Snapshot of Leftist Europe and Israel

 

The British Labour Party has been experiencing a rare and revealing problem, some of their members have broken the golden rule and have been speaking honestly expressing thoughts which most prefer not be made public. In an effort to subjugate their remaining members who might be tempted to join the chorus singing the songs revealing their honest beliefs and allowing their beliefs normally kept tight to the chest and under wraps displayed out on their public clothesline for all to bear witness. The leader of the unbelievable revolt and leader in making this spectacle has been the duo of former London mayor and Labour activist Ken Livingstone and Labour MP Naz Shah who were suspended for anti-Semitic comments. Their crime was honesty as they were simply stating what so many leftists the worldwide believe when it comes to the Jewish People, Israeli Jews and Jews in general. One of their tropes calls for all Israeli Jews be forced to relocate into the United States and leave the entirety of the Middle East including the Israelite homeland for the Arab Palestinian Muslim invaders who poured out of the Arabian Peninsula dislocating, destroying or slaughtering every Jewish community they met forcing the remaining Jews from their ancestral home, the lands the Europeans wish to reward the conquerors with and punish the indigenous peoples who are returning to their homeland making it productive for the first time in centuries.

 

One easily identifies their racism which runs ramped in their desires as they are not demanding the Jews be permitted to return to their former homelands as that would include numerous Arab nations who had forced their Jewish citizens to flee often with merely one suitcase and the clothes on their backs. Often the suitcases were inspected and any items of worth, anything from treasure to even slightly valuable, such as but not limited to Torah Scrolls, Tefillin, jewelry, artworks, heirlooms, objects of silver, anything with gold, platinum items as well as coins or other monies were removed and stolen by the inspectors. They also are apparently refusing to permit the Jews from Europe to return to their homes from which they were driven or from returning to their former homes or anywhere else in Europe. Their demand is for all Jews to be relocated into the United States starting with the Israeli Jews. Does any of this sound familiar? Europeans demanding that the Jews be relocated away from their homes starting with those from the Middle East, especially from Jerusalem and the remainder of the Jewish State. At least they are not starting with the Jews residing in Europe, though we would bet they would be next shipped off to the United States. After the World War II experience with the S.S. St. Louis, what makes them believe the United States would accept the world’s Jews saving them from a fate of suffering and death? We would bet there are sufficient in the United States who would be extremely averse to such a plan and would do whatever it takes to resist such from occurring likely allying with the State Department working to drown such an idea from fruition through endless paperwork.

 

What is truly frightening is that the idea, the concept, the plotting, the whatever you desire to call it, the shipping Israeli Jews wholesale off to the United States to be settled where and under what conditions with what future intents is actually one of the least prejudicially insulting thoughts emerging from Britain and around the entirety of the European Union (EU) and fellow governments. Salim Mulla, who currently serves as a Labour councilor for the city of Blackburn, made a number of anti-Israel, anti-Zionist and anti-Semitic comments in the summer of 2015 including amongst them, “Zionist Jews are a disgrace to humanity.” What is an even more frightening reality is that there are a number of predominantly leftist Jews in Europe, the United States and around the world even to include Israel who would agree with that statement. But hating Jews whether Zionist or new wave progressives who could not tell you what the inside of a Synagogue looks like not having seen one since they were thirteen, are not anything new in the world and definitely not new to Europe. What is truly frightening is the depth and expanse of such hatred within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) where anti-Semitic beliefs run rampant and are off-scale compared to the rest of the planet. For an in-depth global study’s result, one can peruse the conclusions of the ADL Global 100, An Index of Anti-Semitism. The results in the different categories and especially regarding the Shoah, the Holocaust, are absolutely frightening and prove that its remembrance will have fallen through the cracks and exited our common memories within another two or at most three generations. If one does not remember or know from whence they came, they cannot have any idea where they are heading as they have no reference points or knowledge to compare now with then.

