It will draw criticism from anti-Israel and pro-Israel readers, but I need to say this: Israel, I am SO proud of you. Please don’t take offense, but as a follower of the One who teaches love of enemies and the extension of mercy to those who hate and spitefully misuse us, I am left dumbstruck and even ashamed at the way you outshine my so-called Christian world.
Of course, I can (and I’m afraid I too often have to) strongly criticize your leadership because it appears to be falling over backwards to cater to world opinion and to pacify Israel’s enemies, almost always at the expense of their own people.
Sometimes the blindness of those you elect is staggering to me, and but for my faith in your God I would be tempted to give in to despair and at times even resign myself to your national demise. In the words of Bob Dylan: “When you gonna wake up?!”
But I am writing this to praise your leaders, not to castigate them.
This morning I read three official statements by Israeli officials in response to the outpouring of antisemitism and hypocrisy that greeted Israel’s fully justified and incomparably careful response to the genocidal efforts of the Palestinian Arabs in Gaza.
Hardly anyone will get to read these; even fewer will report them, so I am reproducing them here in full.
First: The response of Israel’s Foreign Ministry to reports by so-called human rights organizations slamming Israel for the difficult humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip:
The government of Israel respects the activities of a wide range of international NGOs in the Palestinian Authority and in the Gaza Strip. The government maintains a constant dialogue with the majority of these organizations, including most of those signed on this statement.
Unfortunately, and not for the first time, these organizations fail to face the reality and sequence of events leading to the deteriorating situation in the southern regions of Israel, as well as in the Gaza Strip. If only the Palestinians chose to cease their pointless and indiscriminate firing of rockets and missiles against hundreds of thousands of Israeli civilians, the entire region would return to a normal routine in which Palestinians and Israelis could once again enjoy their daily lives.
As stated to these organizations time and time again by the Israeli government, they should point their criticism towards the Hamas terrorist organization that controls the Gaza Strip, and not against the State of Israel.
Second: The response by the Coordinator of Government Activities in Samaria and Judea to the report by so-called human rights organizations damning Israel for the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza:
Hamas responsibility
The Gaza Strip was taken over violently and illegally by the Hamas terror organization. All possible existing humanitarian allocations are utilized by Hamas. Hamas takes advantage of the humanitarian crossings, using them to send terrorists to attack Israeli civilians, while at the same time targeting the very crossings that enable the entrance of humanitarian aid for the Palestinian population in Gaza.
Despite this, Israel remains committed to the humanitarian effort in the Gaza Strip, and acts accordingly.
Primary responsibility for all occurrences inside the Gaza Strip since the Israeli withdrawal and dismantling of all settlements there is the Hamas terror organization, which should answer to criticism.
Shortage of medications
At the request of the international community, 84 donations were authorized since the beginning of the year. Hamas takes control of these donations and instead of transferring them to hospitals as intended, transfers them to its institutions for its own purposes.
To date, no medicines or medical equipment have been refused entry to the Gaza Strip. On the contrary, all medical supplies are given priority. The State of Israel is not responsible for the funding of medical supplies in the Gaza Strip.
Electricity
The supply of electricity to the Gaza Strip was not reduced. The breakdown of supply of electric current shows the opposite to be true:
From Egypt: 17 MW
Gaza power plant: 60 MW
From Israel: 214 MWIsrael assisted with the transfer of transformers for the power plant into Gaza, and with the entrance of foreign technicians for maintenance work on other transformers.
Only two weeks ago, the power grid in Gaza was repaired. Everything connected to it, such as pumping stations and sewage pumps, were in working order. The repairs were carried out under Hamas sniper fire, which necessitated use of protected vehicles and working at night.
Fuel
The fuel issue is also the responsibility of the Hamas. It is unclear why the Hamas does not divert the fuel entering the Strip for use by ambulances, water pumps and other humanitarian requirements. The amount of fuel entering the Strip is sufficient for all humanitarian needs, and has the full support of the Supreme Court. Current data clearly shows that that the quantity transferred exceeds basic needs by a factor of 3:1.
The transfer of fuel is also done under fire. Only three days ago (Monday, 3 March 2008), a fuel truck coming from Nahal Oz to the Strip was targeted by snipers.
The only logical conclusion to this is that the Hamas is diverting the fuel entering the Gaza Strip for its own use and for terrorism.
