I heard the ambulance sirens wailing from my window and from the sheer quantity it was clear that something terrible had just happened. I checked the internet and saw an initial report relating that one student at Mercaz Harav Yeshiva was wounded. And I knew that it was a massacre. That’s how it always starts.
The police claim that they had received no intelligence information warning of an impending attack in the capital. But there were several indications that one was about to occur. On Saturday night I was walking in a park above the Old City at dusk. Suddenly a crowd of Arab teenagers appeared and started yelling Allah Akhbar. My big, barking dog scared them away. They were not serious but they were the harbinger of what came next.
Two days later mobs of Arabs attacked Jewish motorists in the city and nearly lynched two municipal inspectors whose car they assaulted with rocks and crow bars while trying to force them out of their vehicle. The pair escaped by the skin of their teeth as they swerved out of range and managed to drive away. I hate to think what would have happened if the Fatah-incited mob had attacked their tires instead of their windshield
Between Iran, Egypt, Syria, Hamas, Hizbullah, Fatah and the Israeli Arab leadership, the incitement level this week was so high, that the violence level crossed a Rubicon. It was only a question of when and where the bullets and bombs would start exploding not whether or not they would.
So the Palestinian Arabs and their friends have decided to murder Jews studying Torah in Jerusalem. They decided to go to the heart of the religious Zionist movement and open fire knowing the sort of passions such an attack will provoke. Apparently the terrorist was a Jerusalemite. One television channel reported that he lived in Jabel Mukhaber – a neighborhood abutting Armon HaNatziv. Not surprising.
The third stage of the Palestinian jihad against Israel has been germinating for months and now it is taking off. And the role that Israeli Arabs will play in this round will likely be an expanded one.
I have a theory I have been working on regarding the applicability of the US counter-insurgency campaign in Iraq to Israel’s war with the Palestinians. More and more I am reaching the conclusion that the place to launch a serious, directed hearts and minds operation is not among the Arabs of Gaza, Judea and Samaria, but among Israeli Arabs. They have to be given an opportunity and a reason to abandon their jihadist leaders and discredit them. They are the Arab population most open to such a campaign.
Eight yeshiva students murdered while studying Torah in Jerusalem. And Olmert, Livni, Condi, Bush and all their friends and supporters want to give these people Jerusalem. What do they see when they look in the mirror?
Caroline, no – after what happened in Umm el Fahm earlier this week, the only solution is to remove the Arabs from Israel. This is the only form of separation that will work. The Oslo approach – separating the Jews from their land has only bred more Arab extremism, intransigence and violence. Its time for a fresh approach to the issue.
The despicable massacre of Yeshiva students is proof that Islamic terrorism has infected the Israeli-Arab community. Although a laudable theory, applying the US counter-insurgency campaign in Iraq to Israel’s war against Islamic fascists would be ineffective, unless there is a change in leadership at the top. Without a courageous premier, Israel will continue to have a weak deterrent against Islamic fanatics. Now is the time to demand that Shas leave the government and bring on new elections.
Another misunderstander of islam acts out. Condolences to the families of the children murdered by this barbarian. With all sincere respect Caroline, Israel would be better served by expelling its problematic arabs than by trying to win their hearts and minds. Youths yelling allah akbar are too far gone to reach. The policy should be – one act in furtherance of an anti semitic or anti israeli agenda and (following punishment according to law if that act is a crime), the perpetrator has a choice, confinement or deportation. Can israel survive with a policy less foreceful? Of course the clueless libs will never go for it. They’ll be the death of us. You have your Olmert and the US has its democrats. Of course you are absolutely correct in your condemnation of the Republican Bush’s utterly absurd fantasy that israel can negotiate with anyone purporting to represent the palestinian people and that peace can be achieved before the end of his term in office. There is only one solution. You need to be elected PM Caroline!
Just posted this to http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1204546423800&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
I want to know, why are you doing this? I am a registered Republican that voted for George W. Bush. I don’t know how many comments critical of Mr. Bush you’ve censored. Let it be known, J. Post censors are discarding many posts critical of the Bush administration.
Just posted this to http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1204546423800&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
I want to know, why are you doing this? I am a registered Republican that voted for George W. Bush. I don’t know how many comments critical of Mr. Bush you’ve censored. Let it be known, J. Post censors are discarding many posts critical of the Bush administration.
In the mirror? Even you are naive on this one Caroline.
THEY
DON’T
LOOK
Caroline, I wish you were our SecState.
The shooter–was he an Israeli citizen?
How does citizenship work out with the Arabs in Israel?
Caroline: Hearts and minds? You mean all of the perks that go along with living in Israel – the welfare for polygamy, the education, the health care, the opportunity, isn’t enough to make Israeli Arabs loyal to Israel? Now you think winning “hearts and minds” is the answer? I’m disappointed in you, Caroline. How much more does Israel have to give? Coming from a postiion of weakness has never worked with the Arabs. It only makes them bolder. Israel has given more for peace – remember Gaza? So where’s is the peace they agreeded upon – or did they mean pound of flesh?
I know it is way too late to comment on this incident, it being April 2nd already; but this pigua has special meaning for me, because it happened on the very night of my son’s wedding, outside of Rehovot. We saw a brother of the kallah running with cell phone in hand, after reading the text message he received of the terrible news. One of our guests, a good friend of mine of 30 years, since we had lived in Gilo, Jerusalem, was frantically on the phone with her daughter; they live in Kiryat Moshe. Her daughter had heard shooting from the window, while babysitting her little brother while her parents were at my son’s wedding.
Every time I read an article about this, or similar atrocities, my blood begins to boil and I re-think the need for a JDL. We say, ‘never again,’ but it always happens, again and again.
Is it time for a revolution against the Israeli government? Is it time to create Medinat Yehudah?
Is it time…?
Ayatollahs rely on Caroline Glick’s articles for an honest and insightful analysis of their stupid, crazy, asinine foreign adventures. [signed, Dr. Knew, clinical psychologist at Strange Ways]