 

That aside, the rapid rise of anti-Semitism and particularly anti-Israelism and anti-Zionism in Europe and lagging but rising in the United States and the remainder of the Anglosphere is purely frightening. It is these statistics and general mistrust by those in positions of power, especially those in appointed positions such as ministers and others in the EU, that reveals the extent of the problem. Though absolutely appalling after the atrocities committed in the names of the European people during World War II, the return and rampant rise of anti-Semitism is simply beyond reason. That the Foreign Minister of Sweden not only made directly false anti-Semitic tropes assigning their worst attributes to the Prime Minister of Israel, his Cabinet, the Ministers of the Knesset, “Settlers” and Israelis generally; then along came the former mayor of Malmo, Sweden with comments when in power advising the Jews of Malmo, and community with tens of centuries of history in the town, that there was nothing which could be done to protect the Jews and if they felt unsafe they should move to somewhere far less threatening in their opinions and then dismissed the issue. Then there are the near riots and even riots by the new immigrants against allowing the Jews any representation in government, positions of power or respect, teaching, professorship in the universities and other positions much as the Nazis denied such to Jews. It is also how the Arab governments limit the Arab Palestinians under their stewardship in the numerous refugee camps where Arabs have languished for decades not permitted to hold jobs much more respectful than street sweeper and who are forbidden a normal education, instead having their children taught anti-Semitic hatreds and poisoning their minds leading to the terrorism coming from these camps. These camps even exist in Nablus, Gaza City and other areas under Arab Palestinian rule where their own rulers treat them as lepers who must only be released to infect Israeli society and are separate from the Arab Palestinian society surrounding their camps. Europe blames Israel for the sad treatment of these Arab refugees who are far beyond Israeli influence.

 

European politicians largely believe that Israel is an easy target on which to pin all of societal ills. Still, looking through the opinions of Jews and particularly Israelis, one finds the nations who are most favorable are those which have had an unforeseen or other horrific natural or manmade disaster and found the Israelis not only the first there with the most and a system in place where it is as if they are trained for just the events they address from typhoons, earthquakes, tornados, flooding, disease or any other natural or manmade disaster. In Haiti, Israel had the first functioning and fully operating hospital with X-Ray, MRI and every modern diagnostic department including neonatal long before any other such as the United States was a close second almost matching Israel’s hospital but over a week later. Israel also had dogs, robots and every conceivable search and rescue assistance on the ground within thirty-six hours. In the Philippines after their worst and most horrific storm in history, Israel was amongst the first on the scene; it was difficult beating the United States as they have bases already there. Nepal, Japan, Philippines and the other nations where Israel has come to aide, even setting up Israeli clinics in villages so remote they had previously never been visited by outside assistance even from their own government, have lower statistic of anti-Semitism then even the developed nations. Often in these instances one Israeli remains behind for a year training the people of the village and surrounding area first aid, use of diagnostic equipment, upkeep and calibration, and other areas of medicine leaving the clinic and equipment behind and restocking these clinics until the government of that nation can take over the operations. Israel had the most broad search and rescue teams as well as field hospital in Nepal, something nations with ten times as many of their citizens lost in the earthquake did not do. Israel remained ten days longer than scheduled as they refused to depart without finding their last citizen. These nations have the least anti-Semitism of the world as they have seen the truth that is Israel. Israel is one of the few nations to offer the United States their assistance after Katrina and Sandy and other natural disasters. Often Israeli assistance is refused as in Sandy and Katrina as well as 9/11, but Israeli expertise assisted after the Boston Marathon bombing. Israel has been accused by some of never stepping up and assisting the United States after a disaster and labeled as ingrates for such lack of actions. The truth is Israeli assistance after every disaster in the United States has not only been refused but banned from assisting even through Jewish agencies.

 

Still, Europe rates less anti-Semitic than anywhere outside of the United States and Israel. The most negative feelings towards Israel and Jews come from the Arab Palestinian areas where they are fed a continuous sixty hour a day stream of anti-Semitic lies and misrepresentations even including misrepresenting actual news stories, using proven libels such as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and religious instruction which demands their hatred of Israel and the Jews. The area with the highest anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism and anti-Israelism was MENA followed by Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa with North America and the United States and Canada along with Czech Republic having the lowest such numbers. MENA led the world with number of people never having met a Jew in their lifetime, but that did not prevent their hatred for them. Next in the never having met a Jew was Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Europe rates very high on having met a Jew yet still held many negative feelings and beliefs about Jews. The study linked above is an eye-opening read and is in largely graph or simple percentages making comparisons and such very easy and the coverage is truly universal and extensive.

