Category Archives: Israel

Three Years

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A kid's bedroom with blood spatter after the slaughter of October 7.
Three years since this

I thought about what to write to mark the three-year anniversary of October 7. In the end, I offer you a repost of an article I put up on Facebook on 11 October 2023.

We are the people of the Jewish State. We have been demonized. We have been delegitimized. We have been defamed. We have been denounced. We have been subjected to double standards.⁣

⁣But all of that is so much sticks and stones in the face of Saturday’s brutal terror attack. Now we have been slaughtered, brutalized, raped, and taken hostage.⁣

⁣To add insult to deep injury there are people out there who celebrate the atrocities committed against us. Or, if they don’t celebrate the atrocities, they offer excuses and justification. Or, if they neither celebrate nor justify the atrocities, they are silent.⁣

⁣It should not be difficult to know which side of the fence to stand on: on the side of evil with those committing the atrocities or on the side of good with those against whom the atrocities were perpetrated. If you’re not standing on the side of good, you’re part of the problem.⁣

⁣It should not be difficult to know that there is no justification or excuse for these atrocities. Every murderer in so-called civil society seeks to excuse his actions and those excuses are rightfully rejected. That is what you should be doing. If you’re not, you’re part of the problem. ⁣

⁣It should not be difficult to know that silence and inaction can be deadly. As the famous quote (edited) say: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men and women to do nothing.” So, if you’re doing nothing, you’re part of the problem. ⁣

⁣And the problem? See the first paragraph. The Guardian is part of the problem. Almost every story about Israel and Jews is designed to show the Jewish State in a bad light. Many events that would highlight the bloodthirsty immorality of our terrorist neighbors are ignored or excused. Like the BBC – also part of the problem – it offers a platform for antisemites and Israel haters to freely express their venom. The New York Times is part of the problem. When’s the last time you saw these outlets cover Arab antisemitism? When’s the last time you saw these outlets feature articles that explained where Hamas got all its rockets from? When’s the last time you saw these outlets acknowledge that the IDF takes more care than any other army on the planet to avoid unnecessary civilian casualties? This unholy trinity are only the most obvious examples that spring to mind, and they are all similar. Piece by piece, bit by bit, byte by byte, they cast Israel as the source of all evil and the only one to blame.⁣

⁣Which brings me to another part of the problem: the UN. In a world where only Israel features as a permanent item on the Human Right’s Council agenda, perhaps it’s understandable that people think everything bad that happens in the world is Israel’s fault. The truth? Well, if you have half a brain you will appreciate that the Chinese might have something to answer for if only there was anyone brave enough to stand up to them. Certainly if you’re Ukrainian you will (rightfully) believe that Putin’s Russia has got off lightly. What about Turkey’s invasion and illegal occupation of Northern Cyprus? Why did Assad get free rein to murder his own people and thousands of Palestinians? Life’s a bundle of laughs for the people living under the rule of the oppressive regimes in Burma, Cuba, Iran, and many more. (Where are the BDS movements about these countries?) Despite all of this, the UN disproportionately targets Israel. The central problem with the UN is it gives a vote to every country, even those who do not give the vote to their citizens. And dictatorships support one another.⁣

⁣Now for the so-called Human Rights organizations. What are they doing? Once, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch (HRW), and the like did a good job. But at a certain moment, many of them cottoned on to the fact that there is so much hatred for the Jewish State (or maybe just Jews?) that so long as they focused on Israel, the money would roll in. That, for example, at least in part explains the obscene Amnesty allegation of apartheid against Israel. What you may not realize is that, not for the first time, Amnesty had to create new law (applicable only to Israel) and a brand new definition of apartheid to make it fit. What kind of hateful people do these things? As for HRW, their Israel coverage became laughable. They were leading lights in the world of double standards, going through contortions to avoid naming the real culprits. For example, when “collaborators” were being executed in Gaza, HRW couldn’t name Hamas as being the perpetrators! As one commentator noted, “You limit your criticism of the Hamas terror group as much as you can, only condemning what cannot possibly be denied and interpreting international humanitarian law in the most conservative way possible for them. You do the exact opposite for Israel. That’s how we know you are biased.” Even the original founder of HRW called them out for their bias. For Amnesty and HRW, money talks and Jews suffer.⁣

