The Tale of Two: Echoes of the Past in the Present

This week’s blog begins with The Tale of Two, exploring the story of Jacob and Esau and how their ancient enmity resonates in today’s world. The blog delves into a fascinating range of topics, including a comparison of the creation of Israel and India, the stark contrast between November 29th—the UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People—and November 30th, the Day of Commemoration for the expulsion of 850,000 Jews from Arab countries during Israel’s War of Independence. Through these parallel narratives, we uncover contrasts, draw comparisons, and explore deeper meanings. A thought-provoking and engaging read awaits.

In this week’s reading of Toldot, we encounter the famous scene of two brothers, Jacob and Esau, locked in conflict. This is no mere sibling rivalry—it is a foundational narrative that transcends the personal and reverberates through history. Tradition holds that Esau represents Rome and Western civilisation, while Jacob is the forefather of the Jewish people. This internal battle, rooted in their mother’s womb, seems to persist even today, manifesting in cultural, ideological, and political clashes.

From the Torah’s wisdom to the modern-day headlines, we see the same patterns play out. Whether in Israel, international diplomacy, or global environmental talks, the narrative remains: a tale of two, a struggle for justice, and the quest for a balanced and truthful story.

This battle is not confined to the abstract; it spills into modern geopolitical realities such as the IJC(Internal Court of Justice) arrest warrants on “reasonable grounds” of Netanyahu and Benny Gantz for:

• War Crime of Starvation: Utilizing starvation as a method of warfare.
• Crimes Against Humanity: Engaging in acts of murder, persecution, and other inhumane actions.
• Directing Attacks Against Civilians: Intentionally targeting civilian populations.

These warrants limit the rights of any country to legitimate self-defence. It potentially applies to any Israelis, or ex-presidents of the US), revealing the hypocrisy and supporting terror.  It is a travesty of justice when antisemitism is woven into so-called laws and criticisms of Israel’s policies, undermining the enduring struggle for legitimacy and justice in the global arena.

It is worth noting The UN’s Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Nderitu, has been dismissed after refusing to label Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide.

Nderitu, an expert in genocide prevention, emphasized that the term “genocide” should be used correctly due to its legal and political significance.

She argued that Israel’s efforts in Gaza aim to dismantle a terrorist regime, not to exterminate an ethnic group, and highlighted Israel’s efforts to minimize civilian casualties.

Her stance, which contrasts with the narrative of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, led to her dismissal.

This is a continuation of the enmity of the hate of what Israel and Judaism represent.

Indeed, American historian Perez Zagorin wrote:

“Of all the great world religions past and present, Christianity has been by far the most intolerant. This statement may come as a shock, but it is nevertheless true. In spite of the fact that Jesus Christ, the Jewish founder of the Christian religion, is shown in the New Testament as a prophet and saviour who preached mutual love and nonviolence to his followers, the Christian church was for a great part of its history an extremely intolerant institution. From its inception, it was intolerant of other non-Christian religions, first Greco-Roman polytheism, then Judaism, from which it had to separate.

Every wing of Christianity has its own infection of antisemitism. Luther infected Lutheranism. And Lutheran lead to more bitter Christian persecution of other Christians, and inquisitions, blood libels, and exclusion of the Jews from cities and society.

While some of the popes since Vatican II have shown surprising humility, seeking reconciliation with their Jewish origins, Pope Pius 12 was intensely pro-Hitler and antisemitic Catholics were central participants in the Holocaust. Gerald  Posner said,  of the 50,000 Nazis who administered the concentration camps,   “three-quarters of the Nazis were Catholics. Several were also Lutherans. But the hierarchy was all Catholic.”

Some things don’t change.

A Tale of Two Headlines

Media bias further exacerbates the double standards.

Headlines such as the BBC’s “20 Killed in Beirut Attack” while downplaying and not reporting the last 14 months of rocket attacks targeting Israeli civilians.

The narrative skews sympathy away from Israel, failing to provide a fair portrayal of events. If journalism is meant to be impartial, then it must also reflect the terror endured by Israelis over the past 13-14 months, including the loss of many civilian lives and displacement of over 100,000 Israelis.

Another double mistreatment

Bereaved parents at Supreme Court: ‘The enemy gets aid, what about the hostages?’

There is no need to add any more words to this headline.

During the hearing, families who lost loved ones in the October 7th Massacre and during the war were enraged. “It’s crazy that the State of Israel sends aid to Hamas and supports and feeds terrorism. Do our hostages get humanitarian aid?” shouted Galia Hoshen, the mother of Hadar, who was murdered at the Nova music festival.

And despite this, we are still accused of “Utilizing starvation as a method of warfare”. How perverse !!

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/399688

Modern Struggles for Resources and Justice

This narrative of imbalance is not limited to the Middle East. At the COP29 Climate conference, discussions about rebalancing funds for developing countries revealed a global battle for resources and influence.  Headlines about $300 billion in commitments highlight the scale of these struggles. Yet, underlying these financial pledges are competing narratives: who deserves support, and at what cost?

Even the biblical echoes are hard to ignore. Stories like Isaac drilling wells for water in this week’s reading—disputed by locals and eventually moving to Rehovot—resonate with modern struggles over land and resources. Places mentioned in the Parsha, like Beersheba and Rehovot, now thriving modern Israeli cities, are reminders of our connection to the land. Accusations of colonialism against Israel fail to grasp the deep historical, legal and spiritual roots of Jewish presence in Israel.