 

Despite many attributes one might think their civility would prevent Europeans from being heavily anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist or anti-Israeli. They managed to reach high levels in many areas which should be cause for concern and even panic and reassessment of their societal outlooks. One of the more amusing sets of numbers was the percentages which believed that the Jewish Population of the planet was above 2%, above 5%, 10% and even 20%. The truth is the Jews number below 0.2% of the world’s population. Europe still had a higher rate of hatreds and belief in stereotypes and blood libels even compared to areas of the world with almost no Jewish population. The frightening numbers in Europe and beyond were the percentages of those who had never met a Jew to having highly anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist and anti-Israeli rating as well as believing some of the most horrific and terrible blood libels about Jews such as the Holocaust was made up by the Jews as well as believing that the Jews controlled media, retail, politics, the United States, and other businesses which even the most casual observer could see was false. Despite the seeming propensity of Europeans, and an even higher percentage of European politicians, dislike to hatred for the Jewish People and everything that is seen as Jewish such as Israel, Zionism, and presumably the Governments, Israeli leaders still seek European approval. If Jews were even marginally as influential and controlled so many nations, political parties and think tanks and other political entities; we would not be so despised. We really would rule the world and control everybody’s life from birth to death just as far too many Europeans believe.

 

With such spewing of hatred and poison from the European halls of power and hierarchy against Israel, Zionism and Jews in general, one would think that the Israeli government would be done with Europe and anywhere else that holds such negative tropes as truisms. Instead the Israeli leadership spends far too much energy and effort attempting to favor friendship with these European leaders who would just as soon demolish Israel and eradicate what they see as a scourge on the planet which is the Jews. The manner in which Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ya’alon have acted echoing almost word for word the New York Times (American newspaper that thinks it is European), the French, British and other parliaments, far too many Foreign Ministers and virtually every other anti-Semite sitting in a position of power in Europe; one would think they are running for election in Europe. They feign glory to the point that it becomes an obsession serving the European Parliaments and their respective ministers. Though some Israeli politicians have seen fit to denounce Salim Mulla, Jeremy Corbyn, Ken Livingstone, conspiracy theorist Michael Harris, Ilyas Aziz and a few others, the majority appear to believe that if the Europeans or Americans disapprove of an action that Israel should be forbidden doing such. Had such an attitude existed in 1947-8, there would likely be no Israel as either Israel would have declared itself a state or forever remained in limbo as the Europeans and United States State Department believe now as they did then. This seeming insistence that every move taken by the government of Israel must first have the approval of the United States and Europe and that if too many amongst these anti-Israel haters disapprove then obviously Israel should reassess their standards and the manner in which things are observed bringing them in-line with the Europeans and Americans. That is no way to effectively run a country, especially one as alienated as Israel.

 

