Category: Holocaust Related Issues

We Need an Islamic Reformation–NOW!

Posted on by Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

Credit: Catholic Charities/Jeffrey Bruno (CC BY 2.0).

Reformations are good for the soul. They keep the religious leaders and faiths in check. In the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, people began to read the Bible critically for the first time without having the local priest spoon-feed it to  them while they sat on their Church pews. Of course, the spread of literacy made a huge difference—thanks to the Gutenberg’s printing press. It impacts these technological innovations can probably be compared to the impact that computers and digitalization of literature are having on our society today. The Reformation underwent numerous schisms. Lutherans, Calvinists sprouted up everywhere, and the Baptists were not far behind. Pietist movements, Reformers created enormous conflict—even wars between the Catholics and the Protestants, as recorded in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, written by John Foxe in 1563; he narrated the tortures Catholics and Protestants did to one another in lurid detail.

Yet, Europe managed to survive its birth pangs of a new and more tolerant Christianity. The Catholic Church no longer dominated people’s lives. People wanted not just the freedom of religion, but also yearned for the freedom from religion.
While Orthodox Jews lament the birth of the Reform Movement in Judaism, the Jewish Reformation led to many significant changes that even the Orthodox movement benefits from having. For example, the Bat Mitzvah is one example of a change (introduced by R. Mordechai Kaplan of the Reconstructionist Movement) that is widely observed even in some of the most Orthodox Jewish communities—all over the nation. Often, young women will read to a mixed audience from the Megillah on Purim, or from Megillat Ruth on Shavuoth. These are dynamic changes we have witnessed in our time. The emergence of woman scholars in Halacha threatens to expand the discussions concerning traditional Jewish texts such as the Talmud. A woman’s voice is not only heard at the traditional Orthodox Shabbat tables or at the young women’s yeshivot, women are adding their voice to the formation of modern Halacha.

So what about Islam? Is Islam ready for a Reformation within its own ranks? As outsiders, do we have the right to encourage and even demand that Muslims consider this option and take the steps to implement it?

President Sisi of Egypt is a remarkable man in the Arab world.  He says it best last December when he urged reform of Islamic discourse and called on Islamic scholars to send Christmas greetings to Christians. In the televised speech to Islamic scholars, President Sisi stated, “We talk a lot about the importance of religious discourse… In our schools, institutes and universities, do we teach and practice respect for the others?” He continued, “We neither teach or practice it.”
Egyptian Streets quoted President Sisi during the speech, stating, “God did not create the world for the ‘ummah’ [Arabic for ‘nation’ or ‘community’] to be alone. [He didn’t create it] for one community, but for communities. [He didn’t create it] for one religion, but for religions.” President Sisi continued, “Can I impose upon someone pressure, physically or morally, to change their religion? Would God accept this?… What are we afraid of? Are we custodians of people’s minds or choices? No, we are not. In religion specifically, no. Each of us will be judged independently… and [people] will have to answer [for their choices and what they choose to believe].” [2]
To admit that Islam needs a Reformation might sound like heresy, but without it, not only will Islam as a religion completely implode, it may implode the rest of the civilized world along with it.
While there have been relatively peaceful relations between Islam and the West, there have been atavistic forces within Islam that wish to relive the good old days of the 7th century.
In Europe, we are witnessing retrogressive religion at its worse attempting to bring back the burqa, rape squads, sexual slavery advertised on the Internet and Twitter of thirteen year-old girls. The violence of atavistic Muslim young men who enslave and gang rape young girls continues to be ignored by the press. If you turn on your television, chances are you will not see progressive women march down the streets of Berlin or Paris, Stockholm or London protesting in mass against the seventh-century male mentality that defines considerable part of today’s Muslim world, who wish to make Sharia the law of the West.
Many Muslim countries are very concerned about the radical Islamicists that promote Sharia and ISIS, and a host of other arcane early 7th century Muslim practices—such as child weddings, female circumcision, stoning married women who cannot produce four witnesses that she was raped.
The apathy  or moral indifference of these crimes against humanity stem from their craven fear of being labeled “Islamophobic.”
There is nothing “racist” in criticizing the origins of religious intolerance in Islam, for Islam—like Judaism and Christianity—are predicated upon a belief system and is not based upon color.

The bully pulpit of the Presidency is remarkably silent whenever it comes to criticizing Islamic abuse of women and religious minorities faced with genocide. Yet, the progressive voices who could make a difference are deliberately silenced.

Sister Diana Morneka is probably a name you have never heard of before. She is a Catholic nun from Iraq who wanted to come to the United States to speak about the persecution of women and religious minorities of her country. One would think that the United States of all countries would allow this courageous champion of human rights to come and speak to our Congress, yet, inexplicably, our State Department will not give her a visa.
“Sister Diana represents tens of thousands of Iraqi Christians, forced to convert or die or flee their homes. She’ll tell us the truth about what’s happening,” U.S. Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) told the Catholic News Agency (CNA) May 7.  “Like thousands of other Christians in the region, Sister Diana is a victim of ISIS,” Collins said in a May 5 letter to Secretary of State John Kerry. “She has devoted her life to helping other victims and advocating for them.”
Ayaan Hirsi Ali has won numerous human rights awards for speaking up for women’s rights in Muslim countries. In 2004, she collaborated with the artist  Theo van Gogh (before some radical Muslims killed him) who produced a film called, Islam, which documents the oppression of women living under Islam. She is one of many moderates calling for a Reformation in Islam. Ali has also won numerous awards in various European countries. Yet, she has yet to be invited by the Congress or by the President.
If we want Islam to embrace a 21st religious sensibility, then it behooves us to add our voices demanding that such a change take place. Denying the voices of progressives who have lived or grown up in Muslim countries only serves to keep Islam locked up in the shackles of the 7th century.
Isn’t it about time that our President start inviting progressive voices like Zahudi Yasser, President Sisi, Ayann Hirsi Ali, or Sister Diana to the White House to help present an image of Islam that is introspective and self-critical? These are the kind of voices our country needs to hear, instead of gangster rappers, or people like GloZell, who eats cereal out of a bathtub.
As moral people concerned about the human condition, we need even at the risk of being called “politically incorrect,” to address the issue of modern day Islamo-fascists threatening Christians, Yazidi, and Jewish lives in the Middle East today. Just the other day, an Iranian general boasted how Iran has over 100,000 missiles aimed at Israel.
Why in the world would we ignore their threats to complete the job started by Hitler?
Yes, we need an Islamic Reformation—and we need it now!

*

Rabbi Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista.  He may be contacted via michael.samuel@sdjewishworld.com. Comments intended for publication in the space below MUST be accompanied by the letter writer’s first and last name and by his/ her city and state of residence (city and country for those outside the United States.)

Why Liberal Jews Should NOT Ignore the Genocide of Christians and Yazidis….

Posted on by Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

A distraught father in Syria holds the lifeless body of his decapitated daughter, executed by milita

Recent discussions on the Internet deal with the moral question concerning asylum for Syrian refugees. This issue is especially a matter of concern for the European countries as well.

More specifically for Jews, is the comparison between Syrian of today and the German Jewish refugees analogous? In 1938, Jews of Europe had a horrific time trying to gain entry into the United States, which feared the new Jewish refugees might take jobs away from Americans who were just starting to recover from the Great Depression. With today’s struggling economy and dwindling wealth, we hear similar arguments as well.