Sewage
Israel invests a great deal of effort in transferring cement and pipes for rehabilitation and development of the sewage system in the Gaza Strip. The Hamas, on the other hand, takes these materials and uses them to manufacture Kassam rockets.
Health
Israel continues to allow the entrance of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip into Israel to undergo treatment at Israeli hospitals. During 2007, 14,000 Palestinian patients and their escorts entered Israel for medical treatment. This amount constitutes 90% of all requests for medical treatment, each of which is checked in its own right.
This issue is also exploited by Hamas members, who attempt to gain entrance to Israel, ostensibly to receive medical treatment but actually to carry out a terror attack against Israeli civilians.
Summary
There is no other country in the world whose border crossings, used by diplomats, NGO employees and for the transfer of medical supplies and equipment, food and other goods for the civilian population, are constantly under fire. Despite this, Israel continues to allow the flow and transfer of aid.
The international community should point the accusing finger at the party responsible for the shooting at the crossings, the Hamas terror organization. It is unfortunate that they continue to target the crossing, whose only purpose is to channel the humanitarian aid to the population in the Gaza Strip.
And third: The March 6 response of Israel’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Itzhak Levanon, to a resolution passed by the so-called Human Rights Council condemning Israel for the misery in Gaza:
Mr. President, I cannot compete with the exaggerations, distortions and inaccuracies I have heard here today. I must admit that I don’t have such a fertile imagination, and am unable to point a rhetorical picture which doesn’t reflect reality. What, yes, I can do is to tell you and the council the truth, the simple truth.
The truth is, that the Hamas terrorists took over the Gaza Strip by force, and established an irredentist entity. That, they have smuggled lethal weapons into this territory with the sole purpose to kill Israelis. That, since the beginning of this year, in only two months, they have fired 671 missiles at civilians, women and children. That, they received these missiles from countries in the Middle East, such as the Iranian-made 122mm Grad missile. That, Hamas is committing war crimes and collectively punishing a population of a quarter of a million citizens living in Ashkelon, Sderot, the Negev and Netivot. That, they call for the physical destruction of my country and translate these words with deeds. That, they brought Al-Qaeda to the Gaza Strip, a fact confirmed by the President of the Palestinian Authority. Mahmoud Abbas, in the London El Hayat newspaper on 27 February 2008.
The truth is that 50% of the population of Sderot suffers from anxiety and stress. That, more than half of the juvenile population endures sleeping disorders. That, the children of southern Israel are screaming “I want to live.” That, Israel has left no stone unturned in our attempts to alert the international community that the situation is untenable. That, we have knocked on the door of every embassy and every chancellery. And the world remained silent.
The truth is, that in the 12 resolutions regarding the Palestinian-Israeli situation that have been passed by this Council, not one has made even passing mention of the relentless aggression against Israel. Not only of them has called explicitly to halt the deluge of Kassam rockets and Grad missiles. Not one of them attempted to recognize that Palestinians do not have a monopoly on suffering; not one of them acknowledged that the children of Israel have the same right to safety as Palestinian children. Not one of them attempted to empathize with the cries of an Israeli mother protecting her children, or the fear and trauma experienced while running to a bomb shelter, know that only 30 seconds separates you from death.
Mr. President, Israel will not be intimated by critical words of one-sided resolutions. We have the fundamental right to live and the essential right to self-defense. It is our obligation to protect our citizens and we will do so. The passage of yet another resolution will not waive the problem, and will not bring stability to the region. The solution, Mr. President, is deceptively simple: Hamas aggression must stop immediately. The firing of missiles must terminate completely. When the Palestinian permanent observer takes the floor, I wonder on behalf of whom is he acting? Is it on behalf of his President Abbas, who seeks peace and stability with Israel? Or does he defend the Hamas terrorists who spread suffering and desolation?
Mr. President, Another routine resolution does not show temerity. A country making patronizing statements at the High Level Segment does not demonstrate strong moral fiber. A true show of courage would be displayed if the members of this Council would look with objective eyes, would think in a non-selective way, and would decide impartially. Yet, because of the self-serving members of the OIC and Arab Group who hold a majority can block any courageous steps, that is unlikely to happen here. For those who constantly ask why we do not engage with the Council more often, it is precisely because of circumstances such as this.
Were it up to me to respond to the outrageous and glaringly antisemitic resolutions and reports of these fraudulent “rights” groups I’d be tempted to limit myself to two, unprintable words. Instead I will direct three to where they rightly belong: Kol Hakavod Israel.