Jonathan Conricus, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former Israeli Defense Force (IDF) spokesman, has an interesting take on the continuing threat situation of Israel and its perpetual need to defend itself against hostile groups, chiefly Islamist extremists.
Not to be in any way confused with many Muslim citizens of Mississippi who are far distant from this ideology and live peaceful, productive lives/ There is a skewed, extreme interpretation of the Koran that sees death, not coexistence, as a goal.
Islamic belief itself is not the enemy. Those who co-opt it and do hideous things, become so, in any society which professes peace. Leading publicly-known enemies of Israel are Hezbollah, a large Iran-backed Shia Muslim military force in southern Lebanon, and Hamas, fanatical Ikhwanists in Gaza who love whoever gives them money.
The ancient Ikhwan – “Muslim brotherhood” crosses Islamic cultural lines from Shia to Sunni and has been in several Arab states since long before Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdur Rahman ibn Faisal al Saud, founding King of Saudi Arabia, deployed them deftly during the last century in his fight to establish what became a modern, world-influencing nation state.
Though the modern Saudis lean well to the left of medieval jihadism, Sharia law still prevails in this kingdom, a study in contrasts between harsh justice and casual display of wealth. Oil is power in Riyadh, and its ascendant government, shortly to be headed by the ageing King Salman’s favorite son, has displayed disturbing tendencies to murder critics brutally and deny guilt.
This is simple despotism, but true, extremist belief is another animal altogether, and although some wealthy Saudis may have covertly funded attacks on Israel, the state itself is said to be waiting for hostilities to subside, then recognize the right of Israel to exist. It took a war for Egypt to do so, but the Saudis are flush and courted internationally – they can wait.
In contrast, the distinguishing trait of stateless Ikhwanists is religious fanaticism, found in extremist Muslim adherents who believe all who disagree with them do not deserve life. Gaza let them in. A fatal mistake.
Yahyah Sinwar, leader of what remains of Hamas, is a study in pathology and evil, representing all that is repugnant in anyone who believes and acts upon the politics of hatred with a spiritual excuse.
Sinwar does not blink at the display of fellow Muslims’ small children’s body parts after an attack, and considers them badges of honor. He is not alone in this. Whether he and his ilk still hope for the mullahs’ guarantee of joy in heaven as reward for wars on earth, their cynical use of civilian body count as a measure of success belies any claim to real jihad (“holy” war).
Between the avowed jihadists and those who hate Israel because it exists, the array of Iran-funded foreign arms deployed against Jerusalem today is startling; this has been obtained since 1948 when 60,000 hard-trained Haganah fighters fought off a concerted attempt from several factions to destroy the Jewish state before it began.
The shock and awe tactics of Beni Netanyahu in his responding vow to destroy Hamas has produced harsh condemnation from around the world, and humanitarian outcry which is wholly justified. There is no “but –“ to this, but there is reason: Israel’s existence, always difficult, now is threatened as never before, and resurgent anti-semitism in several capital cities is a warning that cannot be ignored.
Those of us who love what Israel has always meant must remind ourselves of why it exists at all……..there is a Being in the Heavens, whose name Jewish devout may not speak aloud, represented by the tetragrammaton YHWH, ”He Who Is”, Who first called Abraham and spoke to Moses from a burning bush. He is still watching.
Linda Berry is a Northsider.