Some politicians and segments of the population even feared that the Jews might be secretly working covertly for Hitler—of all people! Many Americans did not realize there was a genocide in Europe that the Nazis had initiated. Bear in mind, the world did not have the benefit of Facebook or Twitter, or other media outlets as we do today.

Advocates for the Syrian refugees claim that this xenophobia exists today. President Obama  argues this past week in Manila, “When candidates say we should not admit 3-year-old orphans, that’s political posturing,” he said. “When individuals say we should have religious tests, and only Christians, proven Christians, should be allowed, that’s offensive and contrary to American values.” I think the American people know more about “political posturing” than the President realizes…

From this writer’s point of view, I concur there is a real need for us bring Syrian refugees over to the United States. In fact, the analogy to the 1938 racial laws that existed in the United States may be a fair analogy—at least superficially. Understandably, Jews have a long memory for the discrimination our parents and grandparents experienced. That is fine and good.

The problem with this observation is that for the few years, the Jewish community has been remarkably blind, deaf, and dumb to the genocide of Yazidis and the Christians who are being massacred for rejecting Islam. The Yazidis are one of the oldest religious communities of the Middle East, whose faith includes elements of Zoroastrianism and some forms of the ancient Mesopotamian religions that probably preexists Islam by at least a thousand years.

In one CNN interview reported later by Catholic Online, a Chaldean-American businessman named Mark Arabo, reports “ISIS have beheaded small children and placed their heads on a stick and have them in the park.” He has begged the White House and American politicians to rescue the Chaldean-Christian and Yazidi communities, numbering at least 300,000 people who have tried to flee the ISIS invasion of their country.

We have seen ISIS instruct their children how to play kickball with Christian and Yazidi severed heads. Sometimes ISIS will starve a mother for several days, and give her a lavish meal made from the bodies of her children.

Radical Islam “almost” makes Nazism look civilized; whereas the Nazis believed they were the “master race,” Radical Islam believes they possess the “Master Religion.”

Now this is a comparison that resembles the Holocaust of 1930s and 1940s. Yet, I have not heard the demand from American Jews to do something to bring these people to safety.

So, I ask you the reader—why do you think this is so? Such a probing question is bound to elicit a number of uncomfortable responses. Perhaps many Jews don’t know what is going on in the areas controlled by ISIS. Is it possible that many of our most liberal-minded Jews don’t care to address this problem since our President has refused to come to the aid of these Christians? In other words, liberal Jewish fealty to the current Administration is more important that saving the Chaldean  and Yazidi lives. Perhaps some of our brethren do not wish to confront the dark side of Radical Islam. Denying it a name means denying it a reality. Hence, we will look the other way rather than choose to act ethically.

Historically, we made the same kind of moral mistake when we failed to confront Roosevelt for not letting Jews come in to the United States. In WW 2, we had great heroes who stood their ground and openly challenged the President to act morally.  Rabbi Eliezer Silver (1882-1968) proved to be one the greatest rescuers of European Jewry during the Holocaust. He is credited with saving many thousands of Jewish lives. Early on in 1939, Silver was one of the founding fathers of the Vaad Hatzalah (Rescue Committee), where Silver was appointed as its president. He was instrumental in rescuing the cream of European rabbinic leaders, who along with Rabbis Aaron Kotler, Abraham Kalmanowitz marched up Pennsylvanian Avenue on October 6, 1943.

While standing in front of the White House, the large Jewish entourage of over two hundred rabbis recited the Psalms and announced, “We pray and appeal to the Lord, blessed be He, that our most gracious President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, recognizing this momentous hour of history and responsibility that the Divine Presence has laid upon him, that he may save the remnant of the People of the Book, the People of Israel.”

Shortly afterward, the Jewish delegation met with Vice President Henry Wallace and a congressional delegation to make their case for European Jewry. Later, at the Lincoln Memorial, a special memorial prayer was said on behalf of the martyred Jews.  Finally, the five rabbis went to the White House to meet with the President, where the President made his famous backdoor exit rather than meeting with them. Although they did not meet with the President, the publicity of the march led to the eventual formulation of the War Refugees Board, which opened the doorway to over 100,000 Jews. When one considers how many of these survivors went on to have children–not to mention grandchildren–Rabbi Silver really saved millions of lives!

Today’s liberal Jews would never think of challenging Obama for similar reasons. And for this reason, we need responsible Jewish leaders to demand that the Chaldean Christian and Yazidi communities be granted rescue given the imminent threat of danger they face.

I feel ashamed to say that some of my rabbinic colleagues havet taken the cowardly way out. Meanwhile, the ISIS film all of their latest atrocities, adding to their heinous legacy of murder; now, they even harvest the organs while their victims are yet alive, to raise income for their murderous cause. Radical Islam is the new and improved Nazism of our time and I believe we as a Jews have a moral obligation to help the Chaldeans and the Yazidis.

Otherwise, history will remember us for the moral cowards we really are. Not only did we fail to learn any wisdom from the Holocaust, we have repeated the same mistakes made by Europe and the United States in the turbulent years of WWII.

With respect to the Syrian refugees, our first priorities ought to be directed toward, and then the women and small children. The young Muslim men need to wait their turn. They are not endangered because of religious persecution and genocide. We should follow Canada’s course of action and allow only the most vulnerable members of the Muslim Syrian population for the time being.

More importantly, we cannot allow one of the oldest Middle Eastern religious communities to be savagely slaughtered.

Holocaust Book Review for Children: A Walk With Esther

Posted on by Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

 

 

Deb Bowen and Cassie Brown, A Walk With Esther – Contact the  Jewish Federation of Quad Cities to order:

Publisher: Never Forget Publishing 2015

Many years ago, while I was serving a congregation in Rock Island, IL, I was privileged to work with a number of Jewish and Christian professionals in designing one of the country’s best attended Yom HaShoah programs in the nation. Every year, we would bring a Holocaust survivor to share his or her story. We used to attract anywhere between 500 to 800 people depending upon the year.

This program inspired a woman named Deb Bowen of Aledo, IL., who one day had the  most remarkable idea: having children write short children’s stories about the Holocaust. This vision originated in 2002 from a meeting she had with three local Jewish survivors from her area, each one bore the name Esther.  To keep their stories alive, she collaborated with the Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities and area teachers. Survivors shared their story in local schools and students were asked to write and illustrate their stories in a simple children’s storybook form.

Along with Jewish stories, books have been written about Christians who risked their lives (Righteous Gentiles) and prison camp liberators. Over 60 books have been written to make the series called “A BOOK by ME”; six of those books were printed and distributed to local schools. The larger version of all these stories are recorded in her recent self-published 2015 book, A Walk with Esther, which contained several stories about Holocaust stories of survivors of the Rock Island Jewish community, whose names happened to be Esther.  While I was there, I knew  each of the three women and their stories about survival demonstrated the power of the human spirit to triumph over all obstacles.

