Over the last few days together with people all over the world I have been watching the heart-rending scenes that have come out of the Gaza strip. Beyond the immense sympathy I have for the Jewish residents of Gaza and their cause, I am deeply bothered and troubled by the ramifications this expulsion has in the wider context.
Since antiquity Jews have been evicted from many countries. There was the expulsion of the Jews from England in 1290 and from France is 1306 and from Spain in 1492 and then from Lithuania in 1915 and many others before, in between and since. The most brutal expulsion was by the Nazis who not only kicked Jews out of their homes but gassed them as well. The singular reason Jews were expelled from their homes throughout the ages was because non-Jews could not tolerate living beside them.
In 1948 after the decimation of Jewish life by the Nazis the State of Israel was established. This gave Jews new hope – never again would Jews be thrown out of their homes solely because the gentile neighbours could no longer tolerate them. Never again would fascism cause Jews to be killed and displaced. The new Jewish state would eliminate non-Jewish aggression towards Jews. This was seen as the raison d’etre from Israel’s creation and its continued existence.
Over the last few days Israel has failed its own litmus test. Not only has Israel not prevented Jews from being expelled from their homes due to gentile aggression, but its own government, police and military have now actually acted as proxies for that aggression.
I have lived amongst gentiles in Britain and the USA for most of my life. Admittedly, there were times when anti-Semitic comments made me feel uneasy: however I was never made to feel that as a Jew living in a gentile land my life was in danger. The reason for this is that Britain and the USA are tolerant countries where Christian, Muslim, Jew, Sheik and Hindu can all live peacefully side-by-side.
Not so the Middle East – there is not a single Arab country where Jews can live safely and peacefully. The only reason this expulsion of Jews is taking place is because without Israeli military protection Jews living in Gaza are in mortal danger from their Arab neighbours who would like to murder them. Clearly Israeli government is evicting Jews out of their homes solely because their fascist Arab neighbours cannot tolerate living next to them. Unbelievably we are witnessing an Israeli government working in tandem with anti-Jewish fascists. Unfortunately therefore, Ariel Sharon has now debased the very foundation upon which Israel was built. Inevitably, albeit reluctantly, the only conclusion I am able to draw from the events of the last few days is that we can no longer trust Israel to look after the interests of the Jewish people. As always our trust rests solely with the Almighty blessed be He.