Mumbai and Israel

Mumbai. It will be one more name etched in our collective memories - a picture of horror immediately associated with the word.

The depth of the tragedy is just unfolding and the gruesome details are extremely difficult to hear. We mourn the terrible deaths of so many innocent people, and deeply mourn the loss of our own. There is a plethora of information and misinformation swirling about the events that took place, and we will probably have only partial knowledge of what really transpired.

The truth is, however, we don't need the details. We have more than enough of them. We all know the source and the direction of the beyond the pale agenda of the islamists. The attack was one of the clearest pictures of the insanity of the hatred of islam against Jews, Israel and the western nations. The hotels were targeted because of the American and British patrons, and the Chabad House was specifically targeted because it is a center for Jews, and particularly Israelis as they travel. The Chabad house was hidden away on a side street and had to be located (the surviving terrorist said from Google earth maps).

But we are all responsible for what happened - the western nations in general, especially the media, and yes, our own Israeli government, are responsible for these escalating and increasingly brazen attacks . Islam has never held it a secret that they wish to dominate the entire world, and that they will use a variety of methods to do so. Some of it will be accomplished through methods of extreme violence such as what happened in Mumbai, some through quiet and behind the scenes manipulation and positioning. The key players now hold much of the world's wealth, and have in their grasp others in positions of influence who are more than willing to cooperate to be on the side of power. Ethics and morality be damned and wisdom ignored, our world leaders - all of them - would rather be on the winning side and stay in positions of power (they erroneously believe) than to act with courage against this rising scourge.

Our continual appeasement and coddling of these vile people and their agenda is so absurd and so scandalous there are no words. Legitimization of their leaders by negotiation and back room deals, recognition in the media through countless interviews and kindly words is completely irrational. This goes for the entire range of these depraved individuals, from the high-up Saudis to Arafat/Abbas to Hamas to each particular terrorist. Everything we have done simply emboldens them to move with confidence towards world domination.

The great tragedy, however, is that we, as Jews, were given a mandate by G-d to stem the tide of just such agendas, and we have instead, "turned the other cheek". We alone, were given the commandment of administering both mercy and justice, for one without the other can never work, and yet, tragically, our leaders are afraid to apply justice. How different it would be, if we in Israel, had said No. No to giving over the Land we returned to and legitimately conquered as well, No to giving up the Temple Mount, No to Olso, No to giving away Hebron, Shechem, Bethlehem, Jenin, and more, NO to expelling Jews from Gush Katif to give the Land over to Hamas, No, No, No to appeasement after appeasement after appeasement.

How different it would be if we had said Yes to G-d, and moved with courage to smash the evil in our midst - which is done both by standing up strongly for what is right and rightfully ours, and by destroying or stopping in other ways, the evil people who continually perpetuate it. That means we quickly subdue the enemy - yes, militarily - not only because that is the just thing to do, but because it is also the most merciful. Taking swift action against evil protects millions from future tragedy and violence against them.

Instead we all have nourished and sheltered the evil until it has grown out of control -reaching world wide epidemic proportions, vile and festering and ready to spew its poison in untold catastrophes.

Israel was supposed to set the standard for the rest of the world. The world, whether it realizes it or not, looks to us for example. And what a terrible tragic example we have given.

This morning it is clear that we still don't awaken to reality. Our government's response to the massacre in Mumbai was to release 250 more terrorists, ready to be jihad soldiers against us and carry out the same kind of deadly and devastating events.

Are our leaders bewitched? Are they paralyzed with fear, or are they so enamored with the attention of the world and their own legacies that they can can no longer discern between good and evil?

It seems these days that the most appropriate response to our leaders is that of our ancient prophet:

"...And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment ..... and sat down appalled." Ezra 9:3