While I was in the Quad-Cities, in one interview,  I sat with Debra and told her all about my father’s story, which she ultimately produced called, Leo Samuel: The Tailor’s Life.” What makes Bowen’s project so powerful is that she has young teens write the stories and illustrate them as well. I wish we had more educators as talented as Deb Bowen. What is so remarkable about Deb Bowen is the fact that she is not Jewish.  Yet, her passion is evident in every little booklet she has produced.

Throughout the years, I maintained contact with the authoress. When   Deb Bowen came to San Diego, I immediately introduced her to Ruth Sax, one of the finest Jewish women you will ever meet, who came from a village in  Czechoslovakia that was very close to where my father grew up.

Ruth is a Holocaust survivor.

I introduced her one of our members Luke Chabner and his two daughters, Shlomit and Aliana, who is doing her Mitzva Project for her upcoming Bat Mitzvah. Together, Ruth told Deb her story and with the Shlomit and Aiyana’s help, they will be writing the story book about Ruth Sax—one of the truly great narratives of this series.   In all my years as a pulpit rabbi, this best mitzvah projects is one of the best I have ever seen.

There is no better way to teach children about the Holocaust than sharing stories of survivors who live or lived in their midst.

Deb Bowen is married, a mother of six, a grandmother of five and a ‘host mom’ to twelve exchange students. She represents high school age exchange programs helping young leaders from many countries spend an academic year in the USA. Bowen is an ordained minister, a motivational speaker, freelance writer and serves as a member of The Holocaust Education Committee of the Greater Quad City Area.

In short, let me conclude by saying that one of the hardest subjects to teach young people is the subject of the Holocaust. As someone who has visited numerous Jewish and public schools over the last thirty five years, the challenge of making the Holocaust is daunting and oftentimes frustrating because there is so much information to teach. Purchasing this book for your children may be one of the best gifts you ever give them.

From Hans Christian Anderson to Barak Obama — The Emperor’s New Clothes — Redux

Posted on by Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

 

Hans Christian Anderson’s famous parable, “The Emperor’s New Clothes” tells a story about two swindling weavers who promised to make an Emperor a new suit of clothes that is invisible to those who are unfit for their positions, stupid, or incompetent. After the swindlers present him with his suit, the Emperor parades before his subjects in his new clothes, no one dares to say that he doesn’t see any suit of clothes until a child cries out, “But he isn’t wearing anything at all!”

After the child said what was obvious to everyone but to the Emperor, the rest of the crow chimed in, “Why, the Emperor hasn’t got anything on!”  So, the Emperor shivered as he realized that everyone else was correct. However, he thought, “This procession has got to go on.” So, he walked more proudly than ever, as his noblemen held high the train that wasn’t there at all.”

Anderson’s parable can certainly apply to what is going in the Middle East today as the United States desperately tries to conclude an agreement with Iran over its use of their nuclear program. The whole world knows fully well that Iran hasn’t a shred of moral or religious integrity. At one joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, President Obama addressed his ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran. According to the Supreme Leader of Iran, said Obama, “it would be contrary to their faith to obtain a nuclear weapon.”[1]

I can only imagine what the German audience must have been thinking. . .

Yes, just as the Emperor has no clothes, and neither does President Obama’s plan to make an agreement with Iran “have any clothes” either.  The agreement is nothing more than a legal fiction intended to deceive Iran’s many enemies into thinking that their thousands of nuclear centrifuges are designed solely for peace.

The Democrats’ behavior is reminiscent of the Emperor’s subjects who are too terrified to cross their foul-tempered President, who remembers every infraction or sign of disloyalty to his political reign.

I wonder: does he really expect the world to think that Iran is a shining example of a nation that adheres to the positive values of Islam?

  • Women are routinely raped and stoned  for adultery if they don’t have four witnesses to attest to their innocence.[2]
  • Christians are persecuted if they try to publically speak about their faith.[3]
  • Homosexuals are stoned on almost a daily basis.[4]
  • Iran has sentenced several juvenile offenders to death.[5]
  • The Mullahs have no respect for killing infidels like the Americans who fought in Iraq, only to be blown up by their IED roadside bombs.[6]
  • Blowing up Jews across the world in Argentina is perfectly acceptable civilized behavior for the Mullahs of Iran.[7]
  • Hezbollah leader said: “If they [the Jews] all gather in Israel it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide” and “They [Jews] are a cancer which is liable to spread at any moment. . .”[8]

If President Obama thinks we can accept the Iranian mullahcracy to promise that they will not use nuclear bombs, then we are as foolish as the Emperor who believed he was wearing a special suit—even though he was stark naked. We are also just as morally cowardly as the Emperor’s subjects who lacked the integrity to recognize the fraud that the Emperor’s assistants perpetuated against the kingdom.

Like the child of our original story, Bibi Netanyahu is the only political leader in the Western world who is not afraid to say it the way it is. Obama’s disdain toward Netanyahu was evident, as was Obama’s contempt for the people of Israel when he refused to speak to the Israeli government at the Knesset. Despite not wishing to influence the Israeli election, Obama has sent many of his minions to do precisely that—influence the Israeli elections.

The entire world owes Netanyahu a huge debt of gratitude. Let us hope that Congress—and not the President—has the ultimate say whether this proposed agreement with Iran is worth signing.

Interestingly enough,  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has considerable supportive in  Saudi Arabia. According to the Saudi daily newspaper Al-Jazirah on Monday, columnist Dr. Ahmad Al-Faraj called Netanyahu’s appearance before Congress under such circumstances “unprecedented in US political history.”

  • I am very glad of Netanyahu’s firm stance and [his decision] to speak against the nuclear agreement at the American Congress, despite the Obama administration’s anger and fury,” wrote the Saudi. “I believe that Netanyahu’s conduct will serve our interests, the people of the Gulf, much more than the foolish behavior of one of the worst American presidents. . . .Obama is the godfather of the prefabricated revolutions in the Arab world, and…he is the ally of political Islam, [which is] the caring mother of [all] the terrorist organizations,” he wrote, suggesting that any deal struck by this particular American president could simply not be trusted.

For everyone else living in the Middle East, they know exactly what is at stake here. If allowed to act with impunity, the world will see a new nuclear arms race in the Middle East that can engulf the entire world in perpetual nuclear warfare.

Our politicians who think that Netanyahu is motivated by politics, I would say, “What politician isn’t motivated by political concerns?” If that were a crime, every politician would be arrested. However, I personally believe that Netanyahu is correct here to bring this up before the final agreement with Iran becomes fait accompli. The Israeli PM is correct, “Thy enemy’s enemy is still thine enemy.”[9]

We would be wise to remember that.

[1] http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2015/02/09/obama_according_to_irans_supreme_leader_it_would_be_contrary_to_their_faith_to_obtain_a_nuclear_weapon.html

[2] http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/03/world/meast/iran-stoning/

[3] http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Iran-Rouhani-UN-Christians/2014/03/21/id/560965/

[4] http://www.jihadwatch.org/2014/03/new-moderate-iran-executes-two-gay-men-and-hands-down-death-sentence-for-insulting-the-prophet

[5] http://www.hrw.org/news/2010/10/09/iran-saudi-arabia-sudan-end-juvenile-death-penalty

[6] Blair warns Iran over Iraq bombs”. BBC News. 2005-10-06.

[7] “Iran, Hezbollah charged in 1994 Argentine bombing”. Daily Jang. October 25, 2006.