The Israeli politicians apparently get into a society where emulating the Europeans and certain Americans (you know, the politically correct Americans and not those Tea Party, Sarah Palin supporting, Rush Limbaugh, Ted Cruz supporting, Michael Savage listening, Glen Beck following Neanderthal throw-back, retro-genetic, devolved morons) becomes required. Things in Israel must be conditioned and approved to be socially acceptable at the finest of European art houses and cafés no matter the effect or results and destructions such policies might have on Israeli society and the survival of the Jewish People. This dependence on European and leftist approval had become most evident in the treatment of the soldier Elor Azariya in the shooting death of a Palestinian terrorist who had just been neutralized from attempting to stab IDF soldiers at a checkpoint but had yet to be inspected for explosives or even other weapons. The soldier stated he believed that the terrorist was reaching for a detonator, a story upheld by virtually all others including MDA medics who were at the scene and some unable to even approach the terrorist as he was not completely rendered safe and explosives free among other security checks. The soldiers who had not done so were busy tending an injured soldier with multiple stabbing wounds. There had been a second terrorist who had received fatal wounds when soldier fired in self-defense. Before even the initial statements were gathered from those at the scene, the Prime Minister and Defense Minister were already declaring the soldier to be a horrible monster expressing rumors of things he might have said in the barracks where fish stories abound, just not about fishing. They and other Knesset Ministers along with the leftist media had tried and convicted the soldier before nightfall and were all but calling for his head on a pike outside the Damascus Gate of the Temple Mount. Their knee jerk reaction spouting exactly what would be the European reaction the next day was pathetic and showed a cowardice for backing a protector of the people, an IDF soldier. Is it any wonder why the Religious Zionists in the society feel they have no trusted friends except for a small core of fellow travelers amongst those in the halls of power. This is even more true when one considers the robes of justice would be too leftist even in some European nations and would be considered a travesty in many states of the United States. The fear to be nationalistic amongst Israeli elite is a disease which needs curing if Israel is to survive. The good news is that the majority and growing numbers of the people support the soldier and are realizing that Judaism and Zionism are the two anchors necessary if Israel is to survive. Now Israelis need to face the most impossible challenge they may ever face as a nation, finding those who believe as they believe and placing them in ever larger numbers into the Knesset and into taking position within the various government agencies, especially law enforcement and national security. The most difficult will be weeding out those holding high positions in the IDF and other enforcement agencies, most especially those dedicated to security and intelligence, as well as making greater inroads into the media and entertainment. We realize the last areas are not normally areas of expertise or even interest for those more dedicated to building the nation, its economy and religious institutions and following Torah; but if the foundations of culture are not swayed over to Torah and the land, then all else will be a struggle and forever an uphill battle. We cannot be like Sisyphus and push the bolder to the top of the hill every day only to have it roll back to the valley below every night. We must not even be like the great King Leonidas who led his three-hundred Spartans and five thousand supporting Greek soldiers who held the pass at Thermopylae for three days before falling to the Persian masses of troops.

 

This is a battle that the religious Zionists must win decisively and permanently which means that like we learn Torah and attempt to live Torah, we must also live for Israel and make her survival on all the land Hashem promised starting with the area between the river and the sea which we must make all under Israeli rule and yet continue the democratic governance. Perhaps the time is coming where a Constitution is crafted and a new bicameral parliament or legislature established while using such to preserve the Jewishness of the nation of Israel. We need to marry all the various tribal-like customs and blur the differentiations between Eastern European and Western European as well as MENA communities and the other various tribes we are discovering as they are beginning to make the trip home, the Ingathering. Making the rabbinate to have but a single Chief Rabbi would be a step in the right direction and our children have already taken giant stride towards unifying the differing factions through intermarriage, a beautiful and fitting step in the right direction. Finally, Israeli governance must be first, foremost and almost exclusively about Israel and the rest of the world be permitted their screaming as long as we acknowledge their defamations and are able to repeat them and still refuse to establish policies based on the demands placed upon Israel by a hostile outside world. We have Torah and need little else. Torah allows our choosing our governance as long as that governance serves the people and does nothing to lessen the influence and applications of Torah to our daily lives. The time is now to claim all of Judea and Samaria and begin to allow its peoples to become Israeli citizens or emigrate with our assistance if we feel such is required. We must take control of their education system and teach their students that which is necessary to live and be productive in a modern society. We need to bring services and establish economic inclusion as well as political, cultural and societal inclusion. By inclusion we will not mean Jewish but Israeli. Those who are Israeli must include having a respect for the Jewishness of the state of Israel. If any choose to violently refuse and combat against this Jewishness, they must be forced from amongst us. This includes those who instigate, plan bombings or disruptions, actively attempt to subjugate parts of the nation or any other treasonous acts. This is no different than any other nation which is a free democratic nation. Then our nations can become one and the world will recognize our singular right as the Jewish State. Servitude is no path to equality, respectful nationalism and the exercise of the right to make one’s own way as a nation that is the path to equality. What is beautiful about this path is that each nation can walk with pride in their differences while respecting others that right and then weaving the fabric which includes all the nations of the world. None can be a part of this fabric of nations if they bare swords against their neighbors as swords will tend to cut and then shred the fabric and thus undo all efforts of mutual beneficial actions. Those baring swords need be exorcised from the community of nations and disregarded in all acts between nations until they prove they prefer inclusion to supremacy. Israel needs to show a stronger self-confidence and belief in our rightness of actions and place out before us our beloved Torah in all actions and all that it includes, as it is a rarity amongst such laws as it allows for others to live as they choose providing they allow the Jews the same.

