Looney Tunes

I remember as a youngster (last century) that one of the “shorts” always shown in the cinema before the main feature film was a series of cartoons called Looney Tunes.

These consisted of the likes of “Bugs Bunny” and other such cartoon characters doing zany and mad things to the accompaniment of frenetic music and inane dialogue.

No doubt that is why the Wikipedia definition of “Looney Tunes” is given as “crazy and deranged.”

I can think of no better description of current events, both here in Israel and internationally. Like the cinema cartoons of my youth, the present performances are a foretaste of what is yet to come in the main feature.

As the civil year of 2023 is now well underway, we face several challenging scenarios. These include reforms in various domestic areas such as the economy, the justice system, health and welfare, just to mention a select few. Looming over all these subjects is the need to tackle other thorny problems in the political and religious spheres.

As though these tasks are not difficult enough, we also face the traumatised reactions of those who feel hard done by as a result of the election outcome.

Any of these items would be a major task on their own.

As nothing is simple or straightforward in this part of the world, one needs to add in two particular volatile and potentially explosive threats. Either one threatens to blow all other problems literally out of the sky unless a permanent solution is found and dealt with.

I am referring to the threats posed by a nuclear Iran and the continuing promoting of terror by those whom the international community insists on crowning as “peace partners.”

Both of these threats to Israel and its citizens are long-standing.

Thanks to the fact that those who should have dealt with them preferred instead to sweep the problem under the carpet, we now face a far more lethal situation. Weak international leadership, naïve policies which rewarded terror facilitators and irredeemable appeasement of bullies has resulted in the current fiasco.

All you have to do is tune in to the discordant voices issuing forth from the usual suspects, and you will get an inkling of why we have arrived at the farcical situation we face today.

Day in and day out, the Biden Administration and the Europeans reminded us that “diplomacy is the best way to thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions.” Every time doubt was cast on this specious assertion, we were accused of creating unnecessary panic and over-inflating the threats. None of the US or European genius policymakers, and certainly not the UN, was ever able to explain how diplomacy had succeeded in preventing North Korea from acquiring nuclear bombs.

Lo and behold, after endless hymns of praise for diplomatic impotency, not long ago, the US Secretary of State admitted that “Tehran is making very significant progress on its nuclear program.”

Shortly after this not-surprising revelation, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced that “Iran now has enough nuclear material to make several nuclear bombs.”

Anyone knowledgeable of the appeasement policies followed by the democracies when Nazi Germany was rearming will instantly recognise the eerie and dangerous similarities. The tragedy is that the ignoramuses in charge today prefer to ignore the lessons of the recent past. They will all wax eloquently on Holocaust Remembrance Day and conveniently overlook the fact that their deliberate negligence is leading to a repeat performance.

There are no prizes for anticipating the oratorios of outrage, which will burst forth when Israel finally takes action to thwart the Mullah regime.

The other threat we face is a long-running one. Terror against a Jewish sovereign presence did not start in 1967 after the 6-Day War. The media has helped to spread the myth that the so-called “occupation” and reactions to it only developed after that campaign to annihilate us. Ignorant politicians and others subverted by historical lies bellow lemming-like slogans about settlements. What all of them either do not know or deliberately refuse to acknowledge is the stark truth that terror against Jews has been a long-running feature.

Since at least the 1920’s murdering Jews has been the standard policy of those opposed to a Jewish presence here. In 1947 when the Arabs rejected the UN partition plan, acts of violence increased, and in 1948 full-scale war broke out as the Arab States attempted to snuff out the newly recreated Jewish State. There has not been one year since then when Israelis have not been targets of terror.

At memorials to murdered Jews throughout the civilised world, politicians speak eloquently and eulogise the victims of Jew hate and incitement. Unsaid and deliberately omitted is any reference to the fact that past indifference contributed to the various pogroms and massacres.

Is it not amazing, therefore, that when Israel, the target of over 75 years of the same delegitimisation and hate, decides to fight back, these same politicians, media and protest groups dissolve into a frenzy of condemnation?

The latest terror outrage in Jerusalem is a perfect case in point.

Like clockwork, the scripted set of phrases flowed forth. First, a ritual expression of horror at the murder of Jews as they attended synagogue services on Shabbat. With that off their collective chests, the long-discredited chorus of “cycles of violence” took over. Israel is admonished to show restraint and not “overreact.” The Pope expressed worry about the “increasing death spiral in Israel and the West Bank.” Biden spouted that the attack “targeted the civilised world.” Others, from Macron to the UN Secretary-General voiced similar sentiments.

Has anyone noted some glaring omissions?

The attack specifically targeted Jews. Using the words “civilised world” sounds so much more parev.

Not one of those lecturing us on how we should behave in the face of terror mentioned several inconvenient facts. Palestinian Arabs in the PA and Gaza celebrate with candies and fireworks. Not a single politician wondered how a 13-year-old was so brainwashed that he could murder Jews. Nobody queried why school textbooks incite against Israel and Jews. Not a single “eytzes” giver condemned Abbas for refusing to speak up because in his own words “it would be political suicide.” Instead, this “dove of peace” blames Israel for the terror he himself fosters and is embraced by UN members.

Most telling of all, not a peep has been uttered against the payment by the PA of stipends to those who murder Jews. That says it all.

The terrorists are proud of the fact that they are, as reported by PMW, “soldiers of the PA.” Wouldn’t you think that this might attract some sort of outraged condemnation?

Instead, we have to listen to the US Secretary of State leading the international refrain lauding a two-State solution, lamenting Israel’s attempt at thwarting it and condemning Jews for living on their historical land. As an added bonus, Blinken articulates a moral equivalency between the victims and those who are killed while perpetrating terror.

It is definitely Looney Tune time 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.