Another week – more insanity
If there is one thing that can be guaranteed, apart from death and taxes, it is that life in Israel is never boring or dull…writes Michael Kuttner.
Michael Kuttner
Living in parts of the world where nothing in particular is happening and one day is as predictable as the next can seem to be desirable but is usually boring. Where there are no challenges and no purpose the boredom levels especially amongst teenagers tend to ramp up and in many cases leads to suicides and other anti-social problems.
In Israel, the majority of youngsters learn very early on in life why they are living here and what it means to defend the values and the very existence of those around them. Terrorism has now reached almost every corner of the globe and in places where it has not yet reared its lethal head, it is only a matter of time before it does. It is a sad fact of life that Jews have been the target of hate crimes for millennia and nowadays it is the Jewish State and its very legitimacy which is under constant threat.
Therefore when we are faced on a daily basis with manifestations of antipathy most Israelis are not fazed and instead redouble their efforts to defeat it. Some of the latest examples exemplify how the world has gone mad and why life here is a daily roller coaster.
The UN: One should never be surprised at the idiocy which emanates from this organization and its associated bodies but once again they manage to demonstrate their irrelevance. Together with the European Union, another failing outfit, they have cautioned Israel not to deduct “martyr” payments from transfers of funds to the Palestinian Authority. In other words, we should turn a blind eye to “pay for slay” bonuses and pensions made to those who murder Israelis. Prior to the latest rocket barrage from Gaza one would have imagined Israel telling the UN & EU where to stick their advice but after the farce of Israel facilitating the transfer of $15 million in cash to Hamas I am not so sure.
Right on cue this week the UN General Assembly passed yet again another slew of resolutions condemning Israel for every conceivable sin and praising UNRWA for in effect perpetuating the eternal Arab refugees. It came as no shock when it transpired that New Zealand voted in favour of eight anti Israel resolutions and abstained on one other. Once again a small democracy like NZ which should have known better decided to align itself with abusers of human rights and hypocritical pontificators of virtue in damning another small democratic country. The silence from Parliamentarians and Ministers alike across the political spectrum speaks volumes about how low NZ has sunk when it comes to standing up for truth and justice as far as it affects Israel.
This blatant double standard comes immediately after the UN representative for the “peace process” (a misnomer if ever there was one) states in New York that Hamas and Israel need to show restraint, as though both parties are equally to blame for nearly 500 rockets being fired at Israeli communities.
(NON) PEACE PARTNER: Incitement in schools, the media and PA/PLO officials continues on a daily basis. The PLO passed a motion at their recent meeting suspending all agreements with Israel until it recognizes “Palestine” on the 1967 “borders.”
Parallel with this Abbas and the PA announced that “Palestine” would be joining eleven international organizations and conventions. The fact that a non-country can do this does not seem to faze the international community. We all know that this move is designed purely and simply to undertake further diplomatic terrorist warfare against Israel in international forums. Based on the shenanigans that go on at the UN those seeking to further delegitimize Israel are assured of willing audiences and partners in this continuing sham.
DETACHED LEFTIST ACADEMICS: A high school principal in Tel Aviv announced – “yes, we do have a partner in Gaza. The next Israeli Government should appoint a Minister for Peace” (presumably to acquiesce to further demands from Hamas). The fact that an educated person can actually assert after nearly 500 rockets were aimed at Israelis that there is any sort of partner in Gaza to talk to is mind-boggling but it is indicative of the hallucinatory mirages rampant amongst those detached from reality. Obviously, the fact that the Hamas charter calls for the elimination of Israel is an irrelevance.
AIR BNB: After a sustained campaign of disinformation from various pressure groups masquerading as human rights champions and with the UN a willing accessory, Air BNB has decided to remove places in Judea, Samaria and presumably also Golan and Jerusalem from their website. The fact that Israelis are barred from staying in places situated in various Arab/Moslem countries apparently is irrelevant to this company. Once again this is another glaring example of hypocritical double standards. No doubt we have not heard the last of this latest farce.
Perhaps readers should forward the following message to Air BNB:
“Can you please remove all the listings from Germany & Poland because some of the houses there belonged to my grandparents and are in dispute?”
“FRIENDS”: The Quakers, known as the “Society of Friends” based in the United Kingdom have mounted their moral high horse and declared that they will “no longer invest in any Companies which profit from the military occupation of Palestine.” These paragons of virtue obviously have donned their blinkers without bothering to learn about and ascertain the real facts of the situation. They also demonstrate the selectivity of their moral outrage by targeting just one particular country.
POLITICAL DRAMA: Elections are due in November 2019. However with the defection of the Defense Minister and his Party the coalition is reduced to a majority of one in the Knesset. Australians will be familiar with this scenario. It is doubtful that this state of affairs can continue for too long and therefore the betting is that elections will be held early next year. With indictments possibly on the horizon against several politicians, including the PM, 2019 promises to be full of drama. One thing is for sure however and that is we will all be subject to barrages of political hot air for an extended period.
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.
What’s new? Shabat Shalom.