Unhinged
I am not sure what is actually causing the insanity currently being displayed internationally and domestically.
Michael Kuttner
Perhaps it is climate change that has addled the brains and common sense of so many or something in the water. Whatever the reason might be, mass hysteria on the part of sections of the population and an equal dose of lunacy by politicians of all persuasions is resulting in anarchy and unhinged behaviour.
Needless to say, Israel is unsurprisingly again the target of international hysteria, while domestically, those who don’t like the results of the last elections are endeavouring to impose their will by causing chaos.
Those disrupting the lives and freedom of movement of thousands of citizens by blocking motorways and other places scream that it is all being done to protect democracy. The irony is, of course, that their own actions are effectively sending a message that when the result of democratic elections is not to your liking, all you need to do to safeguard democracy is to cause mass riots and civil mayhem.
If those elected to govern introduce legislation that you oppose, then by all means, use all legal means to thwart it but breaking the law and interfering with the democratic rights of the rest of the population is not the way.
In Israel, general elections occur with monotonous regularity and very rarely do any coalitions last more than two or three years. Changing the Government, therefore, in a free and democratic country like Israel is as simple as casting one’s ballot.
One of the worst examples of the current turmoil is the rhetoric of two former failed Prime Ministers, one of whom served time in jail, who are so bitter and twisted that they are advocating civil disobedience and pressuring the US Administration to reduce its support of the country. Frustrated former leftist retired IDF officers, together with others of a similar ilk, are all lining up to vent their collective spleen at the fact that those who they oppose politically are actually in power as a result of an election.
It all started out originally over the intended reform of the justice system and the Supreme Court. The coalition has already watered down much of its intended reforms, and as a result, the protesters have now latched on to other perceived threats. Thus, some doctors are striking and warning that the proposed reforms will seriously impact the health system, although how exactly this will occur, nobody can rationally explain. Likewise, frenzied feminist groups are barricading the Rabbinical Courts, and other embittered leftists are disrupting train services and public transportation.
Making daily commutes a nightmare is hardly the best way to recruit support for one’s cause of overturning the democratically elected Government of the country. It is a sign of how unhinged certain people have become that no rational discussions are even possible.
In the international arena, the same insane phenomenon prevails.
After the burning of a Koran, the Swedish authorities threw their collective hands up in horror and then piously proclaimed that they wouldn’t do anything that infringes on freedom of expression. This prompted an Islamic protester to announce that he would be burning a Christian Bible and a Torah in retaliation. Needless to say, this intended bonfire caused a reaction of revulsion and, in the end, resulted in the event being called off.
The spectacle of burning holy books, reminiscent of nightmare scenes from the recent Jewish past, however, still did not propel the Swedish authorities actually to take a stand. The police declared that their hands were tied, and the Foreign Minister issued this pearl of a statement: “The Government is not authorised to infringe upon its citizens’ constitutional rights of free speech. At the same time, it emphasised the country’s efforts in combating antisemitism.” This classic piece of political double speak should fool nobody, especially the country’s embattled Jews, who face increasing danger from Islamic extremists and right-wing fascists alike.
Sweden already bans shechita, and Brit Mila is also under threat which makes future meaningful Jewish life there untenable. This trend in the rest of the Nordic countries and Europe should be making Jews wary, but as usual, it might very well be a case of too little too late. This fatal mentality of minimising dangers and hoping that it will all blow over is still alive and well.
Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, an interesting development occurred which seems to have sunk beneath the waves of political correctness.
It has been reported by the Jewish Chronicle and the Jerusalem Post, amongst others, that last month B’nai B’rith UK together with another NGO contacted the Information Commissioner’s Office with a request to look into why the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has not responded to a very important question. The query (under the Freedom of Information Act) wanted clarification on how British aid to the Palestinian Authority is being audited. The objective is to establish whether or not British taxpayers’ money is being used to support, facilitate or incentivise terrorism.
The UK Foreign Office refuses to disclose how Palestinian aid is audited, claiming that “it would not be in the public interest to do so.”
If that reply does not ring warning bells, it definitely should yet this scandalous situation does not seem to have generated any outrage. It is well known that the PA pays stipends to murderers of Israelis and their families. As the PA cries poverty every Monday and Thursday and international aid keeps flowing, there should be no mystery as to how this generous remuneration is funded.
The same evasive fobbing has been expressed by New Zealand and Australian officials who claim that their aid is used only for humanitarian purposes. No hard proof has been provided despite ample evidence that school textbooks continue to teach hate and delegitimisation of Jews and that the PA proudly trumpets its support of “martyrs.”
As EU diplomats and representatives express their fervent solidarity with the terrorists eliminated in Jenin and the EU envoy to the PA paraglides over Gaza in a gesture to support a “free Palestine and Gaza”, it is no wonder that the kleptocracy in Ramallah seeks more money.
