Some More Observations About the Current Conflict

The New York Times, the leading mainstream/left-wing newspaper in the country, spent this past week telling of the destruction in Gaza.  On May 22 was a typical online headline for the paper:  "The Everyday Misery of Life Under Israeli Occupation."  Israel does not occupy Gaza.  If life is miserable for the Palestinians they have only their leaders to blame, their leaders who have refused time after time after time every peace deal offered.  The Times did manage to have a daily Op-Ed by a Palestinian or a Palestinian supporter. 

I kept looking in the New York Times for reporting on the attacks on Jews across the country, and in New York City, home of the Times, and home to more Jews than any other city in the country.  Never found it.  It reminded me of an article in the Times years ago discussing riots in various cities in Europe.  They said the riots were carried out by immigrants.  But the "paper of record" did not see fit to tell their readers that all the rioters were Muslim immigrants.  Nothing bad about Muslims, and nothing good about the Jews.  That's the New York Times.

The USA Today "reported" (I use that word loosely for the mainstream media, as their reporting is propaganda) that last weekend thousands protested the "uprooting of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in 1948 after the creation of the state of Israel and the initial Arab-Israeli war.  The event is referred to as the Nakba, or catastrophe."  A brief history.  The Ottoman Empire controlled much of the Middle East for 400 years.  But in WWI, the Ottomans lost and the allies won.  The geographic area of Palestine was given to the British, with the area being referred to as the British Mandate.  After the UN was formed following WWII, the British turned over the Mandate to the UN.  In 1947 the UN voted "partition," dividing the land into a Jewish state and an Arab state.  Up until then, "Palestine" was just as much the home of the Jews as it was of the Arabs.  

In May, 1948, the Jews announced the independence of the country of Israel, on the small piece of land given by the UN partition.  The very next day five Arab countries attacked - the first of many efforts to wipe Israel off the map.  Were hundreds of thousands of Arabs displaced?  Yes, but that is far from the whole story.  Many left out of fear over the impending war.  Many left because the invading Arab countries told them to leave, that Israel would be destroyed, and that they could return to their homes afterwards.  Except that did not turn out to be the case.  The tiny country of Israel, out manned and out gunned, won that war.

The war ended in 1949 with no peace agreement.  The 1949 borders existed until the Arabs tried to destroy Israel again in 1967, when Israel won a decisive victory in the "Six Day War."  In that war, Israel captured the area known as the West Bank (historic Judea and Samaria), the eastern part of Jerusalem holding the Old City, the Golan Heights, Gaza, and the Sinai.  Following the Yom Kippur war in 1973, when Egypt had recaptured part of the Sinai, Israel mad a peace agreement with Egypt which returned the Sinai to the Egyptians.  But let's be clear.  From 1949 to 1967 Jordan controlled the West Bank and Egypt controlled Gaza.  There was no call for a Palestinian state during that time.  Not until the Jews got control. 

Just like left-wing ideology has taken over the mainstream media, so too for academia.  It was reported that over 700 Harvard faculty members signed a letter in support of the "Palestinian liberation struggle," and their right to fight the Jews.  Here is part of the letter, filled with the same lies and half-truths as the USA Today article.  "Since its establishment, Israel has implemented several forms of hegemonic rule imposed over Palestinian lives, starting in 1948 with the military rule imposed on Palestinian areas in Historical Palestine."

In 1948 Israel was fighting for its very life.  It is unclear what the letter writers mean by "Historical Palestine."  There has never been a country of Palestine.  There was a country of Israel 2000 years ago, and again since 1948.  Otherwise, the area known as Palestine, a name generally affiliated with the Philistines, was an area of land on the eastern Mediterranean that was controlled by various foreign invaders.  The last such invaders, as noted above, were the Ottomans.  Yet, I have seen on social media a belief by many (and by many with Arabic and Muslim names) that the Jews have had no connection to the land of Israel before WWII.  

It has been reported that 230 Palestinians were killed in this latest fighting, including 65 children and 39 women.  (Per the USA Today.  Not that I trust Hamas to accurately report their casualties.)  That was too much for Biden, who forced Israel into a cease-fire.  It has also been reported that in 2003 alone, in the war in Iraq, 12,133 civilians were killed.  In 2006 that number rose to 29,517; and overall to over two hundred thousand.  No, I am not celebrating anyone's death.  We Jews do not do that.  But I am showing the degree to which Biden, who claims to be a strong supporter of Israel, was cowed by the likes of Rashida Tlaib and the left-wing of his party.

