Uneven Expectations, Predictable Results

How is it that the world has come to express such unrealistic expectations of Israel? Why is it that the world anticipates that Israel will act and react with tact and patience, observing humane values and behaving in a moral manner when it anticipates no such behaviours from those countries whom Israel faces from a dire and ongoing existential menace, to protect itself and its citizens.

Peculiar that it strikes no one that the very people whose malignant values, clan morals and acts of violence, who are given unending 'free passes' from an observing world to go on to bigger and more successful acts of violence against Israel, cannot reason through to the idea that they're held to a primitive standard of social behaviour on the world stage because no one expects any better of them.

This inherently scornful characterization of a group of people, defended by platitudes relating to defensive arguments that a poverty-stricken, defenceless and set-upon group cannot be expected to observe the niceties of civilized behaviour sits well with aggrieved Palestinians who interpret this group-character-insulting expectation as affirmation of their aggrieved right-to-strike.

Each and every move Israel makes in an attempt to forestall imminent danger by pro-actively seeking solutions to benefit her longevity brings howls of anger from the world at large. A people once hounded, despised, belittled, hunted and incarcerated preparatory to extermination; well acquainted with the worst excesses that human beings can wreak upon others and sensitive to their unwanted place in history, are now accused of like behaviour toward others.

There are no parallels between fascist Germany's plans to exterminate a historical and cultural, religious and ethnic community and the attempts of the sole democratic, non-Muslim country in the Middle East to preserve itself and its people from destruction from surrounding implacably hostile forces. Yet those who criticize Israel use words like 'apartheid', and 'fascist' and 'racist' to describe an uneven struggle to exist in the face of deadly extremism.

Ironically enough, much of the criticism comes from that very part of the world that itself faces terrorist strikes, both internal and externally-mounted; from the very same mind-sets of jihadist-bent Islamists who see very little difference between Israel and all other Western, democratic countries. It's both a matter of degree and one of proximity

On the one hand, a direct geographic insult to Islam whose sacred writings forbid land once Muslim from being turned over to infidels. And once having been done, a sacred duty to restore that land to Muslim rule. And on the other hand, a burning religious-ideological mission to once again launch the tide of Muslim conquest, held in abeyance for far too long.

The corruption of the West, exemplified by seemingly loose moral standards, the freedom for people to live their lives as they see fit without injuring others, is anathema to true believers, followers of Islam. The very existence of cultures, societies, and governments whose permissiveness in permitting their populations to pursue personal satisfaction and economic success is an assault on the rigid traditions of Islamic culture.

The fact that within the State of Israel such abominations exist which run directly counter to Koranic teachings, encouraged by the state, expected by its citizens, and demonstrating the obscene excesses of capitalistic democracy is a fear and an affront to Islamists. The expunging of Israel from the area is the focus of these terrorists, God's messengers.

The brutal, conscienceless manner in which they plan and execute murder is merely an extension of the old tribal culture of hatred and suspicion and vengeance they have long lived with and find comfort in. Their subliminal selves know nothing else than to threaten, inveigh against, rattle arms, confront and attack. There are no sensitive, empathetic facets to their psyches. The hatred and competition between Fatah and Hamas a case in point.

Anything is permissible, indeed is required to attain the end, to elevate Allah to His proper place in the world, to bring honour to their enterprise by serving Mohammad as a sacrifice to the code of jihad. This is an implacable design for domination. A non-questioning need to extinguish as many infidel lives as expedient and required to accomplish the divine purpose.

How to reason with this theocratic ideology? Yet patience is cautioned, good will is anticipated; Israel must, because the world expects it, turn the other cheek, wait, then again.

Wait, but never defend itself too vigorously, too clumsily disproportionately.