Probably one of the most oppressive emotions afflicting the
Israeli community and Jewish communities around the world
since the riots began (second only to worry and fear) is the
frustration. There is the frustration of those whose dream of
peace was shattered, just when it seemed so close to
fruition; there is the frustration over the treachery of
Arafat and his cronies; frustration about the fact that the
Palestinians seem not to appreciate at all the extent of the
compromises that Prime Minister Barak was willing to make
(with or without the backing of the Israeli people). There is
anger and frustration about where to go from here; about the
humiliation of the riots and the inability of the army to do
anything about them; about the need to plead with Arafat to
be so good as to stop the shooting; and deep frustration
about the fact that most of the guns the Palestinians are
using to shoot at us were given to them by Israeli
governments in search of peace.
Notwithstanding all this, probably the greatest frustration
and the most difficult to overcome has been at the success of
the lying and distortions of the Palestinians in the world
press, in portraying the conflict as exactly the opposite of
its true nature, depicting themselves as helpless, pitiable
downtrodden demonstrators up against Israeli aggression and
powerful cruelty.
In this, many sympathetic Jews the world over share our
frustration. It is almost too much to bear. It is almost
incomprehensible how the whole world so easily accepts the
Palestinian version of events, that they are the oppressed,
that they are being pursued and killed because of their
desire for peace by an Israel bent on crushing them.
In the riots, the Palestinians always attack Israeli
positions (both military and civilian), and their cynical use
of children is beyond cruelty. Calmly and coldly they send
them and carry them into the lines of fire, hoping and
expecting that they will be hurt or killed. Many times
Palestinian fighters shoot at Israeli soldiers from behind
children. The whole point is that their blood should inflame
passions further and win the world's sympathy for the
Palestinian cause. Parents of dead children -- mothers and
fathers -- tell how they raised their children for that
purpose, and they are proud and happy that it was
achieved.
Israeli soldiers are so careful about where they shoot, but
if a child is killed, whatever the circumstances, the
pictures of the dead martyr are shown over and over again on
the worldwide media, to "prove" how the unbridled
agressiveness of the Israelis is a danger to the
Palestinians.
Israel should welcome an objective international fact-finding
commission or international courts to investigate the riots,
since the facts are so much in its favor, but the lies are so
strong that there is no way to be certain that the truth may
ever have a chance. And so, Israel must adamantly oppose the
Palestinian call for an international commission.
We all are the victims of the murderous Palestinian lies that
are directed against each and every Jew, but it just seems to
us that the shock is greater for one who has no previous
experience with this sort of thing.
For those like our community who have seen it in other
contexts, have already learned how to stand up to almost
uniformly hostile media, have learned how the facts can be
stood on their heads, have seen how an unfortunate mistakes
can be exaggerated and presented as indicative, and those who
know that even supposedly objective commissions and courts
can be hostile and biased -- all these recent events are much
less shocking.