What the Attack Was Not
It was not a response to “Operation Warm Winter.” These sorts of attacks take weeks and often months to plan; according to Ma’an the group that took responsibility claimed that they prepared the attack in “only” 10 days.
It is not only simplistic to assume that each attack is a response to whatever the most recent Israeli attack was, it is wrong. The Arab terrorists have never hurt for excuses to attack the Jews who want to live in what used to be called Palestine; the Danish cartoons would have been just as much of an excuse. The hate always comes first, the reasons come much later.
It was not a sign that a “calm” is over. There never was a calm.
Even though this was the worst terror attack in two years, this is not for lack of trying. Israel catches terrorists and disrupts attacks all the time. There is always an element of luck (or, if you prefer, hashgacha protis) in what attacks are foiled and which get through, and how many victims there would be. Yesterday’s eight could have easily become 40 or they could have been zero; the severity of the outcome does not reflect the desire of the terrorists – to mass-murder as many Jews as possible.
It was not an attack on a symbol of the settler movement. This was an act of opportunity, Palestinian Arabs have been frustrated so many times in so many ways in trying to re-create the daily attack environment that existed in Israel in 2001-2003 (as well as 1929, 1936-9 and 1947-8) that they are not spending time thinking about “symbolism.” An ice cream party or old age home are equally desirable targets for these depraved excuses of human beings and the equally disgusting animals who cheer them on.
It was not a victory for Arabs. Forgetting what the government may or may not do in response, the immediate and inevitable short-term result is going to be Jewish businesses re-evaluating their employment of Israeli Arabs. Just like the 2001 intifada resulted in tens of thousands of West Bank Arabs losing their jobs and the Gaza withdrawal resulted in thousands more, this will result in many Israeli Arabs losing theirs. This has its own dangers for Israel but it is catastrophic for Israeli Arabs.
About the Author
Elder of Ziyon may or may not be a real person. He (or she, or it) blogs at http://elderofziyon.blogspot.com/Filed Under: Uncategorized
thanks dave, amazing work
I’m not Dave, but you are right, he does an amazing job.
Sorry Elder; thanks for your post.
From USA Florida
Israel must do what it has to do regardless of what the rest of the world thinks. The safety and security of its citizens must be the driving force to deal harshly with these criminals.
My thoughts are with these victims and their families and foremost the Nation of Israel.
great analysis of the events.
Couldn’t make anymore sense !
Dave,
What can one say? To think this man even worked for the seminary is a double dagger in the heart.
what do you make of this analysis in the JPost? Overstated? Do you think there is a real risk that frustration will spill out into agitation…or worse?
Keep posting, Elder. Articles like this need to be submitted to newspapers and publications all over the world. May the families know comfort. B’H
Dave: It looks oversimplistic and, frankly, a bit anti-religious to me. The non-religious have warned many times of the religious public becoming violent, vigilantes or fighting against the government (when settlements are abandoned.) It has never happened because the idea of a Jew fighting a Jew is anathema to the religious Zionists.
And it is altogether possible that this is psychological projection on the part of the anti-religious in Israel, who hate the settlers more than they hate the terrorists.
Thanks Elder (I mistakenly addressed my comment to Dave, not you)
This leads to another issue.
Do we really want East Jerusalem to be part of Jerusalem and a Jewish state.
If the Arabs ever abandon their kill the Jews mentality and a 2 state peace agreement can be worked out, I’d like to see East Jerusalem (minus the Old City which is a whole other issue) and many of the Arab villages along the green line transferred to the Palestinians in exchange for the “settlements” in the West Bank.
This would help manintain the Jewish demographic of Israel.
Of course discussion of these issues has to wait until the Arabs decide they want peace.
Stan
No, Stan. No more waiting. Time to oust them over the river. It’s a them-or-us situation. Always has been. Thanks for thinking it might work after 15 years. The try-out was just swell.
Shy Guy,
Are you saying we should expell all Arabs into Jordan?
Stan
This is profound.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ouy7Cer2oZA
I’d prefer the Yangtze River but I’ll settle for the Jordan.