188 Reasons Why Today I Am Particularly Proud To Be Jewish/Israel
While I am always proud of our heritage and our religion, today I am particularly proud. Why? you may ask.
As Hamas completed its coup in Gaza, 188 Palestinians affiliated with Fatah ran across the border to Israel. Unlike the two Israelis who lost their way in Judea and were lynched by a blood-thirsty Palestinian mob in October 2000, these 188 Palestinians were welcomed into Israel, treated for their wounds in Israel's world class hospitals and will be transferred in an orderly fashion to the still-Fatah controlled cities in the West Bank.
We are a people with a tender heart. We are a peace loving people. We take out our sword ever so carefully when threatened by others. This is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength and wondrous achievement (dare I say even imitatio dei)
I know that this remarkable act of kindness by the Israeli Government, Israeli Army and the people of Israel will likely go unnoticed by the foreign press and foreign governments (unlike the lynch)but it is not PR we seek. As a people we must continue to do right because it is right and not because it is popular. And, today we did the right thing and I am very proud. We should all be.
Labels: I am always proud of
posted by Michael Eisenberg at 5:38 AM
9 Comments:
I read about this after Shabbat last night in the French press. Glad you mentioned it in your blog.
Except those same terrorists will later come to try and bomb/stab/shoot Jewish children. It is NOT something to be proud of -- sending them to Jordan or another country perhaps even Lebanon. Not here. You are being naive and foolish
I have to agree with Anonymous on this one. We are not dealing with innocent people here - we are dealing with a civil war between terrorists.
Is it unethical and barbaric to not get involved and let them butcher themselves? I cannot fathom why that is the case. These were NOT innocent women and children that were taken in by Israel - they were members of a terror organization - FATAH.
And btw - it has been reported today that Abu Mazen is refusing to allow them into the PA on the West Bank, so they are being sent back to their death in Gaza.
Let them rot in hell.
Give me "naive and foolish" over "harsh and bellicose" any day.
In any case, I do find it frustrating when people call writing like this "naive." "Naive" implies an ignorance, or at least a lack of appreciation of the nuances and causes-and-effect of the situation. Can't a person still be kind, even to our enemies, without being called naive? Can't we have an attitude of "yes, it's risky, but it's how we must act in any case" without being accused of silly pollyanism?
Anonymous & Moshe - perhaps you're not being fair to Michael.
Is there really any hope for peace?
I sure hope so. The world needs more compassion, build hospitals and schools instead of bombs and bullets. Let's hope this was a step in the right direrction.
I am not sure who posted in my name above but nonetheless.....
I do not believe this is a clear cut issue but my expressed my personal view in the blog post. Anonymous and Moshe - i certainly respect your point of view and understand from where you come.
one last point, however: Moshe refers to Abu Mazen's rejection of their entry to Ramallah. That did make me wonder about why he rejected them...It made me wonder whether my instincts were really correct and that these Palestinians had been collaborators, or friends of Israel, and hence felt comfortable walking towards our border knowing they would be well received. Just a far out thought....
Ilan:
Risk is what is taken with economic policies - not with lives. We have been down that road before - again, and again and again and again and again and again ad nauseum.
We have suffered tremendously in our quest for peace and our risk-taking along the way. So far, none of those risks has panned out.
I heard this same shpiel 3 years ago, when the Jewish communities of Gush Katif were expelled from their homes. "We need to take risks in order to better our position." "We need to show the world that we are pulling out settlements and committed to peace." Three years later, we see where these risks have gotten us.
As every good businessman knows, sometimes we need to cut our losses and sell - even at a loss. We are heavily invested in the "peace" process, but it may just be that we suffer from delusional psychosis because we want peace so much. It may be time for a reassesment of the situation in order to see what is *really* in our best interests - not simply to continue along the path that Rabin and Peres started on years ago.
Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh [is] in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it [is] the blood [that] maketh an atonement for the soul.
It is so difficult to admit that shedding blood for peace is the only atonement before His eyes.
Nonetheless, this is where Truth lies.
Good thinking Michael and very courageous.
I'm always proud of our heritage and the place I call home.
I would like to think that the world *starts* to understand our unique situation.
http://blog.imperva.com/2008/07/mediterranean-cool.html
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