 

 

Five beautiful, glorious and holy Torah Scrolls which carry near infinite wisdom and are the foundation of all Judaism and their culture and the Jewish civilization is built around the Torah and the teaching of Torah

 

These rights are self-evident and must apply equally to all nations, end of story (and article).

 

Beyond the Cusp

 

Israeli Nepal Efforts Amazing, as Usual

 

The extents to which the Israeli efforts in Nepal have risen to in this initial week where rescue is so vital as soon it becomes simply recording the fatalities, are their usual of accomplishing the improbable in responding to a natural disaster. The hopes for finding survivors were greatly enhanced by the assistance sent by the world with the Israeli assistance efforts being amongst the most extensive. Despite restrictions on numbers and types of flights permitted to land at the damaged Kathmandu airport, the Israelis still managed to erect a completely operative field hospital complete with fifty tons of medical equipment including X-ray imaging, complete operating rooms, a maternity ward, laboratory, and virtually everything one might expect to find at a regular hospital. The field hospital is expected to provide treatment, beyond simple first aid, to two hundred patients every day. Once again the Israeli efforts on the ground and in the air are equaled solely by the United States. Israel while providing aid and comfort to the Nepalese also managed to locate and rescue over two-hundred Israelis known to be vacationing or working in Nepal and is in the process of getting these survivors back to Israel. With one individual left to locate, these efforts are laudatory and so extensive that it is reasonable to expect this sole remaining Israeli to be located and provided transportation to Kathmandu and from there back home. The leads thus far on the location of Or Assaraf have all come from locals who had seen him before the massive earthquake struck Nepal leaving massive destructions of buildings and further problems caused by landslides and massive boulders careening down the steep slopes of the Himalayan Mountains.

 

The outpouring of thanks and appreciation pictured in reports are reminiscent of the reactions Israeli search and rescue, medical aid and other vital emergency relief efforts Israel has provided quietly around the world wherever they were needed. These Israeli units are very professional as they are ready response units which train and are always at the ready to fulfill all necessary functions to meet any emergency. These specialized units are in constant training mode up to the instance that their professional services are required, and then they are aboard aircraft with all their necessary gear and trained units ready to respond. This includes K-9 units with dogs specifically trained to locate survivors within the rubble as well as medical units which include doctors, surgeons, nurses and technicians to run the laboratories, X-ray equipment and other such services as in a fully staffed hospital which is as good a description as any to describe an Israeli field hospital. The main difference is the walls are all green and made from a softer and more forgiving material than brick and plaster, in simple terms, tents. With the death toll at this moment approaching 7500, the good news is that two survivors were pulled from the rubble and told of their harrowing experience and how they drank what water seeped down through the collapsed structures which had enveloped them. Both teens, a young boy and even younger girl, had survived for five days buried beneath buildings which their not being crushed was but the first of the miracles which saved their lives. The fact that they survived for five days with extreme limits to their intake of water and appeared none the worse for wear was the next miracle and their seeming perfect health with no ill effects was the final miracle. These youths were perhaps saved so that we could marvel at the miracle before our eyes.