[8] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hassan_Nasrallah

[9] http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/26160/Default.aspx

King Faisal–Weizmann Agreement – When the Arabs asked the Jews to return to Israel

Posted on by Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

Whenever you hear the Palestinian rhetoric, one would get the impression that Jews were nothing more than a European transplant who came over and seized all the Arab lands they could grab. Needless to say, there is much more history to this narrative than most people realize–including our President of the United States. When people ignore history, they change the narrative into the image of their device. Sadly, this has happened way too much in the last 40 + years, but armed with knowledge–we can change the public misconception about the real Arab and Jewish relationship concerning Palestine (as it was called at that time). Here is a fascinating article I think most of you will find enlightening:

Feisal-Frankfurter Correspondence (March 1919)

Letter from Emir Feisal (Son of Hussein Bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca | Great grandson of the prophet Muhammad) to Felix Frankfurter, associate of Dr. Chaim Weizmann:

DELEGATION HEDJAZIENNE

Paris Peace Conference

March 3, 1919

Dear Mr. Frankfurter:

I want to take this opportunity of my first contact with American Zionists to tell you what I have often been able to say to Dr. Weizmann in Arabia and Europe.

We feel that the Arabs and Jews are cousins in having suffered similar oppressions at the hands of powers stronger than themselves, and by a happy coincidence have been able to take the first step towards the attainment of their national ideals together. The Arabs, especially the educated among us, look with the deepest sympathy on the Zionist movement. Our deputation here in Paris is fully acquainted with the proposals submitted yesterday by the Zionist Organisation to the Peace Conference, and we regard them as moderate and proper. We will do our best, in so far as we are concerned, to help them through: we will wish the Jews a most hearty welcome home.

With the chiefs of your movement, especially with Dr. Weizmann, we have had and continue to have the closest relations. He has been a great helper of our cause, and I hope the Arabs may soon be in a position to make the Jews some return for their kindness. We are working together for a reformed and revived Near East, and our two movements complete one another. The Jewish movement is national and not imperialist. Our movement is national and not imperialist, and there is room in Syria for us both. Indeed I think that neither can be a real success without the other.

People less informed and less responsible than our leaders and yours, ignoring the need for cooperation of the Arabs and Zionists, have been trying to exploit the local difficulties that must necessarily arise in Palestine in the early stages of our movements. Some of them have, I am afraid, misrepresented your aims to the Arab peasantry, and our aims to the Jewish peasantry, with the result that interested parties have been able to make capital out of what they call our differences. I wish to give you my firm conviction that these differences are not on questions of principle, but on matters of detail such as must inevitably occur in every contact of neighbouring peoples, and as are easily adjusted by mutual good will. Indeed nearly all of them will disappear with fuller knowledge.

I look forward, and my people with me look forward, to a future in which we will help you and you will help us, so that the countries in which we are mutually interested may once again take their places in the community of civilised peoples of the world.

Believe me,

Yours sincerely,

(Sgd.) Feisal

Letter of reply from Felix Frankfurter to Emir Feisal:

Paris Peace Conference

March 5, 1919

Royal Highness,

Allow me, on behalf of the Zionist Organisation, to acknowledge your recent letter with deep appreciation.

Those of us who come from the United States have already been gratified by the friendly relations and the active cooperation maintained between you and the Zionist leaders, particularly Dr. Weizmann. We knew it could not be otherwise; we knew that the aspirations of the Arab and the Jewish peoples were parallel, that each aspired to re-establish its nationality in its own homeland, each making its own distinctive contribution to civilisation, each seeking its own peaceful mode of life.

The Zionist leaders and the Jewish people for whom they speak have watched with satisfaction the spiritual vigour of the Arab movement. Themselves seeking justice, they are anxious that the just national aims of the Arab people be confirmed and safeguarded by the Peace Conference. We knew from your acts and your past utterances that the Zionist movement — in other words the national aim of the Jewish people — had your support and the support of the Arab people for whom you speak. These aims are now before the Peace Conference as definite proposals by the Zionist Organisation. We are happy indeed that you consider these proposals “moderate and proper,” and that we have in you a staunch supporter for their realisation.

For both the Arab and the Jewish peoples there are difficulties ahead — difficulties that challenge the united statesmanship of Arab and Jewish leaders. For it is no easy task to rebuild two great civilisations that have been suffering oppression and misrule for centuries. We each have our difficulties we shall work out as friends, friends who are animated by similar purposes, seeking a free and full development for the two neighbouring peoples. The Arabs and Jews are neighbours in territory; we cannot but live side by side as friends.

Very respectfully,

(Sgd.) Felix Frankfurter

PART 3

Agreement Between Emir Feisal and Dr. Weizmann

Faisal–Weizmann Agreement

3 January 1919

His Royal Highness the Emir Feisal, representing and acting on behalf of the Arab Kingdom of Hedjaz, and Dr. Chaim Weizmann, representing and acting on behalf of the Zionist Organization, mindful of the racial kinship and ancient bonds existing between the Arabs and the Jewish people, and realizing that the surest means of working out the consummation of their natural aspirations is through the closest possible collaboration in the development of the Arab State and Palestine, and being desirous further of confirming the good understanding which exists between them, have agreed upon the following:

Articles:

Article I

The Arab State and Palestine in all their relations and undertakings shall be controlled by the most cordial goodwill and understanding, and to this end Arab and Jewish duly accredited agents shall be established and maintained in the respective territories.

Article II

Immediately following the completion of the deliberations of the Peace Conference, the definite boundaries between the Arab State and Palestine shall be determined by a Commission to be agreed upon by the parties hereto.

Article III

In the establishment of the Constitution and Administration of Palestine, all such measures shall be adopted as will afford the fullest guarantees for carrying into effect the British Government’s Declaration of the 2nd of November, 1917.

Article IV

All necessary measures shall be taken to encourage and stimulate immigration of Jews into Palestine on a large scale, and as quickly as possible to settle Jewish immigrants upon the land through closer settlement and intensive cultivation of the soil. In taking such measures the Arab peasant and tenant farmers shall be protected in their rights and shall be assisted in forwarding their economic development.

Article V

No regulation or law shall be made prohibiting or interfering in any way with the free exercise of religion; and further, the free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall ever be required for the exercise of civil or political rights.

Article VI

The Mohammedan Holy Places shall be under Mohammedan control.

Article VII

The Zionist Organization proposes to send to Palestine a Commission of experts to make a survey of the economic possibilities of the country, and to report upon the best means for its development. The Zionist Organization will place the aforementioned Commission at the disposal of the Arab State for the purpose of a survey of the economic possibilities of the Arab State and to report upon the best means for its development. The Zionist Organization will use its best efforts to assist the Arab State in providing the means for developing the natural resources and economic possibilities thereof.

Article VIII

The parties hereto agree to act in complete accord and harmony on all matters embraced herein before the Peace Congress.

Article IX

Any matters of dispute which may arise between the contracting parties hall be referred to the British Government for arbitration. Given under our hand at London, England, the third day of January, one thousand nine hundred and nineteen

Chaim Weizmann Feisal Ibn-Hussein

Reservation by the Emir Feisal

If the Arabs are established as I have asked in my manifesto of 4 January, addressed to the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, I will carry out what is written in this agreement. If changes are made, I cannot be answerable for failing to carry out this agreement.