⁣For the avoidance of doubt, I neither pretend nor believe that Israel is perfect. (I wish it were otherwise.) People are entitled to criticize us, but using double standards or invented international law or deliberate misrepresentations of legal principles like proportionality highlight how much of that criticism is simply disguised hate.⁣

⁣I ask you to bear all of this in mind when, sadly but inevitably, civilian casualties in Gaza pile up and there are pleas for a cease-fire or humanitarian aid. Unfortunately, war is not a video game and there will be innocent casualties. Israel’s record in minimizing civilian casualties, compared to every other army, is second to none. This, despite facing an inhuman and evil foe that relishes the deaths of its own people whether as human shields or otherwise. Nobody in Israel wants innocent civilians to die. But our military forces must be free to hunt down every member of Hamas. You don’t get to commit an atrocity and then hide behind the skirts of western apologists and peacemakers. Every pause benefits Hamas. Every penny in aid benefits Hamas. Save your charity and save your pleas because, unless I am sadly mistaken, this will not be over until Hamas are removed. ⁣

⁣If you want to campaign to improve the lives of Palestinians, may I humbly suggest that you join groups that fight for women’s rights, gay rights, freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom of worship, and democracy for Palestinians. I’ll back you all the way.⁣

⁣For my penultimate point, I want to address the bystanders who have done nothing. If you have reached out to people in Israel, that’s something and it’s appreciated. If you haven’t reached out yet, it’s not too late to do so. Another thing you can do is call out or report antisemitism and Jew hatred when you see it. Also, take everything about Israel that you read in the world media with a huge pinch of salt. For an alternative – one that is genuinely free thinking and not afraid to call a spade a spade – see The Times of Israel. And if you want to challenge yourself, bookmark the Elder of Ziyon blog site and visit every day. This site is a phenomenon. I don’t agree with everything he posts, but it’s a far better and more informative and insightful read than anything you will see on the Guardian, BBC, or New York Times. Haaretz? Keep well away. It’s the Guardian in disguise, but worse. In short, be truly informed so you know what’s really happening. If you want to be more active in your support, consider donating to Magen David Adom, United Hatzalah, IDF Soldiers’ Fund, or Zaka.⁣

⁣Finally, be assured that we will endure, we will survive, and then we will thrive. And in the face of all those engaging in the acts outlined in paragraph one, that will be our greatest victory

I wouldn’t change a word.

Strange Day

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The Bibas family - mother and two children. Kidnapped then murdered by Hamas.

Most of the world will remember October 7 as the date on which Gazans perpetrated the highest one-day loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust. For Jews, that October 7, 2023 coincided with Simchat Torah (also known as Shemini Atzeret) the last of the festivals that occur in a three-week chunk of time often referred to as the High Holy Days. Today was Simchat Torah, so three years according to the Jewish calendar since that terrible day.

The celebrations in the synagogue I attend were as joyous as ever, even though our Rabbi marked the start by mentioning the soldiers, members of our community, who died on that day or in the war. I cannot begin to feel the pain in the families who suffered those losses. I can, however, feel a slight unease at the perpetual link between one of our happy — some might say over the top happy — holy days and the October 7 tragedy. That link may last forever. We will never forget the tragedy nor the victims. They will be in our hearts forever. I just wonder if that link is a sign, a not-so-subtle message about something else that we have yet to fully absorb. I suppose that every Simchat Torah we will get the opportunity to try again and unravel the mystery.

As you may have guessed, Simchat Torah seems to have put me into a maudlin mood.

Rockets, Man

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According to one source, it’s now been over a year since our peace-loving neighbors in Gaza launched a missile at us. If true, that would be the longest period of quiet this century.

Israel paid a terrible price on October 7 and during the consequential war. Reducing the threat from Gaza is one notable achievement, not to be sniffed at. Was it worth the price? It’s probably too early to say.

Threat Environment

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As reported by the Times of Israel, the following comes from the country that brought the world “Death to Israel!”