 

For now we can only hope and pray for more such miracles to have saved additional people yet to be plucked from the rubble safe and sound. The efforts continue in Kathmandu to clear the wreckage and debris. One of the problems and something which must be accepted as necessitated by the lack of alternative methods has been the start of burning the bodily remains of the victims as there does not exist the means by which to otherwise dispose of them before they pose a threat to the living. The future holds little promise for locating additional survivors except in the remote areas where an injured individual would be more easily able to find water and even sustenance to hold out until rescuers arrive and can transport them to safety and medical help. The future holds the most harrowing of inevitabilities, the recording of the death toll which having already cleared many thousands threatens to climb even higher as the wreckage and remains of the earthquake are cleared and more bodies located. Additionally, the reports and loss of life in the remote parts of Nepal have yet to arrive. Some of these areas will never reveal their numbers as they do not recognize the central government and thus feel no compulsion to report to anyone. It had even been commented that the IDF search units seeking the hundreds of original missing Israelis were going into areas where the Nepalese military refuse to enter due to the animosities of some local tribes. As originally penned by Alexander Pope, it is appropriate to now state, “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread,” as this has often described the rescue forces of the IDF and they have universally been accepted by the locals who are suspect of anything bearing witness to a higher power than their tribal hierarchy. Perhaps the reason is that the IDF forces come solely to provide assistance, true assistance free from any strings or expectations of anything beyond acceptance to perform their mission, assisting survivors and finding those in need of rescue from the destructive forces of nature. This in many ways is the prefect description of Israel as a whole, the desire and intent to provide assistance, true assistance free from any strings or expectations of anything beyond acceptance, and to provide a meaningful template by which mankind can live through their examples and by such to be a light unto the nations.

 

Beyond the Cusp

 

Nepal Earthquake Response Teams and Quiet Heroes

 

In the end there will be nothing to add as the Israeli teams have already arrived amongst the first teams to arrive and after most have left there will be Israelis seeking and finding the places most remote to give aid and comfort. The initial IDF coordinating team which also doubles as a relief center and as the coordination of even the most remote assets making every team is given whatever assistance they may require. An IDF spokesperson was quoted telling an Arutz Sheva reporter of their mission, “The purpose of the delegation is to examine the level of assistance needed in the area, an analysis of the surface area and scale of the disaster, and adjusting the State of Israel’s response via the IDF as needed. The disaster is complex and difficult in the present case, where there is extensive damage to life and property, and sending a team of this type is in accordance to protocol. The IDF will help on behalf of the State of Israel in any disaster around the world where it’s needed.”

 

United Hatzalah and Magen David Adom (MDA) have sent their initial delegations to Nepal late in the day Sunday. Quoting the leader of United Hatzalah commenting on the initial scope of the relief initially being provided by them and MDA, Eli Beer stated that the organizations “will set up a field clinic to grant medical assistance” at the scene and that they are additionally “ready to treat many victims for fractures, dehydration, and infection.”

 

All teams from around the world will be arriving to see devastation beyond imagination as the initial earthquake measured 7.6 with a one massive aftershock amongst the several others measured as a 6.9 making it a secondary earthquake to strike the region. The death toll has tragically vaulted past thirty-two-hundred people with more than 4,500 injured. Officials have already stated that this was the worst earthquake Nepal has suffered in eighty-one years. The way Israel will play their role in the dispensing aid and comfort to the citizens and any travelers who may need assistance is indicative of the truth one would find in Israel and Israelis as a rule. Amongst those visiting there are two-hundred Israelis that remain to be located, let’s hope they are safe and not found trapped or worse. Let’s pray the toll which remains to be assessed is mostly structural and property and that the toll in lives will be minimal as there have been enough who have paid the ultimate price. There remain numerous remote locations which have not been assessed but that is an area at which the Israeli teams have proven their worth repeatedly. Just as in the Philippines where they found one village and gave assistance much of which had little to do with the disaster but were more along the lines of initial aid as this remote village had never received any outside help previously, not from any disaster or aid from the government in schools or medical facilities. This was rectified before the Israelis finished their time with these people. Finding more remote places which need general assistance and not so much from damage caused by the earthquake prove to be the case this time as there has been sufficient suffering from nature’s fury.

