Michael Shine – Rants on Current Events in Israel
Michael Shine – Rants on Current Events in Israel
Over the last couple of years I have been moved to write a number of articles, usually endeavoring to explain how I understand the continual ongoing conflict between Israel and its neighbors and those that claim to be ‘Palestinians’.
Nobody can be in any doubt as to which side of the fence I can be found on – but in case you are actually in doubt, I live in Israel, and although I find fault with some of the actions carried out in my name, I am firmly and unequivocally a believer in the truth of Israel’s right to exist within safe and secure borders, and hopefully and eventually in peace with our neighbours, despite their continued call for the demise of each and every one of us who calls himself an Israeli.
During the last few days there have been two despicable acts of terrorist violence carried out in the name of religious extremism. One, by a Jew on Jews, because their sexuality offends him, and one, assumedly (but not yet proven) by Jews on Israeli Arabs, in the name of nobody knows what. And what has been the result of these tragedies?
Facebook, that unparalleled in modern times, centre of social networking, has become full of posts trying to tell the world of the number of Arab atrocities against Israelis, and the number of deaths of Jewish adults and children caused by Arab terrorists, as if that is the reason that killing one of their Arab children was excusable or justified.
Well I have news for all those that have posted these messages. You are wrong! Not just a little bit wrong, but completely and absolutely wrong. Nothing ever justifies terrorism. Nothing!
We, who claim to be right in the defense of our children and of our country, we, who claim the moral high ground, have every right to hunt down and prosecute every perpetrator of terrorist violence against us, but we have absolutely no right to behave in the same manner against others.
We have no right to justify or excuse similar acts of violence that have been carried out against us, if they are carried out in our name. And whether we like it or not, these recent acts of violence have been carried out in our name, because the world will see it as that is how the Jews behave. Well, we don’t! And I will not have terrorism carried out in my name, whoever by.
Our government must use the same powers that it uses to find those that perpetrate acts of terrorism against us, to find those that caused the death of that Arab Israeli child and critically hurt his parents, and bring the full force of our justice system against then – whoever they are. No excuses.
Michael Shine – Rants on Current Events in Israel
