# 446 – Thank-you, Germany

Thank-you, Germany

Robert Habeck, the German vice-chancellor’s 7-minute speech was stunning, and should be learnt by all decent leaders. Someone commented that he’s possibly grateful that another ‘force’ has taken over the mantle of Jew-hater. But that’s disgusting. The man has put his heart on the line, backed by German law.

Refugees – we also know the word. We have around 1/2 million, currently refugees in their own homeland. But, unlike the tragedy of Palestinian refugees, perpetrated not only by Israel’s attacks, but also both by the UN and by its own leaders, Israel provides, protects, defends and cares.

Voluntarily, but also with official help, we are making every effort to get our civilians out of harm’s way. That’s the mandate of a decent democratic society. Every interviewer digs deep in their accusations of our bombing of the innocent Gaza civilians, when they know that their versions of the stories are, at the very least, distorted. ‘We have every right to defend ourselves against ultra-terrorism’. But then we don’t.

I wonder how many ‘uninvolved’ have tried to put themselves in Israel’s shoes. ‘Never again’ was the chant of the rightist Jewish Defense League, but it was imprinted in most Jewish hearts. First, Israel was established to give a refuge for persecuted Jews from other countries. Second, the Jews decided, for the first time since the Maccabeans, to ‘stand up and fight’ anti-Semitic aggression. It can be said (I say) that Israel was established with ‘Live and Let Live’ in mind.

But it hasn’t worked, primarily because our neighbours weren’t ready for decent and prosperous cohabitation. Despite that, we built a country of which most people would be proud (we ARE proud). But there is another people, which dislikes almost anything good. And that ‘dislike’ has manifested itself into a culture that not only destroys anyone/thing that opposes it, but also its own people. Even the Nazis dreamed of living beyond its victory in some kind of glory on Earth. But not Islamic terrorists. Their prospective joy, destiny, life after, is not here on Earth. And nothing must stand in its way.

And the masses support this in your countries. What are the decent British citizens going to do on November 11, when the pro-Palestinian (pro-Hamas?) hordes approach the Cenotaph? Will they stand by and watch it on the news, or will, finally, a line be drawn. I have proven a million times that I am pro-democracy, pro-decency, pro-tolerance and all that stuff, but the line has been drawn. And those who refuse to see that are the classical ostriches. Hey, if I still lived in Holland Park Gardens, I might also be drawing the curtains, closing the windows and watching the next football match on TV. But I hope not.

(If you have not seen it, ask me to send it to you – the Yemeni Muslim who asks where were they when hundreds of thousands of Arabs were killed by Arabs in Yemen, Syria, Libya, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon – in fact, in most Arab countries….Arab against Arab en masse is OK. But Israel’s tragic self-defense is genocide. Don’t you see what’s happening?).

Hmmm, those protesters outside the Israeli embassy in London remind me of the ONLY time I have joined such a crowd: in celebration of England’s World Cup win in 1966. I had watched the game at home with 3 Germans: my girlfriend, Barbara, her brother and his friend. After the game, we took the short bus ride to the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington High Street, overlooking the Israeli embassy. We joined the masses, certainly 100,000. The team appeared on the roof of the entrance. We went crazy.

We suddenly noticed the German team, for some reason also located there, almost sneaking from a side entrance into their waiting bus. We got to them and started shooting them. No, that’s possibly what the crowds of today would do. No, we waved to them, shouted to them, and actually spoke to a couple. Crowds in those days were there for the fun of it.

Not today.

An article in the Jerusalem Post weekend edition dreams of a return to Gush Katif, the Jewish settlements in Gaza. It was an interesting article. When the ‘settlers’ in the West Bank are mentioned, one only thinks of occupation, colonisation, aggression and maltreatment of the neighbours. (Mostly not true, but that’s not my point). In Gaza, the settlers had no Biblical history in mind. They actually were just ‘decent immigrants’ (like the once-decent immigrant to the UK or any other country), who built greenhouses, micro-industries, not only employing, but working with their Palestinian neighbours.

I visited there in the early days. It was beautiful. It was normal. But then came the Nazi cry: Judenfrei. Thanks to the changing political climate in Gaza, Jews were no longer welcome. Unlike Israel, in case one forgets, where the society is mixed. (Ask the Bahai’s, whose World centre is in Israel, or the Mormons, who established a university in Jerusalem, let alone the millions of Muslims and the large number of Christians). How sad. But a violent reminder of extreme Islam.

Ahmad Al-Sarraf writes in Kuwait’s Al-Qabas newspaper:

‘The Israelis are aware that they are a foreign entity in a region that they have no historical, ethnic, or cultural ties to. The only viable solution for them is to peacefully coexist and integrate with the other components of the region, without causing any major upheavals or atrocities. It is imperative that they find a way to blend in and assimilate, rather than imposing their will on others’.

Kuwait…..

This so disgusts me – this is such a blatant example of twisting the truth, that 1) I regret enjoying my visit there in 1979, 2) I regret the West saving it from Saddam, and 3)….oh, we don’t need # 3.

Urgent!

‘Immediate Humanitarian Ceasefire in Gaza’ – Surely Stephen agrees with that. The short answer is No.

‘Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza’ – Slight hesitation, but still No.

‘Immediate Ceasefire to allow the Release of ALL hostages’ (including the dead ones*) – Immediately!

‘Immediate Ceasefire to allow the Release of ALL hostages’ (including the dead ones*) and allow Hamas to leave’ – That’s a tough one. Today’s Israel will likely agree, for we still love our people more than we hate them.

I have a great idea: We let them go, but only after a chip is irreversibly inserted into each of them, so we can always watch them, find them, kill them – on behalf of humanity.

* Yes, an obvious asteRISK. ‘Dead or Alive’ is a horror. Just as they want 7,000 of their ‘peaceful brothers’ to be released from Israel’s prison, so also must we put conditions on any death toll of the hostages. If the known number is 240, and 1 dead body is produced, we should reduce the exchange by…1,027 prisoners (exactly the number released in exchange for Gilad Schalit), and so on.

I know…. It is likely that we do not have enough Palestinian prisoners to swap for our lost hostages. And of course, Hamas will blame Israeli bombing for every loss.

(It was the Gazan Ministry of Health which initially announced that 19 hostages were dead – killed by Israeli bombs. And then, perhaps a week ago, the number was upped to 50. Nobody knows…).

The Rafiah crossing (physically controlled by Gaza’s wonderful and friendly neighbour, Egypt) has been letting stuff in (I am sorry, the words ‘ humanitarian aid’ are so hypocritical) and civilians out. ‘Civilians’. Some are injured – they are obviously the lucky ones, for there are thousands of injured in Gaza.  Presumably, they are injured ‘foreign nationals’. OK, they are the lucky holders of a 2nd passport. A way out of the horror.

Some will likely be Hamas fighters. I believe 15-20 yesterday were British Palestinians. I have to say this, because I am angry and disappointed at the blindness of the World. When they get to Britain, they will suddenly become Palestinian Britons, and when they get better, will inevitably join their fellow flag-wavers: From the Sea to the River. And so it goes.

I cannot believe that I am writing this…

Stephen