Our Bustling Bibi

I think none of our previous Prime Ministers have travelled across all the continents as has Bibi Netanyahu. He hustles and bustles to make his points known. But how effective can it be?

The members of the United Nations and the European Union know fully well our history, past and present. Constantly reminding them of it is rather futile and perhaps even a bit boring. As the saying goes, “we’ve heard it all before…many times. Tell us something new that we do not yet know”.

The diplomats of the nations are not fools. They are comprised of seasoned and educated men and women who represent their respective countries and who are duty bound to toe the official line.

Nevertheless, to the credit of our Prime Minister, he does not give up. Re-telling the facts as Israel sees them adds emphasis to them. They are not simply fleeting comments but rather are statements which have been born and developed over many centuries.

The Arabs and the Muslims of the world have some chutzpa (nerve) in asserting their claim to Jerusalem, for example. The city, founded by King David 3,500 years ago, with archaeological evidence to prove it, has since that ancient time been a precious treasure to the Jews. It is in Jerusalem where Abraham brought his son Isaac to the sacrificial altar as commanded by God to test his faith.

It was in Jerusalem that David’s son, King Solomon, built the magnificent holy Temple to the glory of Israel’s One and Only God.

And as all Christians well know, it was in Jerusalem where the Jewish Jesus preached and was crucified.

There were no Muslims in the world at that time. And when Islam was founded by the prophet Mohammed, the Muslims faced Mecca in their prayers, not Jerusalem. Whereas, Jews all over the world turn facing east towards Jerusalem when they pray.

Muslims have Mecca. Christians have Rome. And Jews have Jerusalem, the holy city which is shared by the three monotheistic faiths. But for Jews, there is no more important or sacred city than Jerusalem.

In the two thousand years of our exile, dispersed among the nations, hated and persecuted because we refused to convert to false religious beliefs concerning, in particular, to the recognition of a false prophet who was proclaimed to be the messiah. For Jews, the messiah has not come and we still await his blessed arrival.

Bibi makes all these facts known in his international meetings and conferences. They sadly fall upon too many deaf ears. The age-old disease of anti-Semitism envelops many of them who disguise it as only anti-Israeli policies.

It might be better if he would distribute a copy of the voluminous book, “A History of the Jews”, to each member of the UN and/or the EU. Perhaps reading chapters at their leisure, they will understand more clearly our three thousand year attachment to the city of Jerusalem, Zion, City of David.

While traveling so frequently and so far can be exhausting, I rather think that our Bibi enjoys it. For him and his wife Sara it is a welcomed break from the daily news of corruption, money-laundering and bribery. Both Bibi and Sara are partners in the accusations hurled at them in the courts. But they don’t care.

And while they bustle down the streets of Paris, London, or Washington, Bibi can enjoy walking with one hand holding on to Sara while the other hand is used to manage the costly cigar between his teeth, and Sara can drink all the fine champagne to which she is addicted.

Meanwhile, the “un-important” citizens of Israel, people like me and you, can sit at a café in Tel-Aviv or Jerusalem sipping our café hafuch and munching on a bureka.

B’tayavon ! Hearty appetite !  And please…. Give my regards to Broadway , but not to Bibi.