What happened then?
http://www.factualisrael.com/root-cause-conflicts-middle-east/

Kudos to factualisrael.com for their excellent article.

The Culture of Life vs. the Culture of Death

Posted on by Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

In my opinion, the brilliant 20th century Eric Fromm ranks as one of the greatest psychologists and social prophets of the century. I would also add that Fromm must rank as one of the least appreciated Jewish philosophers of his time as well.

One of Fromm’s greatest theories pertains to two opposite impulses that are struggling for supremacy in the world. He refers to them as necrophilia vs. biophilia. He explains that necrophilia, or the “love of the dead” is an ideation that is attracted to everything that is dead, e.g., corpses, decay, filth, dirt. As an illustration, Fromm mentions how the Nazi concentration camps were dedicated to the industry of death and genocide. Aside from killing the Jew, the Nazi genocide machine aimed to create an atmosphere of filth surrounding the Jew, who seldom ever had the opportunity to bathe. My father once told me that while he was in Auschwitz, he often bathed in the snow to keep his body clean, while the Nazi officers laughed at his behavior. According to Fromm, the goal of necrophilia as political and religious phenomena is to transform everything that is living into death. This culture dedicated to death defined Nazism for the evil scourge it was.

And yet, in our postwar illusions,we never dared to imagine that we would ever see this kind of menace threatening civilization again. It seemed too inconceivable.

But we were wrong—dead wrong.

The continuous attacks on Israelis only proves that the spirit of Nazism is alive and well–even thriving–in the Jihadist world today.

Whereas Nazism always remained a secular political philosophy dedicated to eradicating the world of Jews and other undesirables, today’s Jihadist movement poses a far greater threat to all of civilization because the engines that run its campaign of genocide derives from religion itself. Let us be clear: Jihadism is a death-force that aims to destroy life as we know it for the glorification of Allah, who behaves more like the bloodthirsty deity of the Bible known as Molech.

In fact, it is impossible to differentiate between the two.

Jihadists love saying, “We love death more than you love life”[1]

The worse part of necrophilia is that the people this philosophy affects makes them totally indifferent to life and even attracted to death. This would explain why being a martyr for Islam is so important. In the West Bank and Gaza, Palestinians have museums celebrating the sacrifice of his human bombs; museums decorated with Israeli body parts across the wall.

Sounds like a museum made for Freddie Kruger.

The culture of Israel in contrast, corresponds to what Fromm calls, biophilia–the love of life, the attraction to everything that lives and grows. Preserving life and preventing death is one form ofbiophilia. Biophilous tendencies can be much more varied and tend to integrate and unite, to fuse with different and opposite. Biophilia is life that changes, grows, and develops to the changing circumstances of the environment. Fromm believed that for biophilia to emerge, there has to be certain circumstances to enhance its growth, e.g., the absence of injustice, the love of creativity, the presence of freedom, and the spirit to innovate.

Israel’s technological prowess continues to shape the world in new and exciting ways. This past week, Israeli companies announced they have invented a new way to recharge cellphone batteries instantaneously.

Contrast this with the new story about an A Palestinian baby who receives a life-saving bone marrow treatment worth $55,000—paid by an Israeli pediatrician. Most mothers would appreciate someone saving their child’s life, but what does this baby’s mother say?

While waiting for her son’s treatment in the Israeli hospital, Raida says that she would be happy to see her son become a “shahid” – an Islamic martyr for Jerusalem. “Like Arafat said? ‘A million shahids (martyrs) for Jerusalem?” asks the journalist Shlomi Eldar. “More than a million. All of us are for Jerusalem. All of our people,” she replies. “All of us, not just a million, we’re all for Jerusalem. Do you understand?”“Death is a natural thing for us. We’re not afraid to di[e],” Raida continues. From the smallest infant, even younger than Muhammad [her baby son,] to the oldest person, we’d all sacrifice ourselves for Jerusalem. We feel we have the right to it. … It’s heresy to say that Jerusalem isn’t ours.”[2]

In spiritual terms, biophilia encourages people to search for self-awareness, aspirations, and moral growth. Israel continues to develop technologies that improve the fabric of life while the Palestinian culture of death, which worships a god who loves shihads (martyrs) has produced a moral decadence that threatens the peace of humanity.

The time has come for the Palestinians and Israelis to work together and embrace a new paradigm of life that brings prosperity to all of its people.

Instead of putting more pressure to force Israel to  give up their land to a person that is hell bent upon their destruction, we need to put the pressure where it belongs by cutting off aid to the Palestinian government until it ceases its campaign of genocide against Israel and her people.

It is time for our country to do everything in its power to end the Palestinian paradigm of barbarism and savagery instead of rewarding their delinquent behavior with billions of American dollars and moral support.  In the meantime, every American Jew ought to be proud of Israel’s commitment to further the culture of life.

Golda Meir said it best, “We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children. We cannot forgive them for forcing us to kill their children. We will only have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us.”

 

 

Nero and Obama: A Remarkable Parallel in History

Posted on by Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel
  • If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle”—Sun  Tzu, The Art of War

The words of Sun Tzu convey new significance in light of President Obama’s disclosure. In his most recent speech, the President was asked an important and obvious question many Americans are asking themselves: How will we defeat ISIS? With blunt honesty and candor, the President said, “We don’t have a strategy yet.”

As I listened to his words, I found myself asking, “Did he really say that?” Then I wondered. “How is ISIS reacting this statement?”

Even the President’s media supporters are scratching their heads on the latest Presidential gaffe, whose optics makes our leader appear as though he is totally disengaged from an evil that makes Nazism pale in comparison. How can any moral and sensible human being say that the ISIS conflict is an Iraqi problem to solve? When we look at the decapitated heads of Shiite, Christian and Yazidi children,  how can we not take arms against a religious and political movement that joyfully slaughters in the name of psychotic Islam?

According to Maimonides, the first step in a person’s moral and spiritual rehabilitation involves coming to terms with one’s past sins and mistakes. Acknowledging  that one did anything wrong is perhaps the hardest but most significant step one can take.

For the President in particular, he has yet to admit the most obvious fact that is staring at his face: Jihadist Islam is at war with the United States and the Western civilization as a whole. It is also at war with other forms of Jihadist Islam, e.g., Shiite Islam as represented by the repressive Iranian regime. In short, Islam is at war within itself and it has been probably since the inception of its religion.

This is actually good news, for when a house is divided, it can be conquered much more easily. ISIS recognizes its Achilles heel and this is the principle reason why ISIS has targeted other Islamic movements and states (with the notable exception of Turkey, which is the only western country supporting ISIS—this is a subject for another article because of its seriousness).

Obama’s stark admission is all the more surprising since ISIS did not emerge ex nihilo over night. They have been a major thorn in our side since the beginning of the Iraqi war. This new political entity makes Al Qaeda pale in comparison. It has approximately two billion dollars of money it stole from the Iraqi people and it is offering salaries of $33,000 to any young dysfunctional thug who is willing  to join its ranks. Judging by the slick marketing, they are probably offering a nice retirement plan and other terrestrial incentives.