I believe Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (hated by the left) had it right:  "I think at least half the Democrats are hostile to Israel, the rest of them are afraid of those who are hostile to Israel."  Probably explains why we've heard so little from Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, who used to be a strong supporter of Israel; but now apparently fears the consequences of speaking openly in support of Israel.   

So let me be clear.  The conflict going on between Israel and the Arabs from 1948 to today is not about land.  Arabs were killing Jews in the area in the 1920's.  The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem sided with Hitler during WWII.  The fighting is about exactly what Hamas tells us it is about - the desire to destroy Israel and kill all the Jews.  

The Coronavirus 62 Weeks Later - Jews Are Under Attack - Blame the Jews!

I'm angry.  And I'm sick of it.  Before I explain, let's look at some of the facts.  Jews are being attacked across America and internationally.  In public spaces and in broad daylight.  

In Englewood, New Jersey, a family of five, including 3 kids aged 7, 8, and 9, were walking home from their synagogue.  A car pulled up next to them and people inside yelled "free Palestine," and "fuck the Jews you motherfuckers," and "go back to where you came from, get out of here."  

In Bal Harbour, Florida, a family of three, including a 16 year old daughter, was walking home from synagogue, when a car driving by threw garbage at them, with the occupants of the car shouting "free Palestine," "die Jew," "fuck you Jew," and "I'm gonna rape your wife."  Seeing the danger to this family, another driver got out of his car and showed the pro-Palestinian vehicle that he was armed, and scared the terrorists away.  (A good guy with a gun; not that I expect it to change anyone's mind about guns.)

In Arizona, in Utah, in Skokie, Illinois, synagogues and Chabad Houses were damaged and vandalized with swastikas and a "Free Palestine" poster.  And in Borough Park, Brooklyn, men yelled at Jews "fuck the Jews," "kill the Jews," and "free Palestine."  Seeing a trend here?  Elsewhere in New York City, an older man wearing his yarmulke was beaten by a group of pro-Palestinians.  Two other men were beaten bloody on their way to a bagel shop.

In the Beverly Grove area of Los Angeles, some Jewish men were dining outside at a sushi restaurant.  A caravan of pro-Palestinians waving Palestinian flags, stopped and men got out and started physically assaulting the Jewish diners.  Here is how an article in the USA Today described it:  "In Los Angeles, a brawl broke out outside a sushi restaurant Tuesday between sidewalk diners and a group of men passing by waving Palestinian flags."  Lying Bastards!  The sidewalk diners were Jews.  The men instigating the "brawl" were Palestinians and/or their supporters.  And "brawls" do not just "break out."  Brawls do not have a mind of their own, deciding when they should "break out."  (See the May 16, 2021 post discussing the New York Times lie that "violence erupted," and my subsequent conversation with "Violence.")   

I could easily fill this entire post with more examples of attacks on Jews here and elsewhere.  But allow me to shift focus for a moment.  This rise in anti-Semitism has been going on for some time.  We have seen it on college campuses for years.  We have seen it in the mainstream media.  And for some time now we have seen it in the Democratic Party.  Remember when Trump was criticized for not speaking out quickly enough to condemn the Neo-Nazi white supremacists in Charlottesville?  Well, where is Biden?  

I'll tell you where Biden is.  This past week at the Ford plant in Dearborn, Michigan, he was busy praising Rashida Tlaib, one of the biggest anti-Semites in the US Congress.  Biden to Tlaib:  "I admire your intellect, I admire your passion, and I admire your concern for so many other people.  From my heart, I pray that your grandmom and family are well.  I promise you that I'm to do everything to see that they are...you're a fighter, and G-d, thank you for being a fighter."  Yes, thank you for being a BDS supporting, Hamas supporting fighter."  Biden made his remarks after Tlaib confronted him on the tarmac at the airport, upon his arrival in Michigan.  

