From Embassies to Bloody Protests: A Lesson in Perspective

Ivanka Trump at the U.S. Embassy Dedication Ceremony by U.S. Embassy Jerusalem [CC BY 2.0] via Flickr

May 14th marked a sharp turn that will probably influence the course of the rest of the dramatic roller coaster ride we’re on. Such was the ceremony at the new U.S. embassy that took place just a few streets from where I live in Jerusalem. From now on, we will be speaking in terms of "pre-” and “post-."

It is useful to step back and get a wide perspective of the bold detailed painting. How does each stroke of the brush develop into a story? The painting contains much detail and dramatic strokes. This is actually a fascinating study of history, politics, sociology, and psychiatry. It is also a classic study in contrasts.

The ceremony stressed historical facts: those of the history of Jerusalem and of its Jewish connection. Arabs along with their Israeli leftist allies demonstrated nearby. They flew the Palestine Liberation Organization flag and denounced the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and U.S. President Donald Trump in most derogatory terms.

I could not help but think of the glaring contrast the two events presented, and how they represent the painting in its entirety. One stubbornly and boldly defended the truth, regardless of whether it made some unhappy. The other insisted upon raucously perpetuating a recently revised, concocted history of lies and hate.

At the very same moment in Tel Aviv University, Israeli-Arab students, professors, and Jewish leftist allies demonstrated with the same message as their very angry comrades near the embassy ceremony in Jerusalem. They proudly waved the flag of Israel's enemy on campus — all while enjoying the finest free education in the Middle East along with preferential conditions for acceptance.

I am reminded of a great man who once said, "You can not buy love." Many of our foolish "leaders" base their careers on the illusion that they can, and still have not let go. The Israeli-Arabs — they prefer to be called "Palestinians" — on the Tel Aviv campus fully appreciate their efforts.

May 14th was indeed an action-packed day, from Jerusalem to the Tel Aviv campus to the Gaza border we retreated to in 2005.

Along the border tens of thousands of Arabs were encouraged, urged, bribed, threatened, and blackmailed by their elected terror government to rush the Israeli border, break through, and liberate “their lands.” Many were armed. Some planted explosive devices. All were a product of lethal hate indoctrination against Jews.

Hamastan has only one agenda and they are clear about it; the destruction of Israel. They do not hide behind suits and duplicity. They are the most honest of the "Palestinians."

When Jews moved to Gaza to make the desert bloom, they created a Garden of Eden out of long forlorn places. They stood on the front lines for the Jewish people and were willing to pay the price because they were idealists. But when these thousands of Jews were forcefully expelled from the Paradise they created, things got really bad; Paradise became Hell.

As the saying goes, "If you flee terror, terror pursues you.” So far that pursuit has included a couple of wars, kidnappings, thousands of rocket attacks, gigantic attack tunnels, and fire kites that destroy the livelihood of farmers living on the Gaza border. These very farmers would love to turn the clock back to before August 2005 when they had only scorn for their Jewish brothers pleading not to be evicted from Gaza. Of course, our wise leaders in 2005 assured us nothing negative would happen and that the brutal duplicitous expulsion was true Zionism.

And on May 14th, there was a massive "popular" enemy attack on our Gaza border — the "March of Return." Israel made sure they did not get through. It cost the Arabs over 60 deaths and many wounded. Hamas got the bloody photos they wanted and the usual howl went up from the most “caring” and “humanitarian” of voices, such as Turkey. Of course, Israel's Arab Knesset members were joined by their leftist allies in completing the picture that Hamas so carefully designed.

Lots happened in the span of a day and one needs to stand back and have perspective rather than fall victim to the noise and distractions of the hourly blow-by-blow. Though it is very much in vogue not to judge right or wrong but rather accept everyone's "narrative," I choose to cut through the fog of distortion and seek the truth. The truth is that there exists a culture that never misses an opportunity for destruction and inhumanity, and there is another one that represents the opposite.

That is what I see when I step back and take in the entire painting. Perspective is very important.