On second thought On the first Friday in December, I’d
decided to show my class the PBS documentary from its Secrets of the Dead
series, “Mumbai Massacre,” about the killing spree that began in India on
November 26, 2008---almost four years before the latest war in Gaza.
But, for a reason that may surprise you, I won’t.
The reason? Its images didn’t match ones I’d seen shortly
after it happened. PBS’ were almost sanguine; they interviewed survivors,
especially one Muslim couple spared because he remembered one surah of the
Koran. Although they witnessed a number of the senseless shooting murders of
infidel non-Muslims, they didn’t see the psychopathic hacking and slicing
deaths of a young Jewish Rabbi and his pregnant wife at the Chabad House. [Warning: Graphic Photos of Mumbai Chabad House Massacre Images inside the Mumbai Chabad
House after the Nov. 26 massacre. Warning: Some of the photos
contained on this page are explicit and graphic.
www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/128630 -]
That wasn’t part of the script. Near the end of “Mumbai
Massacre” were a few comments that almost suggested that the killers were
really misguided youths who weren’t all that bad. Such compassion smacked of
Stockholm Syndrome; it wasn’t what I wanted my class to see.
Snipping out the cold and demonic truth about the
anti-Semitic jihadists served only to make their brutality palatable. That
creates an unreliable image.
I’ve had a similar feeling about the UNWRA, a UN group
that supports Palestinian refugees the same way an absent parent supports their
offspring: badly. What I hadn’t understood about UNWRA is why America pays
about 35% of its annual budget. [please see: UNRWA The
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near
East - UNRWA - provides assistance, protection and advocacy for registered
Palestine ...www.unrwa.org -]
When I had a chance to ask an executive of a large American
Christian organization with strong ties to Israel’s leadership about continued
support for UNWRA, I received an answer that appeared to be strikingly candid.
“Why do we continue to fund people who are committed to
destroying Israel?” I’d asked.
“Because the Israelis want us to,” he answered.
“But why?” I asked in disbelief.
“They’re concerned about alienating the Palestinians who
like them.” He shrugged in commiseration.
That was almost two years ago, two years after the Cast
Lead operation (2008-2009). Cast Lead had ended with a treaty that was meant to
serve to make that the last skirmish between Gazans and Israel. It didn’t work
any better than Ariel Sharon’s forced evacuation of all Jews from Gaza. (A sign
of that erroneous price paid for peace came immediately after the forced
evacuation when the Gazans destroyed millions of dollars worth of hothouses
left for them to use to create their own export business. Please see: USATODAY.com - Despite funds and protection, Gaza greenhouses ... Palestinians looted dozens of greenhouses
on ... Sharon has said one reason for the Gaza pullout... usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-09-13-mideast_x.htm -)
During the recent eight day long skirmish, a sense of déjà
vu was irrepressible; many joined me in thinking it would end badly. Most felt
that the poorly made truce would only serve to promote another attack and more
missiles from Gaza.
Almost all of my Israeli correspondents expressed that same
feeling.
One didn’t. He is a dear and respected friend, a Holocaust
survivor. In a message that shook my certainty, he wrote:
… On the
subject of the war, thank God that this war is over for a while. It made no
sense to continue it. We achieved what we set out to do and Hamas, like Hezbollah
in Lebanon, has learned a lesson and we will have some quiet for a while. This
war also opened the gates to some kind of understanding between Israel, the US,
Egypt and Hamas. The biggest loser in this war is Iran which had a strong
foothold in Gaza representing the Shiites. Between the two evils, Sunnis
and Shiites, it is more practical for Israel to prefer the Sunnis. Iran is our
deadliest enemy as they base their hatred for us on religious grounds. The new
Egyptian ruler Mursi, is much more practical. Egypt is in ruins and depends on
American financial help to keep afloat. Mursi didn't have to be pressed too
hard by Obama to practically impose a ceasefire on Hamas. After the hammering
Gaza got from our air force, they were ready for it anyway. Mursi wants to be
the leader in the Arab world and considers Shiite Iran as the biggest threat to
him. Ironically, Israel finds itself having the same interest as Mursi.
Mursi got us
out of the necessity to invade Gaza with a million and a half Arabs to be fed.
Even if we defeated Hamas, this would only play into the Iranian
branches of Jihad Islami who were only waiting for Hamas to fall. Most
Israelis were for going in and finishing Hamas, but this was an emotional
reaction where reason was required. Of course, in the Middle East, like in the
Middle East, reason is in short supply.
B. Koplen 11/24/12
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