Uncontrollable urges

This common medical condition seems to apparently afflict politicians, diplomats and media personalities alike especially when Israel is the object of their obsession…writes Michael KuttnerThere seems to be no known cure because despite the best efforts of those involved in countering this affliction the pandemic continues unabated and undeterred by any logical arguments to the contrary.

The past week provides numerous examples of how widespread the urge to interfere, condemn and censure the Jewish State has become. From one end of the globe to the other we witness an endless fascination with what can only be described as a fetish like desire to decry whatever we do or may not do. One would think that there are no other threats to the human race which call for similar attention.

In the front row of those suffering from OIS (Obsessive Israel Syndrome) must without doubt be the Swedish Foreign Minister. Undeterred by previous dismal attempts this time she launched off with the demand that an international inquiry be instigated to investigate Israel’s “extrajudicial” executions (her words) of Palestinian Arabs who try to murder Israelis. In plain language what she accuses Israelis of is their temerity in eliminating those who are stabbing, shooting and ramming cars into them. Presumably when faced with someone whose mind is so poisoned with hate that he/she is prepared to murder a mother in her home in front of her six children (as happened this week) we are expected to first call for an attorney, then read the terrorist his/her rights, notify the UN and then presumably submit meekly to one’s fate. The fact that the foreign minister of a country like Sweden can find support for her views from other UN members and foreign funded NGO’s speaks volumes about the abysmal levels which anti-Israel urges have reached.

Given that this is the final year of Obama’s Presidency and that after the elections another Secretary of State will be able to let his/her urges about Israel run wild, it was predicted that having nothing to lose, the pressure would increase for Israel to agree to suicidal gestures in order to placate all and sundry. The best indication that on the diplomatic front at least this strategy is being initiated can be seen by the steady drip feed of unsolicited advice and condemnations emanating from well-known sources. Obviously the US Administration is so dazzled by its top class performance in facilitating Iran’s march to the bomb and its rehabilitation as a peace-loving, human rights beacon of light, that it feels it can now concentrate its efforts in other directions. Never mind that Iran is developing and testing banned missiles and that it is organizing the third international Holocaust denial cartoon contest. Little blips like capturing American sailors, showing them in humiliating photos and then “magnanimously” releasing them earns Iran fulsome praise and elicits a comment from John Kerry that the US and Middle East allies are now safer. Presumably this means that the billions of dollars about to flow into Iranian coffers will not be used to fund proxy terror groups.

It’s this sort of insane thinking which explains uncontrollable urges to blame Israel for the lack of peace in the world. Using former and current diplomats to issue a string of baseless and ill-founded claims against Israel, its Government and its policies, is an old trick but one which is being utilised yet again. That is why the US ambassador to Israel condemns the proposed law forcing NGO’s to disclose foreign funding. Could it by any remote chance have anything to do with money from the US being channeled to groups working to undermine Israel? Accusing Israel of unequal treatment of Jewish and Arab lawbreakers, apart from being totally false, is gross interference in the domestic affairs of a sovereign State. Just imagine the uproar if the Israeli Ambassador to the US accused the US administration of unequal treatment of white and coloured criminals, genocide of the native Indian population or race discrimination in fields of employment, housing and education. What if Israel accused the Australian Government of discrimination against its Aboriginal indigenous citizens? However when other countries continually pontificate about Israel’s efforts to combat terror, meddle in matters which are not their business and accuse us of non-existent or exaggerated crimes, that’s just taken for granted.

The European Union is also at it again. Europe of course has suffered from uncontrollable urges against Jews for at least the last two thousand years so we shouldn’t be flabbergasted when it continues to do so today. The EU as a collective body cannot help itself. It sees itself as a perfect partner for brokering peace between Israel and those who seek its demise. Like a bull in a china shop it promotes policies which rather than bringing peace closer only serve to make it less likely to happen and in the process facilitates unemployment amongst the very people it purports to champion. Whether it’s labeling again or unilaterally deciding where Jews can live and build, their continual compulsive urge to interfere in our daily lives and assume that they alone know what’s best for us, is at best nauseatingly offensive and at worst something reminiscent of an era of not so long ago. Of course so long as their actions are cheered on by the current American Administration they will feel fully justified in continuing to select Jews from every other group in the world for special attention. Sounds familiar doesn’t it?

The New Zealand Foreign Minister has just retuned to his duties after a prolonged absence due to health related problems. No doubt during his long convalescence he has had plenty of time to think about and reflect on many of the serious problems which afflict the international community today, ranging from the rising tide of Islamic terror groups causing death and destruction near and far to the rising level of the oceans threatening island States close to home. However, according to a usually reliable and well-informed source of mine, one of the main topics which are at the top of his list is to once again stick his oar in to the murky waters of the Middle East. Apparently there is the distinct possibility that he is itching to involve the morally corrupt UN Security Council to pass yet another futile resolution which will apparently and miraculously bring peace, tolerance and love to us all.

One seriously needs to ask him the following:

Are there no other problems in the world with which New Zealand can involve itself? How long does it take to realize that urging a democratic country based on the rule of law to surrender its legal and security claims to a bunch of terror supporting thugs is offensive and counter productive? When, given all the evidence of daily PA incitement and lauding of terror, will you acknowledge that the likelihood of a liberal, tolerant and democratic partner for peace is a fantasy? Why do you continue to promote the establishment of yet another failed and corrupt Arab State, which with Iranian support will be a mortal danger to every Israeli citizen? Do you not know that the opportunity to establish a Palestinian Arab State was rejected by the Arab side on numerous occasions since 1947? How can you advocate the division of Jerusalem which was a Jewish Capital over three thousand years ago? Is there any logic in pretending to be friends with both sides when one side publicly denies any legitimate Jewish presence? What on earth possesses you to waste endless hours on a fruitless and thankless crusade to the exclusion of far more life threatening challenges?

Watch this clip by courtesy of MEMRI and hear exactly how our “peace partners” view the establishment of their State as advocated by the international community. Then please explain why you continue to waste your time in demanding Israel accept this poisonous plan.

Unfortunately these persistent uncontrollable urges by all and sundry seem to be incurable. One day in the not too distant future the hypocritical international community or at least some of them will wake up, most probably too late, and come to the realization that while they have been obsessing about Israel the real menace to them has mutated into a life threatening force.

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.