We've Come a Long Way

Obviously, the whole world isn't going to read this Jewish paper, but let's discuss why you are so disturbed and upset these days.

You've always been upset with me. These days you're complaining a lot about "power" and "occupation," but if it's not one thing, it's another. We weren't born yesterday, and this has been going on for quite some time. While you seem to have a rather short memory, we have a very long history behind us.

The Crusaders were so upset with me that they slaughtered multitudes on their way to the Holy Land. I also upset Chmielnicki's Cossacks who massacred tens of thousands in 1648-49. I upset the Church into issuing oppressive edicts, bulls and Inquisitions, and I also upset the Church's archenemy, Martin Luther, who called for burning synagogues with the Jews within.

The rationale for all those horrors was that my unique lifestyle upset and irritated you. It was all my fault. Your constant outbursts actually pushed me recently to go back home from where I was evicted 1,900 years ago by the Romans, who apparently were also upset.

You were so happy to see I was actually moving away, that you approved it. Yet you're still upset, even after I left your ghettoes to find myself a little peace in my own place.

You find it difficult to make peace with a strong and proud Israel. You just couldn't digest our miraculous 6 Day War victory, and our surviving the Yom Kippur War. Thank G‑d we lived through those crises, and G‑d willing, we'll live through the Oslo Deception, too.

You seem to be very upset about the lands of 1967, the supposed sole obstacle to peace. (But you were not at all upset between 1948 and 1967 when Egypt and Jordan occupied those very areas, and did not establish a Palestinians State in those territories).

Let's look back. In 1920, 1921 and 1929, there were no '67 territories to disturb the peace. Indeed, there was no Jewish State to upset anybody! Yet, the upset Palestinians killed defenseless Jews in Jerusalem, Jaffa and Safed, slaughtering 67 one fine day in 1929 in Hebron. Why did Arab rioters kill 510 Jewish men, women and children in 1936-39? Was it Arab rage over Israeli aggression in '67?

And when you proposed the 1947 Partition Plan for a "Palestinian State" alongside a tiny Israel and the Arabs went to war killing 10,000 Jews -was that a result of the "67 aggression"?

We drew universal condemnation when we destroyed Saddam's nuclear reactor in 1982. If you only knew then what you know now!

Now, some of your European Holocaust perpetrators and abettors have suddenly established themselves as the arbiters of wrong and right. The Arab propaganda machine is well oiled. They rant and rave and constantly criticize every move I make, so I can't defend myself from unrelenting attack.

After the Holocaust, we vowed "Never again!" Exactly what part of that don't you understand?

Before 1967, when the Arabs had all the territories they now demand- it was the same hate, the same war cry of "itbach-al-yahud" massacre.

Just like today. The same people, the same goal - to destroy Israel. What they failed to do then, they try again today - why can't we stop them?

Where in the world were you during the Holocaust when babies were thrown into ovens? You stood by passively in 1948 as seven states ganged up to kill Israel at birth. You stood by in 1967 as Nasser incited mobs in every Arab capital to drive us into the sea.

While Israeli soldiers do everything to minimize loss of life, even at their own risk, these maniacs add iron nails to the explosives to maximize human pain and suffering.

Why in the world don't you rush to protest when suicides bomb Jews? How do you let hypocritical racist   regimes accuse us of racism? How dare you pontificate that we turn the other cheek?

Your double standard and investigative teams are a sham. Shame on you!

It seems that even the good guys didn't fully appreciate the gravity of terrorism until it hit home on 9/11.

Do I feel lonely? No, I feel unique and special! I am concerned, but I don't despair. Truth will prevail. We haven't lost our vision, as we look forward to a bright future and the ultimate peace of Redemption.

Despite all our problems, we still think the world of you, and pray for the day when "the world will be filled with the Knowledge of G‑d as the waters fill the sea."

Yours truly,

Israel