Middle East war drums create dangerous times
Antisemitism breaks out at shocking levels near, far following Hamas attacks
Bad things are brewing and one wonders what will be the proverbial gas thrown on the Middle East bonfire that explodes.
Hamas’ murders that killed more than 1,400 Israelis on Oct. 7–view a map of what unfolded here– served as the spark. On Oct. 18, a misfired rocket by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad landed near Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, killing likely 100-300 people. Hamas and the dominant western media blamed Israel.
That Hamas lie ramped up antisemitic behavior that already surged worldwide. Throughout the Middle East, Europe, and the United States antisemitism is unfolding at a pace not seen since perhaps World War II.
On Oct. 23, Israeli leaders gathered 250 international journalists at a military base near Tel Aviv to show them the Hamas videos as they recorded their orgy of savagery. David Patrikarakos, a British author and war correspondent, wrote “I watched Hamas unleash hell” for The Free Press. They are the most unspeakable acts of terrorism one will ever read.
The reactions at home and abroad have spawned intense antisemitism. Reuters published an article Oct. 31 focused on this trend. It reported:
One common thread is that anger over the deaths of thousands of Palestinians as a result of Israel's bombardment of Gaza is invoked as justification for verbal or physical aggression towards Jews in general, often accompanied by the use of slurs and tropes rooted in the long history of antisemitism.
Hamas sympathizers justify that any Jew killed is equal to anything Hamas did. I reject arguments of “both sides,” “moral equivalence,” or an “Israeli genocide in Gaza.” On Nov. 1, 50 members of the Israeli Knesset viewed 47 minutes of video from the Hamas attacks. They cried, fled the room, and one fainted.
While Israel and Gaza are ground zero, actions in other nations have intensified the situation. Consider the following:
Iran has been war-gaming.
Turkey–a supposed NATO ally–is saber-rattling threats against Israel.
Hamas and Iran conducted secret meetings in Moscow.
China has sent six ships to the Middle East.
Houthi fighters fired at Israel from Yemen.
FBI Director Christopher A. Wray warned senators that the Israel-Hamas war has increased the chances of a terrorist attack against Americans in the United States to “a whole other level.” He identified al-Qaeda, ISIS, Hezbollah, and Iran making threats against the U.S. Wray added under questioning from U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-FL, that if Americans see something suspicious, they need to tell law enforcement.
Egyptian prime minister Mostafa Madbouly said Egypt was “prepared to sacrifice millions of lives to ensure that no one encroaches upon our territory,” dismissing requests for the settlement of Palestinian refugees in Egypt.
This column three weeks ago had bullet points where people should cast attention. The southern border is a terrorist’s dream. Does the federal government know how many military-aged men have crossed the border?
That should raise any American’s vigilance, but the antisemitism unfolding overseas is shocking.
On Oct. 29, an antisemitic lynch mob in Russia’s north Caucasus stormed an airport.
Yaroslav Trofimov. The Wall Street Journal’s chief foreign affairs correspondent, reported the following with an attached video from Dagestan, Russia: “Mobs break into the Makhachkala airport, in Russia’s north Caucasus, looking to lynch Jews after rumors spread about the arrival of Jewish refugees from Israel.”
There are reported shocking increases in antisemitism in England, France, and Germany. There have been pro-Palestinian protests, attacks on Jews, and the Star of David painted on their homes or businesses.
The New York City-based Anti-Defamation League has a sampling of the antisemitic attacks since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks overseas here.
It is not just overseas where the reaction is ugly. We could be replaying the spring and summer 2020 protests and riots. It could get that serious, especially in large U.S. cities.
On Oct. 29, police surrounded the kosher dining hall at Cornell University under death threats to the students and others inside. It drove this response from Jewish group Cornell Hillel in Ithaca, NY.
On. Oct 26, Cooper Union Jewish students locked themselves in a section of the library after some pro-Palestinian protesters became aggressive. The NYPD released them from the locked room.
On Oct. 30, Columbia University and Barnard College Jewish students condemned the inaction of their college presidents, adding they don’t feel safe on their campuses.
There have been multiple reports of people ripping down posters of the Hamas hostages, being greeted with anger for doing so.
On Oct. 29, Black Israelites had a physical confrontation with pro-Palestinian marchers in Chicago.
A Jewish sports journalist in NYC, Emily Austin, hired a bodyguard after she received rape and death threats traced to the city.
We have also seen the Brooklyn Bridge shut down at least once with a huge pro-Palestinian protest with chants of “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” This is a chant Palestinians shout revealing their desire to eliminate Israel as a nation.
The ADL has been chronicling the antisemitic events in the U.S. here. There were 109 events from Oct. 7-23 alone connected to the Hamas attacks.
Israel responded Friday with travel warnings and calling for Israelis to hide Jewish symbols.
If war drums overseas don't shock you, what will?
If the home-grown, fever-pitch antisemitism in the U.S. doesn’t shock you, what will?
The times are dangerous, and all signs point to a season of violence even in the U.S. Every American should be concerned and vigilant for such a time as this.