Many people who love Israel, and a few who don’t, have been asking if and when Israel will respond to the increased bombardments and terror of the last few weeks. There have been claims that such an operation is imminent while others predict action by this fall, but the current political situation prohibits an immediate response. My best bet is that Israel will not move in a major operation on either the West Bank or the Gaza Strip until after January 21, 2013. It makes no difference if President Obama is reelected or if he is replaced by the Republican or Democrat of your choice. The reason for waiting is the hope of a friendlier President towards Israel in the White House. The reason for not waiting much beyond that date comes down to Israel can only absorb so much punishment before being forced to act. The third possibility is that Hamas, Fatah, and their fellow travelers can make the situation for Israel so dire that the Israelis will demand action from their leaders who will have no real option than to take action or face an election.
Currently, the opposition parties in the Knesset all know that Prime Minister Netanyahu is between a rock and the deep bluish Mediterranean, to mix my metaphors. The catch is, forcing election only promises to place the next government in the exact same unenviable position, and no one is in any hurry to take this bull by the horns. A good amount of this is directly tied to President Obama placing the United States military at the pleasure of the United Nations to call upon for any mission deemed necessary. The further problem has been the ratification of Right to Protect (R2P) making any defense of a civilian population from the affects of any military action being found to be unacceptable to any major world organization and actions sanctioned by the UN. With the current “No Fly Zone” in Libya as the precedent and noting that this “No Fly Zone” also allows for the firing on tanks, tents, military vehicles, military buildings, troops, and anything else considered usable against the “rebels” whether it can fly or not or even if it is below ground, all force thus far has been given the UN’s blessings. An Israeli offensive into either Gaza or the West Bank would immediately be condemned and a similar if not harsher No Fly Zone would be immediately demanded by the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic States, virtually every NGO, numerous countries including most of Europe and much of South America, and all of the Middle East (yes, Saudi Arabia and Iran would become hard and fast friends for the time being) forcing the UN to act in an even harsher way than against Kaddafi and Libya. This is seen properly by the Israeli leaders and people as a definite problem while not having any guaranteed friend to veto such a resolution in the Security Council.
For those people always seeking signs of the end times, such an action from the United Nations would definitely create a situation where the whole world would be aligned against Israel. I, for one, hope such events never come to pass. The next question would be, “What would the reaction of the American people be to such a situation?” I would like to believe that there would be an outcry from coast to coast and beyond. I fear the reaction might not be that noble. Once Israeli troops were forced to fire upon American troops and engage and try to shoot down American pilots, I truly fear the reaction to such a reality. Once upon a time, around 1925 or there about, the German Jews believed that they had finally found acceptance and a place where they could live in peace. They thought, or even stated, “We live in the most progressive, liberal, cultured country in the world that is full of many of the leading minds of the day. We have been accepted as equals in the society and hold positions in all areas of society. We are judges, in politics, teachers, doctors, lawyers, scientists and just about every other occupation. We own land, houses, run stores and enjoy all the freedoms the same as every other German citizen. We have finally found a place where Jews will be safe and seen the same as everybody else. Finally, we can stop running.” As history teaches us, maybe those Jews would have been better served to have, like their grandparents for generation past, kept a packed suitcase to be grabbed at a moment’s notice while getting out of town while leaving was permitted. Today, too many American Jews are saying those exact same words, and a majority of American agrees with them. Their dream in Germany died when the economy turned sour and the Government was printing more money like there was no tomorrow to bail out their failing banks and businesses. All of a sudden the blame was put on the Jew Bankers, the Jew Stock Brokers, the Jew Merchants, and the rest is history.
I am not saying that such will happen in the United States, the most advanced. liberated society in history; but can you guarantee that it will not happen? The Nazis initially were a small minority that leveraged and bullied their way into power. It does not take a majority, or even a plurality, to take things over the edge into madness. This is something all people need to remember to prevent a repeat. Germany was not the first time this had occurred in history. Before Germany the same was felt about Mother Russia, we know how that went, from pogroms to communism. Before that in history the Jews found what they thought was a safe home in Spain, until the Inquisition. Jews were thrown out of England, twice. I think the idea has been conveyed, history has proven that when things get turned upside down or go sideways, time for the Jews to pack an emergency suitcase. I know many will call me nuts, an alarmist, or simply insane. A few will point out that G-d said he would gather in the Jews from the far corners of the Earth into their land, Israel. They will point to the Russian Jews exodus, the taking in of Ethiopia’s Jews, the current bringing home of the Jews in India, and ask why would America’s Jews be left out. To them I say, they will not be left out, but I wish they would realize the inevitability without having to suffer first. For now, I will simply pray for answers and for the sight of the prophets or at least a few answers.
Beyond the Cusp
