War and Peace
Since 1948 we have experienced precious little peace. Instead, the declaration of war which our Arab neighbors initiated continues unabated…writes Michael Kuttner.
Michael Kuttner
Let us be under no delusion. Apart from Jordan and Egypt which now have peace treaties with Israel (and these are rather fragile affairs) the rest of the Arab world, plus Iran, are in a declared state of war with us. Forget about political correctness and fantasies. The plain fact is that the current eruption of terror on the part of those who call themselves Palestinians is merely a continuation of past pogroms initiated, incited and carried out by previous generations of Islamic mobs.
It has nothing to do with occupation and settlements and everything to do with a refusal to accept a legitimate Jewish presence. Thus it was when the Nazi-supporting Mufti of Jerusalem incited terror against Jews in the 1920’s and 1930’s spewing the same lies about the Temple Mount and Aqsa Mosque and as it is today with his successors doing exactly the same. Back then there were no Arab Palestinians and no so-called occupation but that did not matter because the root of the problem is something entirely different.
Like pyromaniacs, Abbas and Fatah/Hamas leaders whip up the masses and light the fuses. When the inevitable explosions occur they appear in the media as innocents proclaiming their opposition to violence. Anyone with a shred of intelligence can see that it is their incitement which gives the green light for subsequent terror. No amount of fake protestations to the contrary can hide this stark reality.
As the Arab/Moslem world descends into barbaric chaos, there are still unbelievably those who prefer to excuse, ignore and fudge what is happening in front of them. As Arabs target and stab Israeli men, women and children, it is incredible that some politicians as well as many Diaspora Jewish communal spokespersons continue to avoid drawing uncomfortable conclusions.
Of course the usual groups which only blame Israelis and excuse the perpetrators of terror will never change their tune. The media love these people because it confirms their warped belief that Israel was conceived in original sin and therefore can only achieve absolution by committing collective suicide. Those who are dedicated to the smearing of Israel will always find allies in the media.
The sight of Israeli Jews robustly defending themselves and speaking out causes many to tremble lest the stereotype image of cringing Jews keeping a low profile is shattered. God forbid that we call a spade a spade and actually do something about it. It is far easier for many living in the Diaspora, removed from the reality of day-to-day life here, to blame those who have the temerity to act. Anyone who denounces Islamic terror is called a racist. Issuing ringing denunciations against those who call Arab mobs hurling rocks at cars and children, gangsters, may make you feel morally superior and loved by certain sectors of society. Quite frankly describing terrorists as gangsters is wrong. They are far worse than gangsters. They are miserable specimens of humanity and need to be dealt with accordingly.
Take a look at these samples of unadulterated hate and then decide for yourselves how they should be described.
http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=15869
http://www.palwatch.org/main.aspx?fi=157&doc_id=15893
We are in the midst of a war being waged against Israeli civilians. There has been hardly one day since the re-establishment of Jewish sovereignty when Arab terror has not been rampant. It made no difference what gestures towards peace we made. The results were always the same. The few moderate and lone voices of sanity in Arab society were either murdered or threatened into silence. The elected representatives of Arab parties in the Knesset are now at the forefront of whipping up the mobs. They have sole responsibility, together with the hate inciters of the Palestinian Authority for the murderous rampages now taking place. In what Parliamentary democracies are MP’s allowed to spew poisonous venom against Jews and advocate insurrection? Ironically it is only possible in Israel’s Parliament. The Arab mayor of Nazareth was so disgusted with their actions this week that he publicly berated the head of the Arab list and accused him and his colleagues of destroying relations between Jews and Arabs. Instead of working for their constituents’ welfare they prefer to jump on the wagon of Jew hatred.
Thanks to the weak, insipid and hypocritical reactions of the international community the PA and their terror associates are perfectly confident in their ability to literally get away with as much murder as they can muster. When Israel takes firm steps to counter terror the response from Washington and other capitals is recycled rubbish. We are urged to break the cycle of violence as though we are the ones responsible for it in the first place. We are admonished to keep our responses proportionate and not to use excessive force which in plain language means doing nothing to upset Abbas and of course the UN. Millions of dollars keep flowing from many nations into the black hole in Ramallah without any concern for how it is being used. Terrorists and their families are paid pensions and jihadists who have ascended to virgin paradise have schools and squares named after them.
Israel’s weak responses to 67 years of this terror war have also encouraged ongoing outrages. Misplaced gestures are thrown back in our faces with deadly results. It was only thanks to some sort of divine intervention that the Golan is still in our hands. If we would have done what the UN (and misguided leftists) demanded (and still demand) we would now be facing ISIS threatening the entire north of Israel. As it is we are “only” facing Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Al Qaida in Sinai, all territory handed back as peace gestures. It doesn’t take a genius to work out what would happen next if we vacated Judea and Samaria and allowed another terror State to exist in our midst.
The quartet of useful idiots was due to visit this week and offer more gratuitous advice and pile on more pressure for us to commit suicide. The PM told them not to bother at this time so they will no doubt spend their spare time in devising more ways and means of labeling Jewish products. The only result of this old European method of delegitimizing Jews will be for more Arabs to lose gainful employment, but then the EU doesn’t care about that.
So what can we do?
Firstly, we must vigorously defend ourselves in any way possible. If this means permanently neutralising those attacking us then so be it. Those infected with a mission to murder Jews must know that their actions will result in their departure from this world.