All right, in the interest of problem solving, what kind of strategy should our government be focusing on? Is it reasonable to expect that economic pressure will work, e.g., the threat of sanctions (as we have tried with Putin)? Will diplomatic pressure work? It appears that ISIS could care less about these possibilities. Military pressure with an objective of eradicating the infrastructure of this evil organization is the only viable solution. If left unchecked, hundreds of millions in human lives will die if we adopt a supine attitude.

In addition, Western media outlets such as YOUTUBE, Twitter, and Facebook need to all ban these retrograde people from using their technology from promoting Jihadism.

In addition we need real international leaders who will not take a neutral attitude about ISIS.

Thankfully, the English PM Cameron continues to model the kind of leadership we need in our country. Cameron said last week:

  • The threat we face today comes from the poisonous narrative of Islamist extremism. The terrorist threat was not created by the Iraq war ten years ago. It existed even before the horrific attacks on 9/11. This threat cannot be solved simply by dealing with the perceived grievances over Western foreign policy. We cannot appease this ideology. We have to confront it at home and abroad.

Applying his words to actions, the UK raised the terror threat level from “substantial” to “severe,” Cameron said they will introduce new laws to fights terrorists and seize passports from terror suspects. He also plans to offer more details on the UK’s plans in a few days.

Cameron’s remarks remind us that we need leadership that understands the problems posed by Jihadist Islam.

Even the French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has a message about Iraq for Barack Obama: Get back to the White House and do something:

  • I know it is the holiday period in our Western countries,’ Fabius told a radio interviewer Tuesday in France,’ but when people are dying, you must come back from vacation.

Ditto.

In the Great Fire of Rome, historians—both ancient and modern—are unsure who caused this great conflagration. Some historians think that Emperor Nero instigated it and he fiddled, as Rome burned. Some blame the Christians because Nero persecuted them. In any event, some day historians may make a similar analogy about a morally confused President, who preferred to play golf and conduct Democratic fundraisers rather than defend his people when they needed him the most.

After 9/11, President Bush put together fifty countries to combat the Al Qaeda. Our President ought to be assembling a similar coalition, which may offer him an opportunity to demonstrate true statesmanship—if he is up to the moral task.

Jewish leaders in particular have also been too sheepish on this danger as it threatens not only Israel, but the United States.

  • Open borders with Mexico is viewed as a golden opportunity to create numerous attacks that could threaten the American homeland. If the President was really concerned about the border, he would close it up as soon as possible to minimize this threat from ever occurring.
  • ISIS can easily hire Mexican drug cartel terrorists to attack the country’s electrical grid. Were this to occur, there would be a paralysis that could result in tens of millions of people dying because of the collapse of our country’s infrastructure. An EMP bomb could easily lead to the death of 270 million Americans and take years to reconstruct.
  • President Obama should be building our military at this perilous time of history and use the country’s money to strengthen the electrical grid from terrorist attacks.[1]
  • Instead of cutting military aid to Israel, the President should be increasing greater aid to ensure Israel has the means to protect herself from ISIS and Iran.

The inclusion of Muslim Brotherhood leaders like Mohammed Elibary in Obama’s Department of Homeland Security is troubling. This is a man who considered the late Ayatollah Khomeini as a “great Islamic leader”[2] and even praised the emergence of a new Muslim caliphate taking place in Iraq on June 13 in his Twitter log, and in other places,[3] clearly shows that either Obama’s judgment is severely impaired, or that he is identifying with the Jihadist agenda in its effort to unite the Muslim world. Either scenario ought to make each of us cringe.

To conclude, as the philosopher George Santayana famously said, “Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Considering everything we  are witnessing in the world today, not only does it appear that we have learned nothing from the Holocaust, our country’s foolishness combined with the foolishness of the European community will lead to a destruction far greater than anything we have witnessed in the 20th century. However, this time it will be fueled by the religious zealotry of Jihadist Islam, the scourge of modern times.

Historically, Jihadist Islam threatened the world once before in the annals of human memory. The murderous Jihadist Timur Khan (1370–1405) wiped out close to twenty million non-Muslims as he carved out his empire in India, the Indian subcontinent, Pakistan, and parts of China, all of which constituted 5% of the world population.

Jihadist Islam has always been greatest mass-murdering force in the history of humankind. As a champion of freedom, the United States cannot take an apathetic stance regarding the expansion of ISIS and its legion of Jihadist supporters.

Jihadist Islam is a Graver Threat than Global Warming

Posted on by Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel
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  • The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam.—Barak Hussein Obama

When we look at the violence that is taking place throughout the cities of Europe, it is clear that Jihadist Islam (a.k.a. Radical Islam) is no longer an aberration. When someone asked the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan what he thought of Moderate Islam, he sneered, “There is no such thing as Moderate Islam—only Islam.”

He’s correct. All you have to do is look at what is happening in Paris today. Muslim thugs are attempting to burn Paris to the ground. In Paris, Berlin, Rome, New York, Los Angeles, and wherever, we are no longer hearing, “Death to all Zionists!” We are now hearing, “Death to the  Jews!”

Does this sound vaguely familiar?

While many of us would much rather consider global warming as the most pressing issue of our day (I am not necessarily taking umbrage with this issue, I drive a hybrid!), many of us living in the West do not want to believe that Islam is at war with Western Civilization.

Unfortunately, nothing can be further from the truth. A Chaldean Christian friend of mine complained how the Chaldean Christian community in Iraq is being threatened either with the infamous Muslim poll tax, conversion, or death if they refuse.

When Erdogan boldly said, “There is no such thing as Moderate Islam—only Islam,” his comment unnerved me to my core. For many years and decades, I have been involved in creating Islamic-Jewish-Christian interfaith groups and dialogue around the country. I have met many fine Muslims and Imams who shared a mutual respect for one another’s religion.

But after watching how Jihadist Islam is behaving throughout the world, I must say Erdogan is right—there is no such thing as Moderate Islam. Clearly, the radicals have commandeered Islam and there is nobody on the horizon within the Muslim communities around the world who is going to challenge the religious crazies and cultists that claim to be the “authentic Muslims.”

While I still believe that such dialogue is important as it is necessary, I fear that the progressive voices within the Muslim community are becoming increasingly marginalized by the vast majority of Muslims around the world who are determined to reinstate the caliphate and created a theocratic state based upon Sharia Law.

For the record, I oppose all theocracies; they are a relic of a past and decadent age when rabbinical, ecclesiastical, and Islamic religious leaders exploited the masses and led their followers to endless wars of genocide and destruction.

In Jewish tradition, we are observing the period known as the “Three Weeks” culminating in the Ninth of Ab, the day when the First and Second Temple were destroyed (as well as other sundry historical events). Our ancestors in the Second Temple believed that Rome was the personification of the Evil and Satanic Empire. Apocalyptic imagery contributed to the demise of the Jewish Commonwealth. Judaism might have disappeared altogether had it not been for moderates like Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, who showed a willingness to live in peace with the Romans.

Medieval Christianity had plenty of blood on its hands. Its internecine wars between the Catholics and the Protestants are a grim reminder of how the followers of the same religious founder, Jesus, are capable of creating unlimited mayhem and destruction—all in his name!

