What really matters…writes Michael Kuttner
The latest buzzwords among the politically correct elites these days have become holy writ. Woe betides anyone who dares to challenge this example of religious dogma.I believe it is about time to explode the myth of those who believe that only black lives matter. It is the ugly manifestations of Israel phobia lying beneath the surface and now coming to the fore which need to be exposed for what they are.
Michael Kuttner
The USA is the birth place of this movement which has now transported itself to other countries. It has mutated from a genuine concern over violence by police against black Americans to enthusiastic cheer leaders for Palestinian Arab terror acts against Israelis and Jews. In response to restrained and rather tepid voices of protest by some Jewish groups over this embrace of Islamic Jew hatred those behind this movement of black lives matter have reacted with undisguised venom. The very notion that all lives matter is dismissed outright as a symptom of racist, colonialist, apartheid superiority. The idea is to shut down those who dare expose the glaring hypocrisy and double standards and in most cases it succeeds. The heavy hand of political correctness is so prevalent these days that at the slightest whiff of being tainted as a racist those who point out the obvious are effectively silenced.
Accusing Israel and Israelis of genocide is apparently, according to the latest gospel, perfectly acceptable while expressing disgust with this patently false demonization is labeled racist. Spreading like a lethal virus this inversion of reality is infecting large swathes of not only Americans but also others in various countries. A perfect example of how effectively this nonsense has mutated was provided not so long ago in my own home town. A group of US Quaker high school students was visiting in order to see how the “dreaded settlers” live and no doubt to have their prejudices confirmed. During a general discussion the point was made by the Israeli presenter that “Jewish lives matter” also. He was attacked as a “racist” and therefore by extension he was obviously also guilty of minimizing the lives of black people in the USA. This simplistic, myopic and totally ignorant tunnel vision epitomizes the ludicrous situation we have reached.
In a world view where anyone else’s lives, especially Jewish/Israeli ones have no value whatsoever the opportunity for discussing and addressing the valid grievances of others is ignored. Worse than that, the demand to exclude blatant double standards is hypocritical. It is easy to take the next logical step and jump on the bash Israel wagon. Thus we have a group ostensibly fighting for gender and racial equality in the USA, hitching its campaign to a Palestinian Arab entity which discriminates against women, turns a blind eye to “honour killings” and the persecution and murder of gays. In recent times this group has organized tours of the Palestinian Authority in order to show solidarity, absorb lessons in Israel delegitimization and on return to the US to undertake campaigns besmirching Israel. Is it any wonder that this virus is spreading? One has to ask where the funds are coming from which finance these activities. Is it not time to call those who are involved the real racists?
The answer as to who is funding all these activities is now becoming clearer. Recently leaked emails disclose that funds earmarked for the sole purpose of undermining the legitimacy of Israel are flowing into groups parading under various guises. Masquerading as philanthropic charities or innocent sounding aid organizations, in actual fact the sole intention is to delegitimize and denigrate the Jewish State. Whether it is spreading untruths about the IDF or running to the US State Department and the UN every time a house is built in Jerusalem or Judea/Samaria the aim is the same. The funders of these activities are well known foundations and funds, both private and supported by the European Union and other foreign Governments. This systematic assault against the Jewish State is unprecedented and unique in that no other democracy is similarly targeted.
Further examples of how Jewish lives don’t equate to others were in evidence this week.
The Hashemite monarch of the (British) artificially created kingdom of Jordan and the defacto Palestinian Arab State had the chutzpah to accuse Jews of “storming the Al Aqsa Mosque.” On Tisha B’Av, the Fast day commemorating the destruction of the two Temples by the Babylonians and Romans respectively, Jewish pilgrims visited the Temple Mount. Forbidden to pray there or even to show the slightest sign of devotion such as bowing or even moving one’s lips, Jews merely stand in silence and are then escorted off the site. Not one Jewish person goes anywhere near the Mosque and yet despite this strictly controlled presence, the Islamic authorities create a scene. Without fail the Jordanians who from 1948 to 1967 forbade any Israeli Jew from visiting the Western Wall have the gall to fling wild slanders against those Jews who today want to visit their holiest site. Whipped up further by Islamic religious leaders and other Arab countries the ground is laid for intolerant incitement. The proof that Jewish lives don’t matter is provided by both silence from the UN and fatuous bleating from the State Dept. not to cause provocations, as though we are the guilty party.
The Olympics provided another example of how Jew hatred is endemic. Whether it was the Lebanese refusal to travel on the same bus as Israelis, the mysterious withdrawals of certain competitors to avoid meeting Israelis or the refusal to shake hands with Israelis, the message is all the same. Alone out of all the nations competing in these games, Israelis were singled out for special denigration. All those campaigning for human rights remain conspicuously silent when Jewish lives are involved.
Malaysia was due to host the 2017 FIFA congress. It refused to issue visas to Israeli delegates and refused to fly the Israeli flag. To its credit FIFA has now withdrawn hosting rights from Malaysia over this flagrant example of Jew hatred. However once again those who accuse Israel of human rights violations and support Arab/Islamic terror against it are silent. If ever you need more proof of the hypocrisy which drives these twisted individuals it was on full display this week.
One of the best ways to combat those who fund and support these groups and to counter the activities of those involved is to name and shame them.
Proof of the effectiveness of this approach is evidenced by the testimony of a Bedouin Israeli young man who speaks to university students overseas in order to enlighten them as to the true situation.
http://www.newsone.tv/world/meet-mohammad-kaabiyah-the-muslim-israeli-soldier
In a recent interview he brilliantly exposed the duplicitous nature of those involved in smearing Israel.
“In my holy book, the Koran, it is written that this land is for the Jewish People and that I have to respect Jews and Christian. Ignorance is rampant among anti Israel activists. They hate Israel just because of what others tell them..”
In actual fact it goes deeper than just plain ignorance. It is hate of Jews, plain and simple.
Truth matters and this is a commodity which is in very short supply at the moment.
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.
You are again right, Michael. Your comments remind me of the fact that under Nazi terror a Jew could be murdered for harming a German dog.
With regard to Abdullah II, it is appropriate to keep in mind that that petty monarch needs to demonstrate his solidarity to mohammedans. Same for al-Sisi. All of these tyrants need to keep the extremists on-side. Were it not the competition to lead the pack in loyalty to Islam, hatred of Jews, support for jihad and the “Palestinians” they all hate and know are artificial, peace would have come long ago.But we are dealing with tribal savages whose most aggressive elements want a return to the 7th century and all want to be the leader.
As regards Israel’s position, the answer is simple. Jewish leaders lack the testicular fortitude to tell the UN,EU< USA etc to get nicked, to yell at them, "How dare you" when they make outrageous, biases statements and demands. Jewish leaders must learn to respect themselves and the people they represent before they can expect to be treated with respect by other. A good start would be to show the PA and Hamas who is the boss: cut off electricity, restrict water, close down the Arab media, disarm their forces and stop foreign visitors and funding.