Unequal in Death

It would have been good to see the Palestinian media immediately condemn the killing of three Israeli youth by Palestinians, just as the Israeli media rightly condemned the killing of a Palestinian teen by Israelis.

It would be good to see Palestinians march in support of Jews just as we see Neturei Karta Jews march in support of Palestinians.

Search the last time Israel initiated a rocket attack on Gaza that was not in response to a rocket attack on Sderot, Ashkelon or a Qassam Brigade militant planning an attack.

If Hamas would wait for such a day, their rocket launching pads could be dismantled.

Just as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by telephone with Hussein Abu Khdeir, father of slain 16 year old Muhammad Abu Khdeir saying, “I would like to express my outrage and that of the citizens of Israel over the reprehensible murder of your son”  – it would be good to see Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh similarly call the Yiffach, Shaar and Fraenkel families expressing outrage for the murder of their same aged sons.

It would be good to see Palestinians refer to such killers as terrorists and not as martyrs just as Israelis refer to those who kill in revenge as terrorists.

It would be good to see Hamas arrest Marwan Qawasmeh and Amer Abu Aisheh believed to be the killers of Eyal, Gilad and Naftali just as Israeli police have arrested six individuals believed to be the killers of Muhammed.

Just as Jane Eisner the Forward Editor opines for Jews to soul search on the wanton murder of this Palestinian teen, we wish for soul searching by Palestinian editors from Rafah to Jenin.

“Israeli Revenge Killing Spurs Outrage” is headlined the world over. We wish to see a worldwide headline “all UN member nations condemn the abduction and killing of 3 Israeli teens”.

This revenge killing is predictably emblazoned in The New York Times above the fold on the front page while the news of 22 Kenyans massacred and 50 Ugandans brutally murdered is relegated to pages…oh you missed it?

We wish to see Palestinians value life as Jews do more than they value death – since death brings with it the end of opportunity to perform deeds in the service of G-d and man.

Until Palestinians and Jews are equal in death we are forever unequal.