Hindu Kush means the “Hindu Slaughter.”  In the year 1398, Timur Khan  moved across the Yamuna River in India and captured it. He put over 100,000 captives to death. Indian historians speak of Muslim genocides resulting the deaths of nearly 100,000,000 Hindus, Buddhists, and Jainists over an 800 year period. I believe these numbers are very conservative.

Just imagine how many people the Jihadists could kill if they had nuclear bombs? Timur Khan would be envious of today’s high-tech Jihadist.

The American historian Will Durant (1885-1981)  would like the West to learn from India, tolerance and gentleness and love for all living things.

He says in the book The Story of Civilization: Our Oriental Heritage page 459:

  •  …the Islamic conquest of India is probably the bloodiest story in history. It is a discouraging tale, for its evident moral is that civilization is a precious good, whose delicate complex order and freedom can at any moment be overthrown by barbarians invading from without and multiplying from within.” Almost all the Muslims of South Asia are descendants of weaker elements of the population who had succumbed to forcible Islamic conversion.
  • “The Mohammedan conquest of India is probably the bloodiest story in history”. The Islamic historians and scholars have recorded with great glee and pride of the slaughters of Hindus, forced conversions, abduction of  Hindu women and children to slave markets and the destruction of temples carried out by the warriors of Islam during 800 AD to 1700 AD.  Millions of Hindus were converted to Islam by sword during this period. “
  • “The growth of Buddhism and monasticism in the first year of our common era sapped the manhood of India, and conspired with political division to leave India open to easy conquest. When the Arabs came, pledged to spread a simple and stoic monotheism, they looked with scorn upon the lazy, venal, miracle-mongering Buddhist monks, they smashed the monasteries, killed thousands of monks, and made monasticism unpopular with the cautious. The survivors were re-absorbed into the Hinduism that had begotten them; and eased the return of the prodigal by proclaiming Buddha a god.”

Some Islamic apologists among the West, may protest and accuse Durant—or anyone who has a dim view of Islamic military history as an “Islamophobe” may want to listen to the testimonies

As the learned and contemporary Muslim historian and Islamic jurist (Pakistan) Qazi Mughis-ud-din declared, in accordance with the teachings of the books on Canon Law:

  • The Hindus are designated in the Law as ‘payers of tribute’ (kharaj-guzar); and when the revenue officer demands silver from them, they should, without question and with all humility and respect, tender gold. If the officer throws dirt into their mouths, they must without reluctance open their mouths wide to receive it. By these acts of degradation are shown the extreme obedience of the zimmi [dhimmi], the glorification of the true faith of Islam, and the abasement of false faiths. God himself orders them to be humiliated , (as He says, ‘till they pay jaziya) with the hand and are humbled…The Prophet has commanded us to slay them, plunder them, and make them captive…No other religious authority except the great Imam (Hanifa) whose faith we follow, has sanctioned the imposition of jaziya on Hindus.

One of the most articulate spokespersons of Radical Islam is Ayatollah Khomeini. Unlike many of the Muslim apologists appearing in three-piece Armani suits, Khomeini was a real primitive and savage. His picture is on display everywhere throughout Iran. He symbolizes their vision—of a Shiite caliphate. Khomeini was an honest man—we owe him a debt of gratitude for being so direct.

  • Islam makes it incumbent on all adult males, provided they are not disabled and incapacitated, to prepare themselves for the conquest of [other] countries so that the writ of Islam is obeyed in every country in the world. But those who study Islamic Holy War will understand why Islam wants to conquer the whole w o r l d . . . . Those who know nothing of Islam pretend that Islam counsels against war. Those [who say this] are witless.
  • Islam says: Kill all the unbelievers just as they would kill you all! Does this mean that Muslims should sit back until they are devoured by [the unbelievers]?  Islam says: Kill them [the non-Muslims], put them to the sword and scatter [their armies]. Does this mean sitting back until [non-Muslims] overcome us? Islam says: Kill in the service of Allah those who may want to kill you! Does this mean that we should surrender to the enemy?
  •  Islam says: Whatever good there is exists thanks to the sword and in the shadow of the sword! People cannot be made obedient except with the sword! The sword is the key to Paradise, which can be opened only for Holy Warriors! There are hundreds of other [Koranic] psalms and Hadiths [sayings of the Prophet] urging Muslims to value war and to fight. Does all that mean that Islam is a religion that prevents men from waging war? I spit upon those foolish souls who make such a claim.[1]

Incidentally, Mohamed Elibiary is a senior member of President Obama’s DHS advisory team and he is an admirer of Ayatollah Khomeini and a believer in the Muslim caliphate. This only goes to prove that the inmates are controlling the insane asylum—America, it is time to wake up to the Jihadist threat that is in our midst.[2]

While the Shiite and Sunni ISIS are fighting it out to see who will be King Jihadist Muslim Supreme, make no mistake about it.

Jihadism is the greatest danger the world has ever seen. If we fail to learn from history, then we will, as Santayana prophesied, be condemned to repeat it.


[1] Ibn Waraq, Why I am not a Muslim (New York: Prometheus Books, 1995), pp. 12-13.

[2] http://pamelageller.com/2014/06/obamas-dhs-senior-dhs-adviser-mohamed-elibiary-inevitable-caliphate-returns.html/

Winners, Losers, & Whiners in the Latest Israeli-Gaza Conflict

Posted on by Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

By now, many of us are probably wondering: Who are the winners and losers in the Gaza conflict? The answers we shall consider, might surprise you. Some of you might think that Israel has emerged as the biggest winner. At first blush, this might seem true.

There have been very few casualties in Israel, largely due to the Iron Dome anti-missile defense. In all probability, Israel will continue tweaking this technology so that it can provide even greater coverage and protection from the onslaught of Jihadist bombs.

Thankfully, the IDF allowed its jets to pummel the Jihadists in Gaza with minimal damage to the Palestinian population. Indeed, even Israel’s critics have praised Israel’s respect for human life. This is important for many reasons; Israel’s behavior has been measured and in control; they did not respond out of passion, but with methodical and rational precision.

Sun Tzu  wisely cautioned  in his Art of War,  “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.”

From Sun Tzu’s perspective, Israel has conducted itself masterfully and effectively. More importantly, the people of Gaza have come to a dramatic change of consciousness. Whereas in the past, Gaza Palestinians felt complete loyalty to Hamas, now for the first time in recent memory, the citizens of Gaza are blaming Hamas for the destruction and mayhem of their murderous attempt to destroy Israel.

Even the Arab world has turned against Hamas and has freely offered criticism of their recklessness and shameless exploitation of their people, using them as human shields for the world to see—repeatedly.

Even before the newest round of war occurred, the people of Gaza expressed frustration with their Hamas leaders’ failed policies. In fact, the vast majority of people now oppose Hamas altogether!

As you wince reading this provocative statement, you’re probably wondering: Why haven’t we read anything about this in the newspapers? Why hasn’t MSNBC, CNN, and other media outlets reported on this?

That’s because the media is invested in perpetuating the myth that Israel is to blame for everything wrong in the Middle East.

Palestinians are not stupid people.

