(Last updated: November 16, 2018)
(Warning: if you are a multicultural progressive, this essay could offend you. It doesn't promote 'equality'. It doesn't promote 'justice for Palestinians'. It promotes the idea that the Jewish nation of Israel actually needs to be 'Jewish'.)
In 1993, Israel changed. 1993 was the year Israel signed the Oslo Accords. Israeli leaders didn't realize back then what 'Oslo' would do to Israel. But we can now see what Oslo did: it committed Israel to embrace peace by always 'turning the other cheek' in conflict.
That's a wonderful concept. But it isn't a Jewish concept. It's Christian.
It's not a good fit for Israel. G-d never told Jews to 'turn the other cheek'. When He brought the Jews to Israel, He told them to fight, not stand down.
Oslo was supposed to bring peace. But it was the wrong recipe. Telling Jews to 'turn the other cheek' against an enemy eager to kill or die trying to kill isn't a recipe for peace. It's a recipe for a bloodbath with lots of Jewish victims.
Before 1993, Israel almost never turned the other cheek. Look at what happened in 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973. In each of those years, when Israel was either threatened or attacked, it didn't turn a single cheek. It hit back--hard. It crushed its enemies. Its successes spelled survival. The only exception to this pre-Oslo commitment to fight may have been the Lebanon War of 1982 (a war which may have helped make the supposed 'surrender for peace' at Oslo possible).
Since Oslo, Israel has stopped hitting hard enough to crush the enemy. In each war Israel has fought with Hamas--in 1998/9, 2012 and 2014--Israel hit back only so much and then, too quickly, 'turned the other cheek'. Today, as the number of rockets Hamas has fired into Israel at Jews approaches 20,000 since 2005, Israel continues to hit back only so much before it turns the other cheek.
With each Hamas rocket, with each Hamas 'war', Israel has always, in the end, backed off. Israel yields. It stops.
There's a significant problem with this behavior. Yes, it certainly demonstrates that Israel upholds (or, tries to uphold) an important Christian value. But it ignores the fact that those who attack Israel have no interest in any Christian values. Every time Israel behave like a good Christian and stops fighting, Hamas celebrates victory.
That does nothing for peace. It leaves Hamas eager to fight again.
Actually, few seem to notice that those who attack Israel to kill Jews aren't even Christian. They hate Christians almost as much as they hate Jews. They know nothing about 'turning the other cheek'.
Even Jewish tradition doesn't talk about turning a cheek. Jewish tradition says, he who comes to kill you, you kill him first.
It's a simple concept. Israeli Jews know it. It's the opposite of the Christian concept. It's a thoroughly Jewish concept that once helped Israel become strong.
At Oslo, Israel's Jewish leaders ignored it. They chose instead to imitate Christians.
Since then, Israel has reaped the consequences of Jews imitating Christians. Israel hasn't won. Hamas has never lost.
Just ask Hamas.
Now, the Jews of Israel begin to question the value of imitating Christians. A recent poll suggests that more than 70% of Israelis feel that Netanyahu has mishandled the current crisis with Gaza--a crisis that began more than seven months ago and remains unresolved (here). Simply put, Netanyahu fails to respond strongly enough.
These days, Jews in Israel want their Jewish leaders to return to their Jewish roots. They want Israel to destroy those who want to kill us.
Each time Israel faces off against Hamas, and then yields, Jews in Israel call for a more 'Jewish' response--to strike back hard enough to stop Hamas once-and-for-all. Today, we may have reached a point when the more Israel's leaders turn the other cheek, the greater becomes the call to stop turning the other cheek.
For example, a few of days ago, Hamas bombarded Israel with close to 500 rockets over perhaps a single 30-hour period. All these rockets were aimed at Israel's south, all aimed at killing Jews. The bombardment paralyzed Israel's south.
Yes, Israel responded with air strikes. But pin-point air strikes that destroy empty buildings in Gaza don't frighten Hamas. Sending out notices to Gaza that warn of an imminent attack on this or that building don't leave Hamas terrified of Israel's air power (here). Instead, such a strategy leaves Hamas feeling bulletproof.
After 150 air strikes strikes in less than 24 hours, Israel turned the other cheek. It agreed to a ceasefire with Hamas. Israel didn't require Hamas to stop attacking Israel.
That's not what an increasing number of Jews in Israel want to see. They want Hamas smashed. All they got was yet another 'ceasefire' in a long string of ceasefires that never last.
After the ceasefire was announced, the Jews in Israel's south remained living in fear.
On Wednesday, November 14, 2018, perhaps in response to Israel's lack of toughness in the face of a relentless, murderous Hamas, Israel Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman resigned. He suggests he's fed up.
He's angry at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Apparently, Netanyahu has turned the other cheek against Hamas one time too many (here).
Whatever Liberman's motivations, his resignation is a symbol. It captures a feeling of frustration at a Jewish Prime Minister who seems always to turn the other cheek.
Israelis really do understand that he who comes to kill you, you kill him first. Netanyahu hasn't been doing that. He isn't behaving in a 'Jewish' way. He appear to follow the Christian 'turn the other cheek'.
As a result, Netanyahu feels the pressure to become 'more Jewish'. For the first time in a very long time, his leadership might be in trouble (here).
Beware, Hamas. One day soon, you will push Israel too far. You may have already pushed too far. You may have just convinced Netanyahu that, if the Jewish nation in Israel is to support him, he's got to become more 'Jewish'.
Interesting thoughts, I really enjoyed your blog.
ReplyDelete