Until we meet again
Listening to the inane babble emanating from politicians and international groups following the so-called Gaza ceasefire reminds me of the opening lines of the song made famous by Dame Vera Lynn during the blitz.
“We’ll meet again
Don’t know where, don’t know when
But I know we’ll meet again
Some sunny day.”
Michael Kuttner
If by some remote chance you have already been seduced by the pathetic burbling of so-called experts in the media and clueless spokespersons in sundry Foreign Ministries that peace between terror groups and Israel is now just around the corner, let me usher you into the world of reality.
Paraphrasing the opening words of the World War 2 song it can be guaranteed that sooner (much sooner in fact) rather than later we will be dealing again with the dire consequences of yet another prematurely aborted campaign. Forget about the spinning now flowing forth from those who are trying to sell the Israeli public a tainted bill of goods. The plain and stark fact is that despite unquestionable damage to tunnels and infrastructure the ability of Hamas and friends to make life intolerable for southern Israeli citizens and those further afield remains as lethal as ever.
Despite the fiery rhetoric by our dysfunctional politicians, we find ourselves in exactly the same position as all previously failed ceasefires.
Just survey the situation dispassionately and then calculate when the next round of terror will erupt.
Once again we have ceased hammering the terrorists in Gaza before Hamas has been forced to release the bodies of our missing soldiers and others who were being held hostage. Despite endless heartfelt pleas issued by the parents and relatives of those held nothing has eventuated. Israeli politicians from the PM down issue assurances which are worthless and now nobody believes. This scandalous situation has existed now for seven long years during which despite repeated requests, nothing has happened. During this period there have been plenty of opportunities to put pressure on the terrorists but alas this has not eventuated. Fear of upsetting the UN and the hypocrisies of the world mean that no serious actions to get our boys back can ever take place.
How is it that the thugs controlling Gaza were allowed over some years to manufacture and smuggle (thanks to Iranian connivance) thousands of rockets and build a vast metro system of underground tunnels to shelter the terror groups and store weapons? Why did we continue to provide electricity (without payment for long periods of time) so that the rockets and tunnels could be manufactured and built? The wokes of this world will assert that we have a humanitarian obligation to do so although presumably Egypt is exempt from such considerations. Is providing power thus enabling the production of rockets and missiles to be fired at Israeli civilians one of those gestures so beloved of the UN? In other words, are we obliged to provide the wherewithal to those whose sole aim is our murder and elimination?
While the rockets were still flying the international community was convulsed as to how fast aid for the reconstruction of Gaza could be activated. Emergency appeals and billions of your money are being primed to once again flow into the corrupt coffers of those controlling Gaza. One would have thought that after numerable previous such financial gifts the hospitals, clinics and schools could be providing health and education and improved housing to the long-suffering residents. However, as we all know most of such aid was filched and diverted for the next round of terror against Israel. There is no indication whatsoever that anything will be different this time around. In fact, our Defence Minister has already admitted that there is no way to prevent Hamas and friends from doing so. Bear this in mind when UNRWA next comes begging for funds. The bottom line is that all of you will be again funding the next round of hostilities against Israel. It is an utter disgrace but par for the course in the context of double standards now prevailing.
How will all those who currently condemn Israel prevent Hamas from embedding their rockets among the civilian population? Who will take steps to ensure that UNRWA schools do not shelter terrorist and their weapons? Who will guarantee that hospitals and high rise buildings do not become storage depots for ammunition and safe hiding places for murderers? Who will disarm the terrorists?
The answer is simple – nobody. Neither the UN nor our own dysfunctional politicians will make sure that Gaza will not yet again be used as a base for terror against us. It’s obvious that in the eyes of most Foreign Ministries, not enough Jews were killed thus the chorus of accusations that we were “disproportionate.”
President Biden and his team have studiously avoided naming the chief funder and enabler of terror responsible for ongoing violence against Jews and Israelis. Refusing to identify Iran by name in the forlorn hope that this will appease the Mullahs is indicative of the pathetic policies pursued not only in Washington but elsewhere as well. Nothing illustrates this better than the statement made by the US Secretary of State when he commented: “I don’t have anything to offer on whether or not there is Iranian involvement in what is taking place.”
A similar politically correct approach has been taken by all those who assert a moral equivalence between terror entities and a democracy such as Israel. Thus, the nauseous mantra of “Israel and Hamas need to de-escalate the situation” followed by “Israel needs to comply with international law” trip off the glib tongues of all and sundry.
This brings me to the predictable performances of the New Zealand Foreign Minister and media. Frantically terrified to upset anyone and uttering the usual banalities the word from Wellington was more or less the same as that flowing forth from most of the democracies which prefer to regularly preach mutual culpability to Israel.
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister however did reveal that “we have a warm relationship with the Palestinian Authority.” In the normal course of events this assertion would not raise any eyebrows but here is the rub. In view of the track record of this non-democratic entity and the fact that its President for life, Abbas, facilitates daily incitement of hate and lies against Israel and its Jewish citizens, does it not seem somewhat suspect that NZ should boast of its “warm relations?” Have a look at these two examples (courtesy of PMW) and then ask yourself how the NZ FM justifies “warm relations with the PA” and never utters a word of condemnation about Jew-hate emanating from her friends in Ramallah.
https://www.palwatch.org/page/23813
https://www.palwatch.org/page/23833
Anti-Israel rallies and demonstrations where blatant Jew-hatred is on display have garnered the media’s attention. In NZ extensive coverage was also provided with rally speakers given prominent space and time to spout their mistruths. MP’s from the Maori Party and the Greens plus others featured prominently in print and cyber media.
Interestingly but not surprisingly when pro-Israel rallies were held in Auckland, Wellington and Hastings the mainstream media suddenly clammed up. The only manifestation that a demonstration supporting Israel had been held was a very short clip on one TV channel. If you had blinked you would have missed it so fleeting was the report. There was no mention about Maori representatives declaring that the Jews are the indigenous people of the Land or reports of Iranian supporters speaking up for Israel. Anyone watching would have remained totally clueless and no doubt that was and remains the deliberate intention of the media. I searched in vain for any sort of exposure in the NZ Herald and Dominion Post and couldn’t find anything.
Do you discern a disturbing pattern? Is it any wonder that this latest ceasefire is on borrowed time? The Jew-hating genie is now well and truly uncorked from the bottle and no amount of introspection, breast-beating or dignified slogans will be able to eliminate it.
Unless we counter it with no holds barred, this plague will consume us once again.
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.
An excellent and timely article, Michael.
We need to stand up and confront those who would seek to diminish us in any way. No holds barred.