Iran treats all threats as credible, even if meant as scare tactic, defense minister says

Iran’s threats — to Israel and the USA — are not looking so smart now. Perhaps that is what’s to be expected if you take a combination of student politics and antisemitism to the world stage.

The foul Iranian regime cannot fall soon enough.

About that Promise I Made…

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Zohran Mamdani
“…and I’ll pave the streets with gold.”

Zohran Mamdani’s campaign for him to become mayor of New York City included a promise that he would arrest Bibi Netanyahu if he entered New York.

There are several interesting points to be made.

  • The mayor has no power to arrest Bibi.
  • During the campaign, few called him out about this piece of fiction.
  • Also during the campaign, his supporters actively promoted this promise as a major reason for the undecided to vote for Mamdani.
  • Why is the mayor of New York City focusing on issues beyond his purview, when he has a whole city’s problems to deal with?
  • Why focus on Israel? Why not focus on, for example, the plight of Afghan women? (No jews, no news?)
  • It’s stretching credibility to believe that Mamdani didn’t know the promise could never be fulfilled. What does that say about his integrity? (If he, against all the odds, hadn’t checked this out, what does that say about his competence?)

Now in the closing part of a dreadful anti-Israel rant, he admits that the promise was legally impossible. He refuses to say when he knew this.

Do people really think this kind of behavior is acceptable? Is this what politics has become?

Coming Home Anniversary

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This week marks my umpteenth aliyahversary — my arrival in Israel as a new immigrant and my return to the homeland of the Jews. Although I reap the benefits every day I am here, it’s good to take time out to consciously mark the occasion and say thanks.

I love living life to a Jewish beat, to a Jewish rhythm.

Instead of going from New Year to Easter to Christmas, I go from Rosh Hashanah, via Yom Kippur, to Sukkot, Chanukah, Purim, and Pesach — with a few fast days thrown in.

I love seeing the various Jewish festivals being marked in the shops, on buses, on the streets, and in the media.

I love that I live my life as a Jew, free from worries about the temperamental hostility of my fellow citizens. I can wear a kippah, should I choose to do so, and it’s not like putting a target on my back unlike in the rest of the world. (Isn’t that shocking and sad?)

Instead of going from Monday to Sunday, I go from Sunday to Shabbat.

I love the growing calm, peace, and quiet that Friday afternoon brings as people get ready for Shabbat, however they may mark it.

And Friday night dinner is a major family occasion here, regardless of religious belief or observance. It’s wonderful and life affirming to experience and see it. Sometimes, on my way to shul on a Friday night, I see visitors coming to our apartment block, typically loaded with one or more trays of food, joining family or friends or both to enjoy a Shabbat evening meal.

I love the regular surprises that the Israeli people bring to the world. For the avoidance of doubt, I’m not arguing any superiority, just celebrating our successes. And, yes, we have our failures to mourn, mainly our political leaders. Our current Prime Minister and government are an embarrassment. Hopefully the next election will sort that out. If not, next year’s aliyahversary post may be more somber!

So, another glorious year of living in Israel has gone by. Here’s to the next one, and many more.

(Let’s not forget this benefit.)

Judgement Time

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Who said this:

I believe that a strong, independent court allows for the existence of all other institutions in a democracy…  Show me one dictatorship, one undemocratic society, where a strong independent court system exists. There’s no such thing. In places with no strong and independent court system, rights cannot be protected. In fact, the difference between countries in which rights are only on paper and those in which there are actual rights — that difference is a strong, independent court. That is the reason that I am doing, and will continue to do, everything I can to protect the court system [so that it remains] strong and independent…

Over the past few months alone, I have scrapped every law that threatened to harm the independence of the system — from the attempt to hold hearings for judges in the Knesset, through limiting petitions to the court, to changing the composition of the committee for selecting judges. I will continue to operate this way. Every time a bill comes across my desk that could harm the independence of Israeli courts, we’ll take it off the table

Was it:

a) Bibi Netanyahu

b) Yehud Olmert

c) Arik Sharon

And the answer is… Bibi Netanyahu.

The hypocrisy is off the scale. The brazen self-interest he promotes is shocking. And yet, there’s every chance he will win the next election. When people say democracy is a poor system — though better than all the rest — this is an outstanding example.

