It’s a Mad, Mad World

When Israel defends itself, it’s slammed. When Israel sits quietly and absorbs rocket fire and terror infiltration, the world looks the other way. The hypocrisy is especially apparent in the ideological battles which rage on social media and especially on twitter.

Some armchair warriors look for opportunity to condemn Israel. They shoot first, ask questions later. They call themselves social justice warriors – and maybe they are at home. But oftentimes, when it comes to Israel they willingly compromise their own western values – even the UN Declaration of Human Rights. For instance, they appear to give Hamas and the Palestinian Authority a free pass on democracy, freedom and human rights.

Some say it’s ignorance. Others say it’s antisemitism. While others say it’s just business to score points back home. But when it comes to Israel – to the Jewish State – no matter its contribution to science, medicine, technology and the humanities – for them, Israel is always going the wrong way down a one-way street.

Take the NDP for example. At its most recent convention it had more than twelve anti-Israel resolutions – far more than any other nation state. And then, if that wasn’t enough, its new embattled leader Jagmeet Singh tweeted about the incident on Israel’s southern border with Hamas. As Israel fought to defend its border against the terror organization, Singh encouraged the Canadian government to speak out and called for “an independent investigation.” Rather than condemn Hamas, Singh appeared to be rallying his party against Israel charging that the “killing, human rights violations and blockade must end.”

Singh was not calling on Hamas to pull back its violent protestors – some of whom were carrying machine guns.  He did not seem particularly concerned that Israel’s sovereign territory close to small villages was about to be overrun by thousands of people who were calling for (literally) blood and vengeance. All life is sacred and we are saddened and deplore all loss of life – but for anyone following the Hamas twitter feed over the weekend, the organization was openly inciting violence. This was not a spontaneous protest against Israel. It was a carefully executed “march” by a terrorist group which threatened the security of a peaceful sovereign democratic state.

Similarly, to put aside concerns emanating from Green Party followers, its leader Elizabeth May tweeted: the “Gaza shootings have shaken everyone.” She had little choice given that she was in Bethlehem on a sponsored mission with the Canada-Palestine Parliamentary Friendship Group. Canadian leaders are often calling Canada to take neutral or “balanced positions” when they feel the Israeli side is better served. So do they feel the same way when the Palestinian side is better served?

Writing a fair analysis this week in the Toronto Sun, Tarek Fatah expressed: “Gaza could have been a Mediterranean paradise with mile after mile of beaches that could have turned the territory into an example of Palestinian ingenuity and resolve in the face of adversity. Instead Gaza became a laboratory of Islamic extremism where leaders of the Palestinian Authority were tortured and assassinated, thrown over the roofs of buildings and adversaries were killed and their bodies dragged by motorcyclists.”

Fatah is right in saying that “the days preceding the latest conflagration seemed to have escaped media attention, but deserve to be part of any analysis.”

That contemplation along with a legitimate movement to move peace forward is being advanced in the Muslim world – and especially by the Saudi Crown Prince. Mohammed Bin Salman may be representing a new way of thinking about the conflict, having stated earlier this week that Israel has a right to exist – a “right to their own land.” That is a positive step forward demonstrating maturity and acceptance of the State of Israel, and in so doing, can lead to a peace agreement. One hopes its been duly noted by Canadian politicians.