Shabbat Shalom 30 Adar I 5768

Fighting on two fronts
Arabs force Jews to confront them and themselves

Alaa Abu Dhein was a 20-year old Palestinian man who lived in East Jerusalem and had an Israeli ID card that permitted him freedom of movement. He also worked as a driver for the Yeshiva that he walked into Thursday evening, murdering 8 students, injuring a dozen.

What possesses a young man to wake up one morning, knowing full well that by the days end he will be dead and be responsible for the killing of possibly dozens of men his age and in this case probably acquainted with? After the bloodshed, what possesses a family and community to celebrate this inhumane act with their only regret being more human beings didn't die?

Many on the radical-left say the answer is very complicated. This is the action of an oppressed humiliated people driven to these acts by their oppressor. This ignorance comes from the Noam Chomsky's and Dennis Kucinich's of the world. No one will deny that the Palestinians are an oppressed people, but their problems do not stem from Israeli occupation. That would all change tomorrow if they were willing to simply permit Israel to exist in peace next to a Palestinian state. Arab leaders rather have their people live in poverty than have their own country if it means the Jewish State would exist with peace and security.

As expected Hamas proudly claimed responsibility for the deadliest terrorist attack in Israel in two years. Their banners wave above the gunman's home and celebrations amongst the Palestinians are taking place in Gaza and in the killers East-Jerusalem neighborhood.


As usual the world condemned the attack and has asked for calm in the region. Whatever. My answer to them is simple...fuck calm!!!. This Jew and father of two is angry, very angry. Israel is continuously giving into the demands of the United States, Europe ans the supposed moderate Arab nations, who request concessions for peace. Fine. Where is the peace?

The only result of concessions and for that matter military restraint is dead Jews.

I despise the way I feel. Jews aren't just fighting terrorists, they are fighting inner turmoil. As Jews we "love thy neighbor," hating any human being goes against everything we believe. However we are human and a lifetime of exposure toward hate toward us takes it's toll.

The victims of this massacre were all teenage children with the exception of one 26 year old male. The killer targeted a school, not a military installation or military check point, but an institution of higher learning that primarily occupied by teenagers. Seven of whom will never know adulthood.

How many times do I have to say it. Israel does not have a partner in the peace process because the Arabs don't want peace. Moderate-Arab is an oxymoron just like moderate-Muslim. If you exist please open up your mouth and say something. Until then you bare the same responsibility as Hamas and Hezbollah for the suffering of your people. You also have the same blood on your hands resulting in Israel defending itself against those who want to finish the job Hitler started.

Never again is now!

Paulie