Page 55 - HaMizrachi Tisha BAv 2021 USA 4fb_Neat

If a youth from East Jerusalem can make East to Europe, Egyptian President Al-Sisi Where is the situation
vulgar gestures at police officers and get said “You are in the neighbor’s living room;
away with it; if they burn police cars in respect their rules.” Islam sees itself as mor- in Israel headed?
Lod but the response is that both Muslims ally and culturally superior to other nations. Toward a crossroad. Each side is testing the
and Jews perpetrate terror and the media But, as Al-Sisi said, they do know how to other. The continued attacks in Lod showed
blames the violence on Jewish right-wing respect the laws of the host. that there was not enough of a response.
groups – the Arabs and Islam view this as But the host cannot earn respect for its laws, These kinds of events may reoccur because
a huge success. I was not surprised regard- traditions, or even life if they don’t do so with Israel did not respond with enough force.
ing the riots – I suspected it would happen strict enforcement. The West has an aversion Nothing changed. The Arabs will continue to
sooner or later, since our control and deter- to the use of force. But coexistence is possible be a part of society as if nothing happened.
rence, whether within Israeli cities or out- only under very clear conditions. We need to But they are testing us; it’s a test for Israel
side, declined. break off of our Western thinking and con- and Israel needs to know how to act. Unfor-
Is poverty part of the nect to Middle Eastern thinking, to view the tunately, it will continue until Israel accepts
the fact that there is a strategic problem.
Middle East as it views itself. There are many
reason for the ways to live next to Muslim neighbors who
violence and crime? are citizens in peaceful communities when An important part of dealing with any
problem is to recognize the problem. What
there is no amassment of arms and there is
The West always assigns a reason for every- no violent energy that is not dealt with and is the story? Is this an appropriate story,
thing. According to Western thinking, a then comes out against you. what the media is telling, what Israel tells
terrorist commits a suicide attack because itself – according to the problem? No. Our
his father was stopped at a checkpoint and Is there a difference lack of recognition in terms of what is hap-
the occupation denied him his rights. When between religious and pening is one of the biggest problems. The
a brother murders his sister for dating a protests all have the same message: you
non-Muslim in what the Muslims call an secular Muslims? are a Jew. It does not matter if you are left
“honor killing,” we call it a domestic or There is no such thing as “secular” Mus- or right or religious or not – you are a Jew
romantic homicide. We say thievery of Bed- lims. An Arab teenager in Lod told me: “I and we will pelt you with stones. I think
ouins in the Negev has a criminal basis and drink alcohol [prohibited in Islam] and have the Jews in Europe are starting to under-
breaking into houses in Lod is called prop- never been to Al Aksa in my life. But I would stand the same thing.
erty theft. give my life for it.” Why? Because there is a A Jew is a Jew; Jews need to take responsi-
But really, these are not separate issues. concept of the nation, one tribe. We think, bility and recognize that what is happening
There is one element – the tribe. The tribe “They’re secular, they’re enlightened and to them happened to their grandparents.
has clear rules. Violence institutes the rule advanced, they wear Western clothing and My grandfather lived in Iraq in complete
of the tribe, and if you allow me to steal symbols.” We must differentiate between coexistence with the Arabs. On Shavuot eve,
from you, I steal. Bedouin thievery in the Western symbols and Arabic thinking. 1941, the Arabs rose and killed 200 Jews,
Negev, agricultural terror, attacks on Jews, What about the Chris- maiming many others. We can’t search for
stealing cars, even unlawful driving – none acceptance from other nations. We have to
of these are separate issues. It’s a way of test- tian Arabs – here do just be Jews. To be who we are, who we are
ing the weak spots of the enemy, of testing they stand? meant to be.
Israel. The solution: to wake up. Can you give us any
The Arab Christians understand the lan-
By the way, “honor killings” are also violence guage of the Muslims; they can understand parting words?
– violence is violence. Israel is beginning to the underlying messages of the Muslim
understand that domestic violence turns community. They fear for their lives because Am Yisrael has always gone through these
into violence in the streets. they are loyal to Israel, while the loyalty of kinds of things. Ein ye’ush, there is no despair.
We are still here, we are fighting. Someone
Is coexistence the Muslim community is doubtful. The Pal- who thinks the war is over will be taken
estinians, many of the Israeli Arabs and the
possible? surrounding Arabs such as Hezbollah have by surprise. Someone who knows they are

not truly accepted the existence of Israel. a warrior will be prepared even if the war
Of course. There are plenty of Islamic com- The Christians are another story. They see changes face and pace. The last bracha of the
munities that live under non-Islamic rule. the country as their own, but they know Shemonah Esrei is for peace. One who wants
The question is how much we clarify and what will happen if Israel does not enforce peace knows that sometimes we must fight
institute the laws. for it. n
the rule of law – they will be the first to pay
Addressing the refugees fleeing the Middle the price.

| 55