Deliberate feckless foolish folly…writes Michael Kuttner
How many times must we endure a never-ending stream of unmitigated folly? When it comes to Israel apparently the answer is simple: without limit.
Michael Kuttner
The intermediate days of Passover have provided us with perfect examples (as though more were actually needed) of the sort of hypocrisy which pervades the international community these days.
No sooner had we finished reciting at the Seder, “in every generation there are those who rise up to kill us” then it once more came to pass. From a teenage terrorist blowing himself up on a Jerusalem bus to incitement from our non-existent “peace partners” to plans for an international gang up on Israel initiated by the French and cheered on by New Zealand, all these manifestations of malevolent intentions erupted to try to disturb our Passover festivities.
Passover is one of the three Pilgrim Festivals of ancient Israel when Jews from wherever they resided made the difficult journey to Jerusalem to pray at the Temple. These days it has become the occasion for mass prayer gatherings at the Western Wall and an opportunity for the Cohanim, descendents of the priestly tribe, to bless the assembled multitudes. Bear in mind that this spot and the Temple Mount itself are the focal points for religious Jews. There are differences of opinion as to whether one is prohibited from ascending the Mount itself but the consensus amongst mainstream forms of Judaism is that certain parts of the area are able to be visited.
We are however faced with an ironic and to my mind disgusting situation whereby control of the Temple Mount has been abrogated to the Islamic authorities who forbid any Jews (or Christians) from praying or showing any sort of religious devotion there. Not one Jew wishes to enter, pray or trespass in the Mosque of course, but to enforce a complete ban on religious devotion at Judaism’s holiest site (the Mount) is a monstrous perversion of the concept of religious freedom. The collusion of Israeli authorities and their craven surrender to threats of Islamic mayhem is a scandal and merely legitimizes the international community’s double standards on the subject. The recent decision by UNESCO to proclaim the Temple Mount and Western Wall as exclusive Islamic holy sites is a direct result of not only anti Jewish sentiments but is a logical result of our own authorities’ pathetic and futile attempts at appeasing those whose sole agenda is denying the validity of a Jewish State.
It gets worse however. The Palestinian Arabs and the Jordanians who nominally control the Mount area (thanks to the unbelievably naive efforts of Moshe Dayan in 1967) are now in full cry and whipping up mob fervour as has been their tactic ever since the 1920’s. Thus, from the Hashemite Kingdom which denied Jews access to the Temple Mount and Western Wall for 19 years and now portray themselves as guardians of Islam there, as well as from the successors of the Mufti who in 1929 instigated mob murder of Jews and plotted with the Nazis to annihilate the Jews of Palestine, we heard the following declarations this Passover:
“All devout Muslims must defend the holy Al Aqsa Mosque against the Jews and their crusader (Christian) allies’ attempts to defile it. Thousands of Jews are defiling the Mosque.”
This incitement against Jews and by extension also Christians is symptomatic of the current prevailing international hypocrisy as embodied at the UN. Continual resolutions against Israel, its Capital and Holy Sites combined with turning a blind eye to daily outpourings of venomous hate and lauding of terrorism merely encourages more of the same. After all, if the UN Security Council led by France and New Zealand, plan to reward those who promote murder and force Israel to acquiesce to its own demise, why should those who incite and deny our legitimacy change their tactics?
The politically correct buzzword these days by those who wish Israel to throw in the towel and just disappear is “status quo.” Conventional wisdom by appeasers, defeatists and just plain Israel/Jew haters is that the status quo is not sustainable. Their quick fix plan is for us to withdraw to indefensible non-existent borders which in reality are the 1948 armistice lines and put our trust in not only resolutions and worthless guarantees but to actually believe that a liberal, democratic, tolerant and human rights supporting entity will arise and embrace the Jewish State in love, brotherhood and we will all live happily ever after. Given the past, present and future realities in the Arab Islamic world this fantasy can only be believed by those who are either on some hallucinogenic medication or are completely detached from the real world. They argue that maintaining the current status quo and managing the ongoing mayhem only makes things worse because it offers no horizon of hope.
What they fail to recognise is that the vast majority (not all please note) hope for the disappearance of Israel and its Jewish citizens, a hope nurtured ever since the 1920’s and attempted on frequent occasions since then. If those touted as “peace partners” really wanted a State of their own living in peace and harmony with Israel, they could have achieved this many times since 1947. Therefore the frustration they allegedly suffer from has nothing to do with failure to achieve this objective but rather a bitter realisation that their objective of destroying the Jewish State is not likely to come to fruition. They still live in hope that the UN will ride to their rescue and hand us over on a plate which is why the latest efforts by France and New Zealand are self-defeating and doomed. It merely prolongs their delusionary fantasies of getting someone else, in this case the UN, to do their dirty work for them.
There is, however, one aspect of the status quo which a large number of Israelis fervently believe is unsustainable. That is the denial of freedom of worship for Jews at their most important place. This shameless state of affairs which has been in force since 1948 is intolerable. The surrender to threats of violence and revolution by all concerned in the name of some sort of illusory status quo cannot in good faith be sustained. It is inconceivable that only Muslims can be guaranteed unfettered freedom of worship while Jews (and to a certain extent Christians) are denied this basic right. The fact that the international community together with the Jewish political decision makers and sectors of the Jewish religious establishment go along with this travesty is a symptom of the sick double standards prevailing today.
When will this folly cease? Only when enough outraged people demand action.
Perhaps it can best be summed up by this quote on the subject:
“Wisdom prepares for the worst, but folly leaves the worst for the day when it comes.”
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.
Sadly, all too true Michael. And all of this folly is compounded by highly clever self-styled diplomats who believe that negotiations are some sort of action and that while discussions are on-going the worst is averted.
At the last meeting of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, the head of a group boasted that we are making progress with the Uniting Church in discussing “Palestine”, etc. None at the plenum could comprehend that by conceding falsehoods we are undermining our position. The very concept of organising a demonstration with placards stating the truth is completely alien to such people. I am a fool for daring to suggest standing up for Jews and our principles.
But what troubles me with regard to the events you outlined is why some Jews don’t get shielded truck or bus, drive onto the Temple Mount and conduct a religious service. Equally why doesn’t anyone start a party with the goal of imprisoning anyone who denies other the freedoms that they themselves enjoy. Jewish antisemitism to achieve some illusory peace and quiet with an implacable enemy is wicked and insane.