What do the Palestinians think about the murder of a young rabbi and father of six? They "welcome" it with open arms.
So what if Rabbi Raziel Shevach was said to have maintained good relations with his Palestinian neighbors?
The Palestinians are still happy that he was gunned down last week as he was driving his car in the northern West Bank. They are happy because the victim was a Jew. They are happy because the victim held a religious position: Rabbi. They are happy because the victim was a "settler."
The fact that Rabbi Shevach was the father of six children does not faze the Palestinians one bit.
For them, what is important is that another Jew has been murdered. This meant, for the Palestinians, that his presence in the West Bank also carried religious weight. A rabbi living in the West Bank is emblematic of Jews' historic and religious attachment to the land. For all those reasons, the Palestinians are happy about the murder. Notably, the rabbi's political affiliation is irrelevant. He could be from the most extreme left-wing or right-wing party in Israel – this still would not make any difference. Rabbi Shevach was not murdered because of his political views.
The Palestinian Authority and its leader, Mahmoud Abbas, have thus far refused to condemn the murder. Abbas has been quick to condemn terror attacks around the world, from Russia to France, Germany, Turkey and Egypt. When it comes to the murder of Jews by Palestinian terrorists, however, Abbas and his aides are quick to go into hiding.
 Mahmoud Abbas. The PA leader is happy a Jew was murdered, but outraged at U.S. officials who called him out on his failure to condemn terrorism. Photo: Wikimedia Commons. |
Yet, in their world, the failure of Abbas and the Palestinian Authority to condemn the murder of the rabbi makes sense. They cannot do so because they themselves have been inciting their people against Israel and Jews for decades. In the past few weeks, the anti-Israel incitement has even intensified due to U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Abbas fears that if he condemns the murder of the rabbi, his people will turn against him and accuse him of being a traitor and of "selling out" to the Jews.That view partially accounts for why leaders such as Abbas remain silent before the ruthless killing of a Jewish father of six. Fear, however, is only one reason; there is another, deeper one: Abbas and his senior officials actually rejoice in the news of this atrocity.
Here is where it gets tricky: Abbas and the Palestinian Authority cannot express their true feelings in public. That admission would jeopardize international aid lose them the sympathy of many in the international community. It would strip their masks and show them as the terror supporters and anti-Semites they truly are.
Until a few years ago, Abbas and the Palestinian Authority would issue laconic and ambiguous communiqués denouncing "all forms of violence, regardless of the identity of the perpetrators or victims." This was done merely for public consumption, to appease American and European donors.
Now, the tide has turned. The Palestinians do not even feel the need to condemn terror attacks against Jews, because the international community is no longer demanding that they come out against terrorism.
The message that the Palestinian Authority leadership is now sending to its people is that the murder of Rabbi Shevach is a "heroic" attack that brings "pride" to all Palestinians. Instead of condemning the murder, the Palestinian Authority has been condemning Israel for launching a manhunt for the terrorists and imposing strict security measures around some Palestinian communities in the aftermath of the murder. The tone on Palestine TV and Palestine Radio (both of which are controlled by Abbas) has been one of joy over the murder of the rabbi.
Abbas not only feels the need to condemn the murder of the rabbi, he also seems outraged by U.S. officials who dared to call him out on his failure to condemn terrorism.
After the murder, U.S. special envoy Jason Greenblatt and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman had the "audacity" to criticize the Palestinians for incitement and rejoicing over terrorism. What was Abbas's response to this criticism? He sent Osama Qawassmeh, a Fatah spokesman, to launch a scathing attack on Greenblatt and Friedman, and accuse them of sharing the views of right-wing extremists in Israel.
"Greenblatt and Friedman only see things through Israeli eyes," Qawassmeh charged . "They don't see the Israeli crimes or violations of international law."
This Palestinian response is meant to accuse the two U.S. envoys of being Israeli "agents," as if to ask: "How dare you criticize us?" This represents a new degree of Palestinian arrogance; they are not used to hearing any form of criticism from foreign governments, and certainly not from the Obama administration. For Abbas and many Palestinians, any U.S. official who dares to criticize the Palestinians must be on the payroll of the Jewish lobby or in collusion with the Israeli government and the Zionists.
What the Palestinians are saying is that when they celebrate murder and terrorism, they expect to be considered immune to criticism. The Palestinians want the Trump administration to return to the Obama administration's policy of scapegoating Israel and turning a blind eye to Palestinian incitement and terrorism.
The Palestinians object to interference in their terror party. They wish to continue, unimpeded, the handing out of candies on the streets each time a Jew is murdered. They wish to celebrate each and every death of an American, as they did with the celebrations that swept the West Bank and Gaza Strip after 9/11. Now, the Palestinians are celebrating the murder of Rabbi Shevach and they do not want anyone to spoil the festivities -- not Trump and not any of his emissaries.
