Third week and counting

Three weeks of missile and drone bombardments from Iran, together with disrupted sleep and siren-filled days, certainly make life here at the moment a rather action-packed experience.

Most Israelis, however, realise that in order to make the Middle East, in particular, and the world in general, a safer place, a certain amount of pain and inconvenience is inevitable

This highlights the stark difference between those of us living in Israel and those who reside elsewhere.

Many Americans, Canadians, Brits, Europeans, Australians and Kiwis cannot understand the underlying necessity for this current conflict. They have been seduced by a media peddling lies, myths and fables and are succumbing to a spreading malaise of misinformation. If one does not live in the shadow of an existential threat where a terror regime is trying to achieve the means to destroy you, then a simple explanation for this conflict would elude them.

It is hardly surprising when those directly threatened by annihilation retaliate in order to thwart imminent danger. Then the blame always falls on the intended victim rather than the obvious culprit. When the victims happen to be Jews, then the age-old virus is reactivated.

The Iranians are very well aware of this, which is one of the reasons that they plan to inflict as much worldwide economic mayhem as possible. Resultant waves of “blame the Jews/Israelis” can be guaranteed when the price of oil reaches stratospheric levels and oil tankers are attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in petrol shortages.

Israel is already perceived as having coerced the USA into attacking Iran, and no amount of logic and facts will be able to undo the collateral damage this will cause. Add in the economic and financial hardships that will flow from Iran’s attack on international markets, and you have a perfect storm of Judeophobia waiting to be unleashed.

The political fallout can already be seen and discerned.

In the USA, with all eyes focused already on the mid-term elections later in the year, the omens are ominously stark.

A steady erosion of support for Israel is well underway in both political parties. As there are only two parties to choose from, the options for committed Jewish voters are becoming almost non-existent.

Democrats are rapidly succumbing to extreme progressive and left socialist demonising of the Jewish State.

What was once a solid wall of Republican support for Israel is steadily being undermined by a twin assault from the ultra-phobic isolationist right and the traditional neo Nazi type conspiracies spread by so-called “influencers” and others of that ilk.

Traditional evangelical Christian Zionists are threatened by twin threats of anti Zionist Christian groups tied to liberation dogmas and a younger generation of adherents whose historical knowledge is grossly deficient.

One would think that the majority of American Jews might be concerned for their future. Unfortunately, like their European brethren pre-1939 and today, the warning signals are either dismissed as alarmist or ignored altogether.

Here is something to ponder.

A common thread that binds most of these anti-Israel/ Zionist haters together is their fervent declaration that “we believe Israel has a right to exist.”

This affirmation is somehow supposed to establish the unblemished sincerity that, in fact, they really do have Israel’s best interests at heart.

Think about it for a moment, and you will quickly see what a disgusting notion it really is.

Can you think of any other country or nation whose existence and very legitimacy are challenged to such an extent that politicians, critics and commentators feel the need to declare that it “has the right to exist?”  Which other member of the United Nations needs to be reassured that “it has the right to exist?’”

Which other country, apart from Israel, is so delegitimised that its very presence is questioned?

To add insult to injury, what usually follows next exposes the hypocrisy for what it really is.

Always following the statement that the nation-state of the Jewish

People have a right to exist, is the declaration “that of course it also has a right to defend itself.”  Well, that is really generous, but the caveat that follows lays bare the underlying double standards apparently not applicable to any other country.

What always follows is the solemn admonition that “of course any defence must be proportional and approved by the UN.”  In other words, in order to survive the genocidal machinations of the Jew haters of this world, Israel must never ever take measures which might cause those plotting our demise to regret their actions.

This is what lies at the crux of each and every opposition to Israel defending itself in any meaningful shape and form.

Next time you hear a politician burble any of the above nonsense, you can guarantee that they are merely trying to “cover themselves” from any accusation of selective enmity.

It is excruciating but hardly surprising to witness the current squirming responses to Iranian attempts at precipitating chaos and mayhem.

Freedom of the seas and navigation used to be a well-accepted principle of international law.

Apparently, those days are well and truly in the past.

The Islamic Iranian regime blockades the Strait of Hormuz and throttles the world’s oil supplies. The reaction of major democracies and maritime nations is underwhelming.

Instead of a united stand against this modern form of piracy those most affected resort to rhetoric and apathetic appeasement. News reports had intimated that the French were going to send their aircraft carrier to escort tankers. This turned out to be fake news. Instead, the French resorted to their usual fallback position and apparently initiated pleas to the mullahs and their handlers to be “nice people and allow freedom of navigation.” Having had generations of such spineless policies blow up in their face, one would have thought that they might have learnt that pleading with bullies doesn’t pay.

The British are no better. Starmer and his Labour Government are blowing hot and cold but that is as far as allied solidarity and freedom of the seas goes these days in London. A commentator noted that the Brits don’t have anything worthwhile to send to break the blockade so recycled pontification is about all they can fire off.

The Europeans have fallen back to their well-worn technique of seeing evil but not wanting to do anything meaningful about it.

The Irish, having kissed the Blarney Stone, offer gratuitous advice and declare that only diplomacy and talks can break the blockade.

Australia is apparently sending a reconnaissance plane, which will no doubt terrify the Iranians into surrendering.

Meanwhile, as the IRGC Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon fire missiles and drones indiscriminately into northern Israel communities, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom issue a stern warning to Israel. Once again, Israel is warned not to “overreact” as its citizens are targeted.

Iran is firing cluster missiles at Israel. These are deadly because they split in mid air and scatter lethal projectiles over a wide area causing multiple fatalities and injuries. These weapons were banned in 2008 when 120 countries signed a convention banning their use.

Guess what?

Have you, by any chance, heard an international outcry over Iran using these weapons? Not a peep has been forthcoming from London, Paris, Ottawa, Canberra, Wellington, Rome, the Vatican and the United Nations among others. It’s only Israelis who are being targeted by these missiles; there’s no need to get excited. One would think that Iran might be hauled in front of the ICJ and World Court at The Hague. Unfortunately, those bodies are still too busy investigating Israel for a fake genocide in Gaza.

After three weeks of this insanity, is it any wonder that most Israelis just want the job properly completed once and for all?

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.