See my blog for further insights:  https://upgradingesg.substack.com/p/cop29-and-the-wells-of-responsibility

The Double Standards of Refugee Narratives: Lessons from 29 and 30 November

29 November is internationally recognised as the UN’s Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (1977).  November 30th is the day designated by Israel to commemorate the expulsion of Jews from Arab lands and Iran. These days, tied to the UN Partition Plan of 1947 (Resolution 181), highlight the plight of Palestinian refugees and their unresolved status in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Yet, it is often overlooked that the same historical moment ignited another refugee crisis: the mass expulsion, ethnic cleansing, theft of their property and persecution of nearly 850,000 Jews from Arab countries. These refugees, stripped of citizenship, homes, and livelihoods, were absorbed and rebuilt their lives in Israel and other countries. The stark difference in how the parties treated the two refugee populations reveals a troubling double standard.

I am sharing this post and image which I came across on Facebook, as well as a short video on the ethnic cleansing of the Jews from 1948. (And let’s not forget (as if we could) the genocide of Jews that took place in the Holocaust)

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OdOEmV6FKE

Two Refugee Crises, Two Responses

When Israel declared independence in 1948, it became home to waves of Jewish refugees fleeing Arab and Muslim-majority countries. Persecuted, attacked, and dispossessed, these Jews were forced to leave their ancient communities behind. At the same time, Palestinian Arabs displaced by the conflict were confined to refugee camps in Arab states, where they remain to this day.

Israel’s Response to Jewish Refugees

• Absorption and Integration: Despite being a young and resource-poor state, Israel housed refugees in temporary centres and worked tirelessly to integrate them into its society.
• No International Aid: Unlike Palestinians, Jewish refugees received no international support and were instead absorbed through Israeli determination and resilience.
• Cultural and Economic Revival: These refugees enriched Israel’s cultural diversity and contributed to its rapid economic growth.

The Arab Response to Palestinian Refugees

• Refusal to Absorb: Arab states rejected integration, barring Palestinians from citizenship and employment.
• Institutionalizing Refugee Status: Unlike Jewish refugees who rebuilt their lives, Palestinians were placed under UNRWA’s mandate, perpetuating and increasing their refugee status for generations.
• Education for Hate: Refugee camp schools run by UNRWA glorified violence and fostered resentment, embedding hostility, and enabling terror toward Israelis and Jews into new generations.

It is no surprise that Israel has outlawed UNRWA.

30 November: Remembering the Forgotten Refugees

In 2014, Israel designated 30 November as the official day to commemorate the expulsion of Jews from Arab lands and Iran. This day serves as a counterbalance to the focus of 29 November and a reminder of the forgotten refugee crisis that unfolded parallel to the Palestinian narrative.

And talking about refugees, how many have heard of the Rohingya refugee crisis (I did not). It is one of the most severe humanitarian tragedies of our time. These atrocities have resulted in over 3.1 million people being displaced and 18.6 million requiring humanitarian aid within Myanmar due to systemic ethnic cleansing, with mass killings, sexual violence, and the destruction of entire villages by Myanmar’s military since 2017. Despite the scale of this tragedy—culminating in the world’s largest refugee camp in Bangladesh—there is little media coverage, international attention and no protest on the streets (Ditto – Sudan civil war atrocities). Source

Moving Forward: Toward Balanced Solidarity

To achieve a fair and lasting peace, it is essential to address this equitably by:

1. Reforming/outlaw UNRWA: Transition Palestinian refugees to a framework emphasising resettlement, emigration ( similar to the Syrian refugees) and empowerment.
2. Recognize Jewish Refugees: The international narrative should include the stories of Jewish refugees to ensure balanced historical accountability.
3. Foster Regional Integration: Encourage Arab and Western states to integrate Palestinians, as Israel did with Jewish refugees.
4. Promote Education for Peace: Replace hate-filled curricula with teachings that foster coexistence and mutual respect.

Another tale of two Wars of Independence: India and Israel

I found this comparison intriguing.

• India’s partition involved large-scale communal violence with an emphasis on internal sectarian conflict.
• Israel’s independence involved both a war for survival and a conflict with external Arab states, alongside internal displacement of populations.

Both events resulted in British bias and incompetence, significant loss of life, mass displacement, and enduring regional tensions.

Conclusion

The tale of two—be it Jacob and Esau, Jewish and Palestinian refugees, or modern political rivalries—reveals the enduring tension between competing narratives. Justice and peace can only emerge when these stories are truthfully told, acknowledging suffering and resilience. The international community can pave the way for reconciliation, dignity, and a future rooted in truth by embracing a more balanced solidarity.

Accusations of colonialism against Israel ignore the deep historical and spiritual connections of the Jewish people to these lands. The irony is striking: nations quick to label Israel as a coloniser, accusations of crimes against humanity et al (while ignoring their own skeletons in their closet) remain guilty and complicit in perpetuating both Israeli and Palestinian suffering by preventing and denying them opportunities for integration and peace.

More insights from my previous blogs:

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/war-lies-and-hypocrisy/

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-day-after-the-30th-of-november/