those who desire to live in peace with Israel, namely the Egyptian Government. This dual objective lies at the heart of all Islamic terror no matter where it occurs.
Sweden, whose Foreign Minister in particular is a vociferous critic of anything Israel does to protect itself, found out that pandering to those who promote terror does not buy immunity. The Swedish Government markets itself as a bastion of liberality while at the same time managing to turn a blind eye to hate, incitement and terror against its Jewish citizens. It funds groups dedicated to delegitimising Israel. Having thrown open its borders and ignoring warnings of potential disasters the terror attack in Stockholm came as a major trauma. Once the identity of the terrorist was revealed it became impossible to yet again deny any connection to Islamic terror. Vowing to tighten border controls and expel illegal migrants, the Swedish authorities fail to see that the horse has already bolted from the stable. The question is whether the lesson will be internalised in the EU and elsewhere.
The message for Sweden’s few remaining Jews could not be clearer. They are living on borrowed time and the sooner they relocate to a more welcoming place where they are not continually harassed and can live without fear as Jews, the better. Passover is the perfect time to contemplate and undertake an exodus to the Jewish State.
Foreign aid (your money) which is given to the misnamed moderate Palestinian Authority is partly used to pay pensions and salaries to terrorists and families of those whose relatives have been killed perpetrating terror against Israelis. The US authorities and a few other Governments have belatedly woken up to this scam. Meanwhile it was reported that Palestinian Arab families are demanding that the PA/PLO link their remuneration to the cost of living. They complain that the amount they receive is not keeping up with inflation. No doubt none of this will be reported in the general media.
Also absent are reports of outraged progressives and liberals taking part in mass demonstrations against the gassing in Syria or the massacres of Christians in Egypt and elsewhere. This past week saw the mass hanging in Gaza of “collaborators.” These individuals were accused and found guilty by a Hamas kangaroo court of aiding and abetting the Zionist enemy. Where were the hypocrites who routinely vilify and promote boycotts against Israel? Strangely silent as were politicians who normally rush to propose resolutions at the UN condemning the Middle East’s only real democracy and demanding that we hand over more of our land to terrorists and their sponsors.
It is hatred for the Jewish State and everything it represents which unites Islamic terrorists. The absence of a Palestinian Arab State in our midst has nothing to do with inter Arab/Moslem genocide, massacres and international terror.
Passover marked our liberation from bondage and our ancestors’ march towards our real homeland. Back then there were nations which tried to thwart the Israelites on their journey but they all failed. Nothing much has changed in the intervening millennia.
In the short span of nearly seventy years a resurrected Jewish sovereignty has established despite all odds a thriving country which has already contributed so much to human development in a myriad of fields. Those who in the past tried to snuff out Jewish life have disappeared from the scene. Their successors will likewise fail.
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.