The EU Parliament has endorsed a resolution backing an International Criminal Court’s probe of “Israeli war crimes.”
The best proof that insanity has fatally infected the international community is provided by the reaction of the PA to Israel’s recent offer to prevent its collapse. Israel offered a series of measures, with conditions, designed to alleviate the alleged dire financial situation of the PA. One would logically think that if the situation were so critical, Abbas and the cronies would grasp the opportunity of Israeli assistance.
No such logic, however, prevails in the twisted thinking of those in charge in Ramallah.
Spurning all Israeli offers and declaring that funding of terrorist families is the top priority exposes the real agenda.
The fact that the international media and the UN remain mute in the face of this insanity is proof of exactly how “farkakte” (Yiddish for messed up) the world has become.
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.
Dear Michael
You paint a picture of doom and gloom as you predict no end to the Jewish-Israel conflict until the “complete and utter defeat of those who seek our demise or the advent of the messianic age”.
Agreements have been made with Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994) that have ended conflicts with those countries. The Abraham Accords continue in that tradition. There is no reason to believe a deal cannot be similarly done with the Palestinian Arabs.
Yes – the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine solution will involve Israel giving up claims to some of the land promised by San Remo – but what will Israel get in return?
1. Recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal capital (expressly provided for in the Saudi solution) shared with no other state.
2. An end to calls for the creation of an independent Palestinian Arab State between Israel and Jordan with Jerusalem as its capital – pursued by Saudi Arabia, the Arab League, Jordan, the PLO, Hamas, the UN and the EU over a period of 40 years.
3. International recognition of the right of the Jewish people to reconstitute the Jewish National Home in part of Judea and Samaria
No other plan before this 2022 Saudi Solution has promised such amazing outcomes before their attempted implementation.
Why would you turn down the opportunity to see if an agreement can indeed be achieved? Your claim there are no secret negotiations or back door talks is not borne out by many reports to the contrary. If you can’t locate them – let me know and I will furnish you with the links.
Yes – the Saudi Solution may be another mirage in the desert but you won’t really know until you check it out. Only negotiations to implement the Saudi Solution will resolve whether it is a mirage or not.
This opportunity to try and end the conflict – not see it perpetuated as you predict – must not be missed.
It’s not only those who don’t like the results of the last election who are distressed and concerned about the way things are panning out in Israel.
Although it’s true there is a growing trend to ban circumcision throughout Europe, there isn’t Such a large in Sweden. There is presently a debate about whether or not the health ministry will require Novocain injections for the procedure, which will make it harder for mohalim to perform the rite. But there is presently no active call to outright ban neonatal circumcision. For more information see this article:
https://www.saferhabrit.com/post/why-i-circumcised-both-of-my-sons
Michael
When are you going to take up calling for the implementation of the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine solution (HKOPS) to end so many of the problems you have elicited so briliantly in this article?
Separating the Jews and the Arabs living in Judea and Samaria is the key – which is what HKOPS will do.
For example:
1.The High Court will no longer have to deal with NGO’s bringing applications on behalf of Arabs living in Judea and Samaria “against the occupation”. The NGO’s will become neutered as their clientele become citizens of the Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine.
2. The almost-daily pronouncements by the UN claiming Jews have no legal right to live in Judea and Samaria will become ancient history.
3. Jerusalem will be recognized as the capital of Israel solely.
4. Chaos and upheaval will be replaced with an end to 100 years of conflict between Arabs and Jews.
Missing this opportunity is madness.
Dear David
Thank you for your kind thoughts.
If I believed for one second that a Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine had any chance of being implemented I would gladly advocate for it. Unfortunately hard cold reality means that it is yet another mirage in the desert.
Judea and Samaria is already legally allocated by international agreement (San Remo) to Jewish settlement. Handing part of it over to those plotting our demise is a non starter.
In the absence of any endorsement by the Hashemites themselves one can assume that they want nothing to do with it. Silence on their part is no indicator of acquiescence. Likewise silence from the King and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia is proof that this so called plan is a work of hallucinatory proportions.
Believing that Jerusalem will be acknowledged as the sole Capital of Israel and no-one else is delusory. If you listen to the rhetoric issuing forth from Islamic leaders you will rapidly realize that this is a work of fiction.
There is no way that the conflict will miraculously end because the aims of Islamic extremists remain the same – i.e. the elimination of any sort of Jewish presence and the denial of any sort of Jewish connection.
Don’t put your hopes in any sort of secret negotiations or back door talks. They are non existent.
I am afraid, David, that we will have to wait for one of two developments to take place. Either the complerte and utter defeat of those who seek our demise or the advent of the messianic age.