Knee-jerk script
Whenever Israel acts to counter terror, you can confidently predict the pre-ordained reactions.
Michael Kuttner
It follows an ancient and well-worn agenda refined over millennia, especially when Jews decide to fight back against their oppressors.
A common denominator is righteous wrath pouring forth from those whose silence about real human rights abusers is starkly evident. The orchestrated orgy of condemnations and censuring is so predictable that one wonders why some individuals are still surprised that it actually occurs.
Having remained conspicuously silent during all the years of Hamas terror rockets being launched at Israeli civilians, the international choir has now been blaring its disapproval of Israel ever since 7 October. Hezbollah fires missiles from Lebanon, and thousands of Israelis are evacuated from their homes, but this mysteriously prompts nary a peep. Iran barrels its way to nuclear blackmail status unhindered by any meaningful action to thwart its genocidal ambitions. The Yemeni Houthis continue their piracy undeterred by any sort of countermeasures.
It is important to be reminded of this because as surely as day follows night, the hypocrites of the international community will awaken once Israel feels it needs to take action.
Instead of universal international action forcing the Islamic terror groups to release kidnapped Israelis, their plight has been quickly swept under the carpet. In place of decisive punitive action, “deals” designed to release terrorists with blood on their hands in exchange for a few dead or still-alive hostages are promoted.
This is when the script becomes entirely predictable.
Sensing the lack of will to act on the part of the democracies and having the backing of an assortment of human rights abusers, Hamas and its fellow gangsters ramp up the pressure. They confidently know that accusing Israel of crimes and refusing to surrender will give them fantastic headlines with a mendacious media only too eager to muddy the truth in favour of salacious headlines.
The next step in this choreographed script is to inflate casualty numbers. Making no distinction between terrorists, their willing helpers and civilian human shields the terror groups can always stage a Hollywood spectacular displaying alleged casualties. Media and politicians alike are inevitably sucked into this charade, with Hamas-inflated allegations taken at face value.
The discovery of terror tunnels in UNRWA schools, beneath children’s bedrooms, in Mosques and hospitals and weapons hidden in baby cribs is a non-reporting event.
Adding to the mix of lies and disinformation is the UN and its associated bodies all ready and primed to convene in emergency sessions and ready to pillory Israel.
Waiting in the wings is the President for Life, Abbas, and his corrupt crew. They know with certainty that gullible world leaders will ride to their aid and blame Israel for refusing to acquiesce to the creation of a terror state in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem. They can see and sense the weakness of the Biden Administration as it twists and squirms in the face of Islamic terror. As unhinged ignorant Jew/Zionist hating mobs besiege universities, spew vile threats and slogans and vandalize property, PA media and officials join their Iranian patrons in offering overt and covert support.
So-called “human rights” groups strangely silent when Jews are the victims suddenly find their voices as soon as retribution is meted out.
Self-loathers, funded by far-left sources, are eagerly sought out by the media. Self-flagellating Jews make wonderful headlines, especially when they can be quoted equating Israel with Holocaust perpetrators.
The most glaring examples of how this script is following its natural course are now on full display for all to witness.
Following the successful and daring Israeli rescue of four hostages held in Gaza, each and every scenario described above has burst forth once again. It is truly a classic case of knee-jerk convulsions following a well-scripted score. It is as though a dam has burst with torrents of vitriol released, not on the heads of the terror perpetrators but rather in the face of the victim.
In no particular order of imbecility, here are some of the actors performing according to a well-worn script.
President Putin lashed out at Israel over its continuing campaign in Gaza against Hamas. It is a sign of the times that nobody challenged him over his continuing war against Ukraine and the horrendous toll of innocent civilian fatalities. It is instructive to note the absence of worldwide demonstrations and occupation of universities by the same mobs currently causing mayhem in support of Hamas.
The UN Secretary General can always be relied upon to put Israel into the dock. Sure enough, he has added Israel and Hamas to a blacklist which labels them as complicit in harming children. Hamas, Hezbollah and the PA recruit children and indoctrinate them to become jihad warriors in summer camps and UNRWA schools. The UN’s compulsive urge to equate Israel and terrorists demonstrates its continuing moral degeneracy.
After Israel targeted a UN school where Hamas terrorists were barricaded the Secretary General huffed and puffed that “”UN premises are inviolable.” If that is the case why does he not get the UN to expel terrorists who have taken over UN sites and are hiding among civilian human shields? Instead, he prefers to blacklist Israel for doing what the UN fails to do in the first place.
The EU “High Representative” (perhaps related to Gilbert & Sullivan’s Lord HIGH Executioner) called the hostage rescue operation “another massacre of civilians in Gaza.” Needless to say the media loved this and splashed his assertions all over their front pages.
Joining in the condemnation chorus was the UN Special Rapporteur, Francesca Albanese, whose litany of libels against Israel goes back quite some time. She had no qualms about labelling Israel’s hostage rescue as “genocidal.”
Right on cue, Abbas, in an effort to outflank Hamas, demanded an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council. If that ploy fails, he will no doubt turn to the General Assembly, where an automatic majority of non-democracies and dubious regimes will vote to condemn Israel for the sin of rescuing its kidnapped citizens.
Not to be left out of the anti-Israel lynch gang, Jordan and Egypt issued condemnations of Israel’s actions. The former purports to be the guardian of Muslim and Christian holy places, which, of course, excludes Jewish sites, and the latter maintains a cold relationship. In both cases, the notion of accepting Jewish legitimacy has not trickled down to the average citizen.
The aspiring Ottoman Sultan in Turkey vented his spleen yet again, calling Israel’s rescue operation “barbaric.” This is the same leader who denies the Ottoman Armenian genocide and has no hesitation in denying Kurdish ethnic aspirations by bombing and killing them.
To round off this by no means exhaustive summary of unhinged responses a few further “pearls” cannot go amiss.
Vice President Kamala Harris, no doubt in a frantic effort to appease Muslim voters, mourned the death of all the Palestinians during the rescue operation. She and others like her obviously is oblivious to the fact that without the wholehearted support of Gazans, the hostages would not have been “hosted” in homes and tunnels. The Hamas leadership is on record as praising civilian deaths as a “necessary sacrifice” and a martyrdom reward.
A US official stated, “the successful rescue complicates efforts to reach a deal.” On the one hand, the Biden Administration is full of praise, while on the other hand, it is feverishly trying to find a way to appease the kidnappers.
The Israeli operation energized self-loathers in their campaigns to denounce and decry Israelis, having the audacity to fight back. Thus, Jewish Voice for Peace trotted out the genocide libel yet again. This canard was embraced by all the usual suspects who claim to be “progressive.” If their sort of “peace” actually eventuated, it would not be long before several more 7 Octobers managed to wipe out any Jewish presence in every part of Israel.
The BBC outdid its usual anti-Israel reporting when one of its interviewers demanded to know why Israel had not warned Gaza residents prior to rescuing the hostages.
CNN went one better when its headlines stated that the hostages “had been released,” implying that it was Hamas which had graciously released them.
This quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin sums up the cynical script now being staged worldwide:
“We are all born ignorant but one must work hard to remain stupid.”
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.
Great comment, as usual, Michael Kuttner. We’re in upside down land where truth is meaningless and all enjoy, almost hysterically, digging their boots into Israel. We shall prevail, however, we won’t forget.