Why do the Palestinians not want anyone to call them out? Because they are planning more killings, more terrorism, in the form of a new intifada. They are hoping that the rabbi's murder will help trigger a new holy war to destroy Israel. Just one problem marred the recent murder: Only one Jew was killed. Yet, even one killing offers Palestinians "hope" for pursuing the murderous campaign against Israel and Jews.
"The Palestinian people have not been as happy [in a long time] as they were after the killing of the rabbi," said Palestinian columnist Ibrahim Al-Madhoun . "True, the operation did not result in the death of several Israelis, but only one settler. However, it gave momentum to the effort to revive and escalate the intifada (against Israel)."
Some Palestinians should be given credit for being more honest than their leaders about their true goals.
Bassam Tawil is a Muslim based in the Middle East.
The world is beginning to consider terrorism as being normal, but the world will blame Israel if the sun doesn't shine.
From the article
Here is where it gets tricky: Abbas and the Palestinian Authority cannot express their true feelings in public. That admission would jeopardize international aid lose them the sympathy of many in the international community. It would strip their masks and show them as the terror supporters and anti-Semites they truly are.
I disagree, those that make up the international community aren't morons, they know full well what the PA stand for, and are quite happy to support them.
The issue is the general public, a Western politician can't be seen supporting terrorists without losing votes, especially after the attacks in Europe and Britain.
From your lips to God's ears.
I should qualify my "and are quite happy to support them"
There are those in the international community that fully support the PA aims of a Juden free Middle East.
However, there are those that support the PA because they aren't Hamas, or are seen as the only game in town.
So, they hold their noses and support the PA.
Either way the PA can't be allowed to be perceived as a terrorist group by the general public.
The oil-hungry European nations don't want to jeopardize their access to Arab oil, although these days I think the Arab states are "suffering" from the depressed price of oil, so maybe the Europeans shouldn't be so scared to upset the Arab nations by being supportive of Israel. Right now the Sunni Arab states are more concerned with Iran than they are with supporting the Palestinians in their conflict with Israel because Israel is an asset in their defence from Iranian hegemony.
Israel Tackles Existential Threat Posed By 16-Year-Old Palestinian Girl
HER FATHER CHAMPIONED JEWISH REFUGEES. SHE FINANCES THE ANTI-MUSLIM REFUGEE MOVEMENT.
Gatestone is ok if you are really into right wing news and views.
As for Israel, it is no better than any other nation-state. It will do whatever it has to do to keep its hegemony.
It's no surprise to me that people don't understand the motives of those who are poisoned by Palestinian incitement, who set up provocations of this type to win over the naive and gullible. I wonder what would happen to you if you were to slap a policeman or a soldier.
As it is going in Europe, and Canada, so it will go in a neighbourhood near you if you would rather kill the canary in the coal mine, or are the kind of person who would have prevented Paul Revere from his ride of warning.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/12/21/a-scholar-of-islamist-extremism-makes-a-prediction/?utm_term=.18852c47a100
Ok Buzz, explain to me why the Israeli army occupied the place where her house sits.
Perhaps if we begin with 1917 and work our way forward we shall have a clearer understanding of why that area is in its current state of turmoil.
Could it be part of lands conquered in a defensive war? Okay, if you were to start at the Balfour Declaration and move forward through all the historical mandates, agreements, etc. you will find that Israel is entitled to Judea and Samaria.
I forgot to add that the IDF may be there because of an agreement between Israel and the PA for mutual security measures and cooperation between the IDF and Palestinian security personnel that Abbas just cancelled along with the Oslo Accords (which the Palestinians contravened long ago anyway).
As well, the League of Nations mandate has never been abrogated. UN General Assembly Resolutions are not binding, which is a good thing since the Arab League and the nations that pander to it control the General Assembly, which is pretty obvious considering the huge lop-sided concentration on anti-Israel resolutions.
That's a rather simplistic dismissal to what we know is a more complicated issue. Do you not find it the least bit interesting that Jews and Palestinians lived together rather harmoniously until the British and French decided to divvy up territory according to their own whims? Arbitrary lines were drawn on a piece of paper, without regard to historical territories of the tribes who lived there. Then overlords were set up to run these arbitrary new countries, and basically, they pissed off everyone. Except of course the chosen overlords.
The entire history of the Middle East is a good argument for why nation-states are an illegitimate child of an illegitimate power grab.
Occam's Razor
You've no idea how often I've heard this kind of nonsense over the years.
It ignores that Jews and Christians lived as second class citizens, it also ignores the odd slaughter like the 1834 Safed attack.
So, give the Arabs what they want, when they want it, and they might not be violent, is that really your best suggestion?
Then overlords were set up to run these arbitrary new countries, and basically, they pissed off everyone. Except of course the chosen overlords.
It's strange I rarely hear anyone insist that Jordan be handed back to the so called Palestinians.
You know as well as I do that the reason for that is that the Hashemites are not Jewish.
Yes, but I'd like to see those that don't share our position admit it.
They won't because then it will be obvious to everyone what they are, but are not allowed to be called.