 

The people of Nepal are about to be given a view of Israel and most Israelis which is quite far removed from the one represented by the media across the globe and even often in Israeli media such as Haaretz. It is sad that it is only during such emergencies that people get to see Israel in action caring and giving comfort to those in need and meeting them with a hand outstretched in friendship and warmth. There will be no coverage granted Israel and nothing that Israel will gain on all the places where such goodwill returned is so badly needed. There have been a few exceptions, one was a short story about the level and speed with which the Israeli aid center and hospital was already treating patients in Haiti even before some nation’s initial search teams had arrived. Another was also from Haiti and referred to a more personal story where George Exantus, a dancer, was given a specially designed prosthetic leg which permitted his dancing career to continue. We recently referred to this story but it deserves another reference to our initial coverage in the article titled, Why Doesn’t Israel Refute the Propaganda Against Her? The final coverage Israel received was by a reporter who was seeking any remote location where aid had not been provided and she had been directed to a village which had never received any aid, be it from disaster relief or simple government aid and when she arrived at the village there were the Israelis busily providing aid. Her story remained about the village the world had forgotten except she had a new twist to end her article as aid had beaten her to the village and was being provided by an Israeli team. Needless to point out, the reporters who came across these stories were surprised to see the Israelis giving so much of themselves and making these sacrifices cheerfully and glad they could help wherever they went. The real shame is that it takes a disaster to allow the world an opportunity to see the generous and giving side to Israel.

 

There is another program run by the Israelis which treats a more personal and family tragedy just as serious and life-threatening as an earthquake, tsunami, or other crisis which was also covered in the article noted above. We stated in that article the following; “The program is called SACH which stands for “Save a Child’s Heart” and has two main visions for service. The first is to treat any child needful of heart surgery in Israel even arranging transport through a third country for the Arab children from nations who have such relations with Israel that the child and parents would be put to death should Israel be stamped as a destination on their Visa or Passport. The Israelis have treated numerous Palestinian children with this program as well and invest most of their efforts and charity in places where the children with heart defects or disease would have little if any possibility for survival. They bring the child, parents and even entire families in appropriate situation and provide free care and follow-up treatments giving the child a chance for a normal life. This program also assists in setting up children’s cardiac care centers in hospitals in countries where no such care exists and train physicians in the procedures used in treating cardiac problems and disease in children. All of this is done as charity under the Jewish concept of being a light unto the nations and setting an example of how man can act when doing his best free from hate or judgmentalism.” I guess it could be said that Israel has the daunting task of winning the hearts and minds of the world one individual in need at a time.

 

It remains a sad state of affairs that preconceived perceptions will even cloud some people’s minds that even when presented with such evidence their primary state of hate for Israel proves the stronger emotion as we have seen in too many instances. One that is etched into my memory was of an Arab woman from Gaza. Her husband had thrown acid on her face which caused acid burns. She was treated in an Israeli hospital and had been given a number of surgeries and was returning to the hospital for her supposed final visit. Her demeanor was well known to the crossing guards and something in her attitude this final visit sent alarms ringing in the guards’ minds, so they took her aside to check her for explosives. She was placed in a bombproof room and during the inspection she detonated the explosives which were estimated to have been a few pounds of explosives, sufficient to have destroyed the hospital clinic and killed every body inside. That was to be her repayment for the aid she had been provided and the sensitivity and what the clinic believed friendship they had forged over months of treatments. When the nurses and doctors were informed of what transpired at the crossing they were noticeably shaken and incredulous, some breaking into tears at the loss, the complete loss on so many levels. Lost friendship, lost trust, lost compassion, lost life of a person they had come to feel closeness with, but mostly lost innocence as this person they had let into their closest trust and had developed an emotional attachment and appeared to have had mutual exchanges of so much during the months of treatments and to find out she had intended to murder all of them just was too much shock and proved discomforting, but it is difficult to understand how such things can happen is beyond belief and incredulous, but also all too true and a portent of the danger faced in this often crazed world in which we all have to live and find our way through the emotional maze we often find ourselves lost within.

 

Beyond the Cusp