I do, however, wish to make one clarification. Much of the hateful invective towards Israel is allegedly driven only — ha! — by antipathy and worse towards Bibi. If we had a different prime minister, things would be different. That’s what people say. But I don’t believe it. Israel is facing a relentless campaign against the country and all it institutions. Regardless of who is prime minister, they won’t stop Fortunately, we won’t either.

Am Yisrael Chai. Despite Bibi.

Back to School

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I’ve gone back to school. I’m taking a summer course at Reichman University, Herzliya.

The course runs 08:30-13:00 Sunday to Thursday until the end of July, ensuring a bit more hectic life as I try and pack the usual errands and leisure activities into the reduced free time.

It’s strange being back on a university campus after such a long time. In a way it reminds me of working here — surrounded by people most of whom are decades younger than me.

Reichman is a modern campus with just a few hints of its history. It’s interesting to compare it to my first university campus, the University of Strathclyde. It was a city center collection of disparate buildings of varying ages from old to modern. Reichman is almost completely modern though a sprinkling of the older stuff — like what now forms the student union building — remains. The campus is compact, with plenty of open space. Its country setting gives it an added air of detachment.

Modern and old buildings at Reichman University.

The university is on land that was a Royal Air Force base during the British Mandate. In the War of Independence, it housed the Israeli Air Force’s very first squadron, becoming the main base of the IDF’s anti-aircraft force. Herzliya airport, which I presume was part of the original setup, is across the road. You are reminded of this by the regular buzzing as small one and two-engined planes land and take off in close proximity.

The IDF gave up the land in 1994, title passing (I believe) to the local authority. At this time, law professor Uriel Reichman stepped in. He wanted to establish a new kind of Israeli higher education institute modeled after elite, private Ivy League schools in the United States. Thus was born the private, non-profit college called the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, or IDC Herzliya.

The first year there were about 240 students learning in classrooms made from repurposed military barracks. Since then, it’s grown into a full, private university and one of the major centers in the country for international students. For example, my classmates include students from Argentina, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Panama, Russia, Switzerland, South Korea, Ukraine, and the USA

In 2021, the name changed from IDC to Reichmann University to honor its founder.

This place is one of the many jewels in the Israeli state. As much as I’m enjoying my time, I remind myself that I’m lucky to be able to be here and do this.

Duality of Antisemitism

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Much of the hateful discourse in the media (mainstream and social) during the hot war with Iran has been about the relationship between Trump/USA and Netanyahu/Israel.

The general thrust of the poison was (and is) to the effect that Trump does what Netanyahu wants, that the war was Israel’s, and that the USA had no option but do what its Zionist overlords ordered. In other words, The Jews controlled America.

This, of course, is hateful nonsense.

As Sartre said:

Never believe that anti-Semites are completely unaware of the absurdity of their replies.  They know that their remarks are frivolous, open to challenge.  But they are amusing themselves, for it is their adversary who is obliged to use words responsibly, since he believes in words…

The anti-Semites…like to play with discourse for, by giving ridiculous reasons, they discredit the seriousness of their interlocutors.  They delight in acting in bad faith, since they seek not to persuade by sound argument but to intimidate and disconcert.  If you press them too closely, they will abruptly fall silent, loftily indicating by some phrase that the time for argument is past.

Source: Anti-Semite and Jew by Jean-Paul Sartre, 1944

With that in mind, let’s turn to an article in today’s Times of Israel:

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warns that the US-Iran memorandum of understanding obligates US President Donald Trump to “muzzle” Israel and prevent it from militarily threatening Iran, in response to remarks by Defense Minister Israel Katz.

“The terms of the Islamabad MoU are crystal clear and public for all to see. POTUS has committed the US to muzzling its pets in Tel Aviv. If they ignore their master, Iran will school them. Any threat against our People and Leadership will receive Immediate Powerful Response,” Araghchi warns in a post on X.

Yes, you read that correctly. Apparently, the story has changed: now it’s America that controls Israel.

Truly, to be an antisemite is to be especially blessed: you have the capacity, if not the requirement, to hold two conflicting racist tropes in your mind at the same time. Such is the duality of antisemitism.