Following is the transcript of the video:

  • Fatima: “Where have you been, Abdullah? I waited a long time for you, and you didn’t come.”
    Abdullah: “I was on my way to Ramallah, Fatima. The roads were packed and the [Israeli] roadblock was shut and crowded. Very crowded. I tried to convince the soldiers that you were waiting for me, but it didn’t help.”
    Fatima: ” Abdullah! You’re always apologizing. While you were having a good time with her, you left me waiting a long time for you.”
    Abdullah:”You must know that I’ve never ever cheated on you. It’s the [Israeli] occupation! The occupation killed our beautiful moments together, and kept me from getting to you. Damn!”
    Fatima: ” Abdullah! You always go back to the same old excuse: The [Israeli] occupation! The occupation! The occupation! Was it the occupation that made you spend all that time with her?” — PA TV (Fatah), July 26, 2014

Here’s a better joke: How many Palestinians does it take to change a light bulb? None! They sit in the dark forever and blame the Jews for it!

RECENT POLLING  2014

According to one recent poll, 450 Palestinians were asked about the state of the current crisis. Allowing for an error of 4%, this is what they discovered.

  • 70% of the Gaza population agreed or strongly agreed that Gaza should maintain a ceasefire with Israel.
  • 57% of the people said that they preferred the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas’s position, which “officially”  renounces violence against Israel, a clear majority.
  • 73% of the Gazan population believes that their people ought to adopt “proposals for nonviolent popular resistance against the occupation.”
  • 78% of the Gazan population believes that Hamas leadership is corrupt.
  • 15% of the population supports the Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Khaled Mashal.
  • 56% of the workers would prefer to work in Israel rather than in Gaza if there was a good, high-paying job. Such a statement amounts to a desire to establish normalization with Israel, if it means they will have better lives.

WINNERS VERSUS LOSERS:

So, who are the real winners?

On the surface, it’s probably a close tie between the Gazan Palestinian people and Mahmoud Abbas.

In light of the humiliation of Hamas in the latest conflict, the world can rest assured that Hamas will most likely lose the next election—especially in light of the destruction they have brought to their communities.

Third place winner goes to Israel. The people no longer have to live in fear of being destroyed by the Palestinian bombs; Israel held its dignity and respect for human life like a badge of honor. Every American Jew should take great pride in how Israel conducted itself in this latest conflict.

Fourth place goes to Egypt and the Saudis for supporting Israel. Both of these countries recognize the dangers that Hamas poses to these relatively stable regimes.

Fifth place goes to President Obama for not interfering with Israel this time as he has before. Despite my criticism of the President in the past, I am heartened to see a different response for a change.

Who are the biggest losers?

Obviously, it’s Hamas. And let us add, Iran.

Let’s not forget the Muslim Brotherhood. Let us not forget, this particular Jihadist terror group has always been anti-Semitic and hateful toward Israel.

The Evil Empire of Jihadist Terror, a.k.a., Iran’s cynical exploitation of Palestinian hatred of Israel has succeeded in stoking the winds of war three times now. But on an optimistic note, it looks like the Palestinian people may be close to experiencing a new awakening.

The real question is: Will they taken advantage of a new and productive way of relating? Or will they succumb to the old pattern where, “The Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity”?

Enquiring minds want to know!

Humpty Dumpty, Gaza Jihadists and the Meaning of “Cease Fire”

Posted on by Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

 

  • “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.” —Alice’s  Adventures in Wonderland

Anyone following the news might wonder: Why is Israel entering into Gaza—again?!

Didn’t they just they agree to have a “cease fire”?

As mentioned before, the Jihadist view of a “cease fire,” means, “Israel must cease while we may still fire!”

In Wonderland, words may sound alike, but each word is as much as condition as a thing, no matter whatever terminology or nomenclature is used. Words have a substance beyond their context, and the citizens of Wonderland use words freely to mean whatever meaning they wish to impose. This explains the Israeli and Gazan Jihadists problem quite succinctly. The Gazan Jihadists use language differently from most normal people, much like Humpty Dumpty’s theory of language!

In Wonderland, words may sound alike, but each word is as much as condition as a thing, no matter whatever terminology or nomenclature is used. Words have a substance beyond their context, and the citizens of Wonderland use words freely to mean whatever meaning they wish to impose. This explains the problem quite succinctly!

One would think the Jihadist could want a respite after their humiliating defeat at the hand of the Israeli army. This is probably the reason why the Jihadists of Gaza can’t end the battle quite yet.

You see, it’s all about looking good to the other legion of Islamo-fascists threatening to blow the Middle East up in one colossal war. Then again, the Jihadist Islamo-fascists of Gaza hope that maybe ISIS or Hezbollah will stop their fighting and join them in their quest to destroy Israel—once and for all!

But what about their suffering? Jihadists never care about the people they claim to protect. Their people’s only utility is to serve the masters who control them; in this case, the Jihadists of Gaza wish to use their people as human shields.

While the conflicts and Israeli incursions into Gaza is nothing new, there is something different we have not seen in the past. This time around, we have seen a remarkable change in the Arab street. Countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and others condemn the Hamas attacks as reckless. One broadcaster named Amani al-Hayat from ON TV, which is affiliated with the Egyptian regime, blamed  Hamas was to blame for Israel’s “massacre” in the Gaza Strip and said that Hamas deliberately created the crisis in Gaza so that the Rafah crossing would be opened.

Wait a minute: Why is Hamas angry at Egypt for closing the Rafah crossing?  There are two basic reasons for this. Neither Israel nor Egypt wants the Palestinian Jihadists to ferment trouble in the Sinai Peninsula. In addition, the Jihadists of Gaza supported the Muslim Brotherhood in their fanatical attempt to establish Sharia Law in Egypt. The Egyptians said to the Jihadists and to our President—we do not want your support for the Muslim Brotherhood, they are religious fascists.

I suspect the non-Sharia states of the Arab world are getting weary of the Palestinians failing to get their act together in Gaza. For all the hundreds of billions the Western world has sent Palestinians in Gaza and in the West Bank, all they have done is purchase more weapons of mass destruction, while its leaders steal millions of dollars to put in their bank accounts.

While it is true that the citizens of Gaza are clearly the victims of  Hamas, who has placed them between their weapons arsenals and the Gaza families, we must not forget the it is the Gaza Palestinians who voted for Hamas. They are the ones who consciously chose a terrorist organization to represent them. Until they make the important decision to evict Hamas as their leaders, they must also bear the responsibility of the mayhem that exists in their country.

Israel never ceases to amaze me with their humanity for the Gazan people. Not only do they send no less than 1,200 truckloads of goods to enter the Gaza Strip during just one week during the week prior to Operation Protective Edge., they even fixed the electric power lines, leaving Gaza without electricity. They were quite literally and metaphorically, “sitting in the dark.”

The time has come for the Western nations to start encouraging the Palestinian people to take real responsibility for everything wrong that is in their lives. If God forbid, Israel disappeared from the Middle East tomorrow, they would still have to deal with the corrupt leaders and internecine religious wars that has become the trademark of Jihadist Islam since their inception.

The time has come for the Palestinian people to create a new social contract with a government that will help bring hope, prosperity and freedom to their lives. But to realize this possibility, they must stop using Israel as their scapegoat.  The Jihadist Islamic world’s inability to respect human rights for all its people is what is at the heart of this problem.