A large belligerent vessel heads defiantly for the Gaza war-zone. Hastily stocked with expired medication and similar supplies of compromised quality, along with a veritable factory of cement and other material for Hamas fortifications, and, of course, dozens of metal bars, wooden bats, combat knifes, firebombs and the like for the sake of enforcing "peace" in the land of the Wall and Dome. The latter weapons in particular are readily accessible along the vessel's top deck. After all, what are these sea voyagers who are broadcasting jihadist chants to Al-Jazeera as they approach the Israeli coast from the Mediterranean, if not "peace" activists?
"Negative, negative." Its captain refuses to divert to the Ashdod port, where Israel will transfer their compromised cargo to Gaza under the activists' own supervision. That option is far too peaceful.
Israeli commandos rappel onto the vessel to redirect it to Ashdod, expecting insults and an occasional fist. Chilling video evidence records lone soldiers landing on deck only to be set upon by a bloodthirsty lynch-mob wielding clubs and knives. As their lives are being beaten out of them, the Jewish soldiers radio an urgent query: Are we to die at the hands of these savages, or do we have permission to open fire? G‑d had pity on them and put it into the minds of Israel's commanders to permit live fire as a last resort.
Now media, politicians and populations the world over are (again) baying for Jewish blood. The web brims with sanitized versions of Itbah Al-Yahud! in practical every imaginable tongue, shrieked by otherwise composed leaders and speakers across the globe. What a far cry from the biblical account of ancient Egypt; here it seems that not a single dog has failed to whet his tongue against the children of Israel.
In an unhealthy alliance, Pakistan's green n' white and Iran's red "Allah" are joined by the Union Jack and the Tricolour. Together they snap in a fierce gale of public condemnation, whipping the air into an anti-Israel frenzy, straining at their tethering as if wishing to fly free from the documented evidence, those sobering facts-on-the-ground.
The drama ended many hours before I opened my computer. At first, my blood boils:
"Israel raids… Israel kills… Israel boards… Now Israel must… Israel should have… Israel should now… We expect Israel… Israel needs… Israel should not have… Israel may no longer… We will not allow Israel… Sanction Israel… We demand Israel… UN condemns Israel… International reactions to Israel..."
Each nation must have its noisy say:
"France's Fillon demands… Britain's Clegg commands… Turkey's Erdogan beats the war drum… Russia's Lavrov accuses… New Zealand's McCully condemns… EU's Van Rompuy blames… Spain's Garrido condemns… South Africa condemns… Ireland charges… Pakistan denounces… Greece breaks ties… Belgium summons… United Nation's Ban Ki-moon condemns, criticizes, deplores, accuses, commands and beats his well-beaten chest."
The list flows on like the Gulf Coast oil spill and there are protests in practically every country on the globe, large and small alike.
My mind starts to numb from such a ferocious barrage of heavy words against pint-size Israel. Condemnation rains down from each direction like so many metal batons on the deck of a peaceful flotilla.
Then, through the wordy swirl on my screen, I notice a rather comforting pattern. From every site, from every page, from every location, I behold a name I adore and believe in: "Israel… Israel… Israel… Israel…" The Holy Land, homeland of our ancestors and our own as well, is once again on the lips and pens of every people on earth.
As when Joshua split the Jordan, felled Jericho and stopped the sun in Ayalon, the eyes of all nations are transfixed on our land. As if compelled by some involuntary wonder they murmur incessantly "Israel…! Israel…! Israel…!" It is clear that the post-modern world has adopted a sacred mantra, and a most biblical one at that.
Repeat after me, O ye nations, and kindly march in step: "Israel must! Israel should! Israel, Israel, Israel!"
In the eyes of twenty-first century humanity, Jews seem to be far worthier of attention than others, and the Jewish homeland far outweighs any other real estate on the globe. Consider:
Thousands are maimed, burned and killed in Darfur while the nations are entranced by Israel. Mexican drug wars, nomadic hostilities in Sudan, Pakistani battles against the Taliban, India's war with the Maoists, religious purging in Egypt, and a heartbreaking etc., are deemed insignificant compared with the mere fluttering of an Israeli leaf. A ship with its full crew is sent to the seabed by North Korea, barely ruffling the occasional feather, while an act of Israeli defense against jihadists bent on murder (and supplying terrorists) elicits Hiroshima style condemnation from the gritted teeth of every nation.
Israel's ancient sages present a fascinating theoretical exchange between the Messiah and the Jews at the time of the dawn of redemption. G‑d's anointed informs his brethren, "Prepare! The era of your redemption is upon us!" In true Jewish tradition, the Jews reply with a series of logical challenges, among them, "Are we indeed about to be redeemed? What of our ancient prophetic tradition: during this lengthy, Roman-instigated exile, we are to be oppressed at the hand of every nation on earth? Only then can we expect redemption! Tell us, King Messiah, most nations have already supplied their share of tyranny—but surely there are peoples whose yoke we have not yet borne!"
To which G‑d's anointed rejoins, "G‑d is merciful and wishes to redeem you no matter what. If even a solitary Jew winds up in some region and is oppressed by its inhabitants, G‑d in His mercy considers as if you had all suffered there! If a solitary member of a given nation stirs trouble for the Jewish people, G‑d in His mercy considers as if the entire nation to which he belongs participated in your oppression! You can be certain that the ancient tradition has been more than fulfilled."
Back to the worldwide flotilla-fury. Check your map—has New Zealand perhaps been supplanted somewhere between Syria and Egypt? Since when did they have a say in Israel's every affair? For that matter, the name Ban Ki-moon fails to have that familiar Hebraic or Arabic ring to it (unlike the rabble of ruthless rulers he represents). What of that sleepy Emerald Isle to England's left? Ireland demands that Israel extend an ear halfway around the world to consider their impolite outrage as well.
Could the maddening chorus of anti-Israel voices encircling the globe and beaming to and from space be a sign of the times? An unpleasant indication of a splendid fact: representatives of every nation under the ozone-free sun feel irrationally compelled to clear away one of the final obstructions to Israel's redemption. Let no nation claim they missed out on Israel-bashing before rays of redemption have risen! Let their mantra ring loud, as it undoubtedly will – until G‑d's anointed makes his presence felt – "Israel…! Israel…! Israel…!"
Reason will yet return to the nations. Contemplating their millennia of bias in the light of truth for the first time, they will be astounded at themselves and astonished at G‑d's mercy in frustrating the full extent of their plans, mitigating their verbal, physical, economic, or other attacks against the children of Israel.
In that imminent future, every human will passionately sustain their mantra. Not Israel should, Israel must, Israel cannot. Rather, they will pass joint resolutions of admiration and loud declarations of restored faith.
We will encourage them—and just for once, they will listen. In the words of another ancient prophetic tradition, we will address them:
"Praise G‑d all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples. For His kindness has overwhelmed us [the Jewish nation, mitigating your attacks throughout exile]; and the truth of G‑d['s promise to sustain us through suffering and ultimately redeem us] is everlasting [resulting in our ultimate restoration]. Hallelujah!" (Psalms 117)
Scream, flotilla-agitators. I'm all ears. I want to compare it to your Hallelujah!