For defending his country, Tlaib wants Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "Held acoountable for war crimes."  If you are expecting Tlaib to criticize Hamas, don't.  She accuses Israel of being an apartheid state.  She is a liar!  Arab Israelis take part in every aspect of Israeli society.  They are doctors and lawyers and politicians.  Here is one of Tlaib's many partners in anti-Semitism, Ilhan Omar:  "Israeli air strikes killing civilians in Gaza is an act of terrorism."  Liar!  Let's be clear.  Hamas fires their rockets at Israeli cities.  They do not seek to limit civilian casualties - they aim for civilians.  Hamas does not give a damn about their own civilian population even.  They put their offices and rocket launchers in crowded civilian areas.  Israel cares more about protecting Palestinian civilians than does Hamas.  For Hamas, the more Palestinian casualties, the better.  Because much of the Western world then buys into their propaganda.  

Hamas claimed a great victory over Israel.  The deaths of Palestinian civilians and the destruction of property is part of that victory - a victory in the propaganda war.  Biden praising Tlaib is no different than Pelosi praising Ilhan Omar, and calling Omar a "valuable member" of the Democratic caucus.  So why are Democrats letting fellow Democrats get away with their anti-Semitism?  Why aren't the anti-Semites in Congress stripped of their committee assignments, the way that Marjorie Taylor Greene was?  Why aren't more leading Democrats speaking out against the nationwide attack on Jews?  The answer is simple.  There is no down side to avoiding punishment of the anti-Semites.  There is no downside to even praising them.  Why?  Because there is no chance of these Democrats losing the support of Jews.  My fellow Jews will continue to vote (70 to 75%) for the Jew hating Democrats because Republicans are...well, they're Republicans. 

As one pro-Israel commentator put it:  "A favorable attitude toward the Jewish state has been replaced by a determination to encourage and bankroll the Palestinians.  Newly emboldened, the Palestinians looked at US actions and concluded that they are free to promote violence against Jews, and use their media propaganda to blame Israel...and the Biden administration will continue to fund them and even endorse their anti-Israel narrative."  I don't give a damn about the nice words Biden has said about Israel having a right to defend itself.  Shortly after Tlaib confronted him he told Israel he was asking them to stand down.  And he announced funding to help rebuild Gaza.  He even announced funding again for UNRWA - the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.  What a fool!  An evil fool!  UNRWA works hand in glove with Hamas.  By helping to rebuild Gaza, Biden is telling Hamas that there is no downside to attacking Israel again and again.  Biden is funding the killing of more Jews.  And he is putting himself on the same side as Iran, the terror supporting and Hamas supporting state that promises to wipe Israel off the map.  

Hamas fired approximately 4,340 rockets at Israel.  About 640 rockets fell within Gaza, causing destruction and casualties.  Israel was successful in hitting 1,600 military targets of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, including 340 rocket launchers and over 60 miles of underground tunnels - tunnels that Hamas uses to sneak into Israel in order to kill Jews.  With the tens of millions of dollars in aid received by the Palestinians, I have yet to see a mainstream media "reporter" ask Palestinian leaders:  "Why aren't you building infrastructure for your people with all the money you get?  Schools, hospitals, and funding businesses?  Why is it that you have so much concrete that you are able to build sophisticated tunnels, miles and miles of tunnels, but won't use that concrete to build infrastructure for your people?  Or, at least bomb shelters?"     

The Hamas charter calls for the destruction of Israel, and the killing of Jews.  As discussed above, the Palestinians and their supporters here in the US are also calling for "Death to the Jews."  You left-wing Jews, you think these Palestinians here are saying: "If you are a left-wing supporter of the Palestinian people, you are free to go.  We only want to harm and kill the Jews who oppose us."  They don't care!  If you are a Jew, they want you dead.  In an article in the 5/20/21 New York Times, a Jewish woman was quoted as feeling a "sense of betrayal" by the Black Lives Matter movement.  After all, she supported them.  She marched with them.  But then she read some of their posts online, including comparing Israel to Nazis.  I am not the least bit surprised by BLM support for Jew killers.  If this woman had her eyes open she would not be surprised either.   

I said at the beginning of this post that I am angry.  There is a lot to be angry about.  The increasing attacks on Jews in this country and around the world.  The increasing support for Hamas and the Palestinians against Israel.  The Democratic Party's increasing support for the terrorists of Hamas over Israel.  The leading Democrats turning a blind eye to the anti-Semites in their party.  And many of my fellow Jews being completely brainwashed by the Palestinian propaganda, reinforced by the mainstream media.  And I'm sick of it.