Ban Ki-Moon, Israel and moral equivalence

In a recent message to Israel to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon spoke of both sides of the Arab-Israel conflict (Ben Ariel, “UN chief: 'Expanding settlements' shattering hopes for peace”, Arutz Sheva, November 4, 2015). He made it appear that both sides shared an equal desire for peace. His remarks suggested that both sides equally opposed violence. He lied.

Here’s how Moon did it: he said that, “Today, the voices of the majority who support peace and oppose violence are being drowned out by inflammatory rhetoric and shocking actions by extremists on all sides [emphasis mine].”

This statement is false. There is no shared majority that wants peace. There is no shared majority that opposes violence. The truth is, an increasing number of ‘Palestinians’ actually prefer war to peace (Lizzie Dearden, “Palestinians increasingly support war with Israel as confidence in peace process fails – survey”, the independent, September 23, 2015).

Moon wants us to believe there’s some kind of moral equivalence between the two sides of this conflict. But there is no moral equivalence here.

It’s not Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu who glorifies the killing of Arabs. It’s Mahmoud Abbas who glorifies the killing of Jews.

It’s not Netanyahu who calls for a ‘day of [violent] rage’ against Arabs. It’s Abbas who calls for a ‘day of rage’ against Jews.

It’s not Netanyahu who dehumanizes Arabs by referring to the ‘filthy feet of Arabs’. It’s Abbas who talks about the ‘filthy feet of Jews’ (Brad Wilmouth, “NBC's Fletcher Grudgingly Admits Palestinian President 'Inciting' Violence Against Israel”, mrcNewsBusters, October 19, 2015).

It’s not Israel’s ruling Party Likud officials who raise the spectre of a religious war against Islam. It’s ‘Palestinian’ ruling Party Fatah officials who don’t just speak of ‘religious’ war against Jews—they incite for it.

It’s not Likud officials who call for ‘holy war’ against Jews. It’s Fatah officials who make those calls.

There is no moral equivalence between these combatants. What makes Moon’s ‘equivalence’ all the more appalling is how easy it is to see how different the two sides really are. After an attack against Jews, you’ll see in Israel a call for calm. You’ll see condemnations of murder. You’ll hear no officials call to attack Arabs.

But on the ‘Palestinian’ side, here’s what happens after an attack against Jews:

-You’ll see an unrelenting stream of declarations that glorify murderers (“More Palestinian blood worship and Martyr glorification”, Palestinian Media Watch, November 6, 2015).

-You’ll see murderers honoured as martyrs and heroes (“Palestinian Bar Association awards honorary law degree to terrorist killer of 2, calling him heroic Martyr”, Palestinian media Watch, October 10, 2015).

-You’ll hear about Islamic religious leaders who call for their followers to attack Jews (“Rafah Cleric Brandishes Knife in Friday Sermon, Calls upon Palestinians to Stab Jews”, MEMRI, October 9, 2015; “Jerusalem Police Arrest Palestinian Preacher for Incitement to Kill Jews”, unitedwithIsrael, November 5, 2015).

This isn’t peace or opposition to violence. It’s the call to kill Jews--and the glorification of those who attack Jews.

This is savagery (Steven Emerson, “Palestinian Leaders Encourage Violence Against Israelis as Terror Wave Continues”, algemeiner, November 9, 2015). There is absolutely nothing like it in the Israeli press. You’ll hear nothing like it from Israel’s officials or political leaders. You won’t see Rabbis preaching sermons about stabbing Arabs.

Moon completely ignores the barbaric, psychotic nature of the ‘Palestinian’ responses to terror attacks against Jews. He completely ignores Israel’s calls for order. He ignores the moral differences between the two sides to suggest an equivalence.

Mr Moon, you are wrong. The two sides in this conflict are not morally equivalent.