Why is it that Israel, which should be lauded and held as an example of how to live in this world, is singled out and vilified by exactly the people who should be praising it?
Israel is the ONLY country in the Middle East where:
- women have equal rights
- gays are not persecuted
- people of every religion are free to practice as they see fit (and even just to be alive)
Israel is the ONLY country in the world where there were more trees at the end of the 20th century than at the beginning making it the most environmentally progressive country in the world.
Israel is the MOST democratic country in the world. In the Knesset (the Israeli Parliament) there are members who are actively calling for the destruction of Israel. In any other country these people would be in gaol (or worse) for treason. In Israel there are parliamentary debates about where this incitement should be criminalised.
Other countries have fences or walls to keep people out. The US has a fence along the border with Mexico to prevent people coming in who are seeking better lives for themselves and their families. Australia uses the fact that we are an island continent to prevent people arriving who are escaping persecution. No-one criticises this. Israel has a fence to keep out people who are intent on murdering its citizens and it’s vilified across the world.
In 2005 Israel withdrew unilaterally from Gaza in an attempt to start the process of creating a Palestinian state. Since then there have been 25,207 rockets fired into Israel from Gaza (as at time of writing this post) with the specific intention of killing civilians. What other nation would tolerate that happening for such a long time without acting to prevent it?
Israel has been acknowledged (by non Jewish, non Israeli) senior military people from various nations as being the most moral and humanitarian army in the world.
Israel is so protective of the feelings of others that it has prevented anyone EXCEPT Muslims from going on to the Temple Mount even though this area is regularly used to attack people in the plazas below.
We’ve just seen the massacre in a synagogue in Jerusalem. The world’s press is so entrenched in anti-Israel and anti-Jewish sentiment that, at first, it was reported in the media as an attack on a mosque and then “Four Israelis, 2 Palestinians killed in synagogue attack” as though the perpetrators of this latest atrocity were among the innocent victims.
The response in the Arab world was, like 9/11, dancing and rejoicing.
So, if you believe in:
- human rights
- democracy
- civil liberties
- environmental protection
- gender equality
- freedom from persecution based on race, religion or sexual preference
- the sanctity of human life
then you should be a supporter of Israel.
However, the world hates Israel (I use the word “hate” intentionally) in a way it doesn’t feel about any other nation or group including savage murderers like ISIS.
As well as ISIS we are on the verge of a nuclear armed Iran. This nation openly supports, funds, trains and supplies terrorist organisations. And yet the nations of the world continue to keep their heads firmly planted in the sand.
Recently, an American Palestinian was shot while attacking Israeli soldiers. The US State Dept announced it would start an investigation. However, when an American Jewish baby was killed by a Palestinian there was silence from the State Dept.
I could go on and on and on with more examples of bias and total lack of rational perspective wherever Israel is involved but I hope I’ve raised the question.
I have some thoughts on what the answer to my “Israel question” is but I’d like to hear from you as to why you think this situation exists.
And hopefully the world will wake up and this question will no longer have any relevance (I can only hope and pray this will happen soon).