Next, our Government must make it abundantly clear that there can be no gestures of any sort so long as Arab religious and political leaders continue to teach, incite and promote hatred and lies. There must be a complete cessation of terror and an abandonment of denial of Jewish rights on the Temple Mount and other Holy sites.
Israel needs to get serious. That means stopping the flow of funds to the PA, the supply of cement and other material to Gaza which goes towards the building of rockets and terror tunnels and if necessary the cessation of electricity supplies to Hamas. Of course it will cause hardships and an outcry. Stop the terror and behave like normal human beings. That’s what we should be saying. Otherwise the consequences will be dire – that’s what happens when you declare war on Israeli civilians.
Lay down the law to those Knesset members who advocate sedition against the country of which they are citizens. Expel them if necessary and replace them with representatives who will work towards reconciliation and peace.
Any Israeli Arabs caught engaging in terror (if they survive) must have their social benefits permanently cancelled. Families who support children or other relations in their terror activities must likewise lose all benefits which the State provides. Prison sentences must reflect the gravity of the crimes and there must be no possibility whatsoever of terrorists being exchanged in useless gestures.
There must be no relaxation of security measures such as checkpoints and barriers. So long as terror warfare continues not one PA resident must be allowed into Israel either for work or hospital treatment. Is this collective punishment? Will it cause hardship for Arabs and Israeli employers alike? Undoubtedly yes but unless we get serious the current mayhem will continue like it has since 1948.
No more talk of two States for two people living side by side in peace. Let’s dispose of that fantasy.
Finally, suggested remedies for all those Israeli Arabs who currently enjoy freedom of worship, democratic rights, social welfare and first class medical care and who despite all these benefits prefer to riot, hurl rocks and murder Jews. They should be encouraged to migrate to Jordan (the already existing Palestinian State) or alternatively join their brethren seeking paradise in Germany and other parts of Europe. Those who seek to continue living in peace and harmony in the Jewish State should be encouraged to do so.
The next time Abbas and his cronies embark on one of their overseas odysseys, slandering Israel in Europe, Africa, Asia, the UN and Scandinavia, don’t let them back. Let them spend the international aid money intended to improve the lives of their citizens, on a permanent stay in those countries which love to host them and which give them every encouragement. Maybe their permanent absence from Ramallah might encourage more rational leaders. A very unlikely hope but one worth trying seeing everything else has failed.
The sooner we start to take the gloves off and fight this war of hate, the sooner we are likely to achieve positive results, something that past and current policies have never and will never achieve.
Spot on, Michael Kuttner.
The media reporting in Australia on the last two weeks violence and knife attacks in Jerusalem have shown some discomfort at the scenario, given the concentrated savagery of it (so used to reporting the Palestinians as victims), still trying to give equal status in reportage to the Palestinian perpetrators killed as a result of their own murderous acts. One stupid young woman journalist reporting for CNN from Jerusalem said what a dilemma the whole thing was, as those attacking with ‘a single knife’ were desperate young men committing the acts as ‘lone wolves’! How blind and ignorant is this woman! What is she doing holding down this job?
Australians would do well to remember how quickly Melbourne and Sydney policemen shoot and kill youths as young as fifteen who attack with a knife, or shoot to kill, as has been the case in recent times in both cities. All the Israel-hating bigots in other countries who persist in their blindness, and ignore the blatant warmongering of Abbas, Hamas and the Arab members of Knesset, refuse to see the incitement to kill and cause chaos, need to walk in the shoes of the Israeli Jews imaginatively and ask themselves, if this was happening to us in our country, WHAT WOULD WE DO?
Goodonya, Michael. This is one of the best articles I have ever read laying bare the realities of our lives in the homeland of the Jewish people. If only our government had the courage to put aside the perceived need for realpolitik in interacting with the US and Europe and deal with our short-term needs for security by putting down recurring violence with a strong fist without constantly looking over their shoulders. This would return to us not only confidence in our government, but would also lay the foundation for the long-term goal of achieving some sort of arrangement whereby we and our Arab neighbors could get on with our lives, if not in harmony but at least in absence of conflict. This, however, will only be achievable if a) the Palestinians understand that violent action will result in immediate consequential reaction, including diversion of tax revenues to repay debts to Israeli utilities, revocation of residency permits, and impediments to freedom of movement to the hometowns of perpetrators of violence; b) the Israeli government hold seriously to all of the above and other deterrents, and not fold at the slightest pressure from outside parties; c) donor countries to the Palestinian Authority demand accountability for the huge amounts they are taking from their own citizenry to enable an entity which is currently misusing it to foment violence and unrest instead of directing it to improving the quality of life for its citizens. If teenage children were sitting in a classroom acquiring the skills and knowledge to enable them to be independent, responsible and successful individuals, they would have neither the incentive nor the time to be hooligans or murderers.
You forgot that the EU funded PA TV that incites terror and blood libels should be disabled and suspended by Israel.
Go for the sources and be pro active, not reactive.
You are correct, Ron. All funding from the EU and other sources which finance PA media must be cut off. Aid to UNRWA must be suspended until it ceases being complicit in co-operating with Hamas. In other words until this hate incitement stops we should squeeze the PA/Hamas until the pips squeak!!
Instead, there is talk of more meaningless talks with the chief inciter who will be traveling to Geneva to spot more lies. Work that one out!!
You forgot to add “Israel is the only country in the world that supplies free water and electricity to it’s enemy.” IT SHOULD STOP! No water, No electricity.