Oblivious

As we transition to a new civil year, it is glaringly transparent that many remain deliberately oblivious to lurking threats and dangers.

Whistleblowers are never appreciated, and their warnings almost inevitably fall on deaf ears. Usually, denial follows predictions of calamitous outcomes and if this does not succeed in sowing doubts, attacks on the character and veracity of the person concerned follows.

Denial of reality takes many forms.

One of the favourite techniques is to accuse those issuing warnings of gross exaggeration. This is always the first line taken by establishment bodies and is designed to calm a nervous public. This is how the rise of Nazi and Fascist powers and parties in the 1930’s was at first minimized.

When Jabotinsky and others repeatedly sounded the alarm and urged Jews in Poland and elsewhere in Europe to get out as fast as possible they were pilloried for sowing panic and exaggerated claims. In fact, they were accused by socialist opponents of being fascists themselves.

When Mosley and his black shirts whipped up the Jew-hating mobs in the UK, the Board of Deputies urged taking a low profile and not confronting the looming menace. It was only the determined physical efforts of the East End working class Jews and the trade unions which in the end put paid to Mosley’s nefarious plans.

The American Jewish establishment took a shamefully “hands off” attitude to the rising spectre of Nazi Germany. “Don’t rock the boat” and a fear of confronting FDR were hallmarks of their agenda. By the time they were shamed into taking a more militant approach it was too late.

One would think that given the benefit of hindsight, lessons may have been learnt in order to avert similar tragedies.

Surveying the world scene today unfortunately leads one to the sad conclusion that for far too many the same old failed road is being traversed once again.

It is obvious, except to the most oblivious, that a safe Jewish life is becoming increasingly unsustainable in many countries.

Demographic decline precipitated by dire economic conditions or increasingly dangerous threats against Jews will be a feature of the incoming year in many countries.

In places like Ireland and South Africa, whose Governments are now joined at the hip in their implacable hatred of Israel and Zionists, the threats to Jewish life are increasing. Living in a bubble of denial is no longer a safe strategy. Most of Europe is rapidly becoming inhospitable for Jews. Trying to resurrect and sustain a meaningful Jewish life in places where the soil is soaked by millennia of hate is a losing proposition. The horror stories I hear from my ex-French neighbours leave no doubt about the fatal trajectory facing Jews in that country. Scandinavia will soon be overwhelmed by jihadist violence and Dutch Jews are staring disaster in the face. UK Jews face increasing hostility.

Canadian Jews, under current circumstances, are facing increasing violence while animosity against Zionists and Jews is increasing in the USA. Most of South America is no longer hospitable towards Jews. Australia unbelievably has also caught the hate virus and continuing delegitimization of Israel’s war on terror will only add fuel to the rising flames. Even New Zealand, where Jews constitute a minuscule minority, has an increasingly virulent anti-Israel climate encouraged by Governments that vote against and condemn Israel at the UN every Monday and Thursday.

Nobody has a crystal ball, and therefore, it is impossible to predict whether some of these countries will actually grasp the nettle and make some hard decisions in 2025. These include actually enforcing laws against incitement and hate. It includes police forces actually acting forcefully against unlawful demonstrations and prosecuting those supporting already proscribed terror groups. Will those preaching and teaching vile hate be arrested? Will Jews be allowed to fly the Israel flag without being accused of upsetting the haters? Will the police disperse intimidating mobs instead of sneaking Jews out the back door of Synagogues and telling them to hide visible Jewish symbols and clothing?

The automatic knee-jerk reaction of minimizing the looming dangers will no doubt be forthcoming. Head-in-the-sand policies will not help.

In recent days there have been some more manifestations of situations which are worthy of note.

Millions of Christians worldwide face Islamist assaults. Instead of dealing with this threat the Pope prefers to target the perfidious Jews who have the audacity to fight back against jihadist terror.

He is in the same boat as the UN Secretary General, whose blind obsession against the Jewish State has become a weekly scandal.

For the last week or so, millions of Israelis have been sent rushing to their safe rooms and air raid shelters in the middle of the night as the Houthis launch long-range missiles at Israeli cities and towns. These projectiles are supplied by Iran who no doubt also offers logistical support. Not content to disrupt international shipping with piratical attacks the Iranian proxies seem determined to wage war against Israel.

Israel has already retaliated and no doubt will sooner rather than later send a sterner message. Obviously oblivious to reality or perhaps fatally infected with the anti-Israel virus, the UN Secretary-General condemned Israel’s responses. He called it “alarming.”

The only real alarming factor is the willful blindness of the UN.

Proving that immunity to common sense is a widespread phenomenon among certain leftist circles is the reaction of some Israelis. These champions of political correctness stated that Israel should not “go it alone” against the Houthis. We should in their considered opinion wait for an international response. Anything further detached from reality would be hard to find. If Israel had in the past waited for an international response to Islamic terror it would no longer be around.

The Dutch King, in his Christmas message, pleaded with Jews to stay in the Netherlands. That is like pleading with the passengers of the Titanic to remain on the vessel because help was on the way. His plea to the beleaguered Jews of Holland was balanced by his guarantee to Muslims that “this is your country.” Either he is oblivious to the Jew-hunting jihadist mobs roaming the streets of his country, or he is making a futile attempt at appeasement.

As 20 January looms the symptoms of Trump derangement syndrome become more apparent.

For genetic Democrat supporters, of which at least 70% of American Jews qualify, the prospect of four years of a Trump Administration is like a nightmare. It is impossible to even mention the prospect to many as they seem to have succumbed to some sort of political depression and denial.

No doubt the late President Carter will be remembered for many achievements. For most Israelis, however, his legacy is somewhat tainted. The peace treaty between Egypt and Israel was more the result of Sadat and Begin taking bold steps for which the former ultimately paid the price. Carter will be remembered in Israel as facilitating the demise of the Shah and the ascendency of the Mullahs. We are still paying the bitter price of Carter’s disastrous Iranian policies. His subsequent diatribes against Israel have resulted in the apartheid lies flourishing and BDS taking root among the brainwashed masses.

If you want a perfect example of how oblivious detachment can lead to hallucinatory nightmares, look no further than this week’s claim by Joe Biden. He stated in all seriousness that if he had remained the Democratic Party candidate, he would have easily defeated Donald Trump.

Buckle up for a wild rollercoaster as the new year launches.