Throughout history, the world has sat in judgment of Israel, scattered though Israel may be at any given time. Today, as much as ever, the nations judge and go "tisk, tisk."
Once again Israel is on trial. Out in the Hague, the International Criminal Court keeps its "gotcha" eyes on Israel. But Belgium? Yes, Belgium has given itself "universal jurisdiction" to put Ariel Sharon (and other Israelis) on trial after he leaves office. "War crimes", naturally. The complaint against Sharon came from the same people who introduced "homicide bomber" into our dictionaries. Belgium said: Great idea. This only proves King Solomon correct once again: "In the place of righteousness there is wickedness."
Maybe -- and here's a suggestion -- maybe it's time to turn the tables.
I am talking about an Israeli court, a Jewish court, to judge humanity. Perhaps something called "The Israeli Criminal Court For Crimes Against The Jewish People." This court wouldn't be in the Hague or in Brussels, but rather, in Jerusalem. Given the history of Crusades, Inquisitions, pogroms, Holocausts and today?s relentless terrorism, plus the media?s own pogrom, I think such a tribunal is entirely legitimate. Never before have the nations had to formally answer for their crimes specifically against the Jewish people. Why not? If Israel has to answer, why not them?
Let's call them in, and for once, let Israel be the judge.
Start with Belgium, and let that nation answer for its war crimes in the Congo, Rwanda, and Somalia, where millions were put to starvation, torture, rape and murder.
Bring in the families and supporters of Arab suicide bombers. Bring in all the clerics who call for jihad. Subpoena them if you have to. Bring in France for its Paris Roundup of 1942 and the 72,000 Jews it handed over to the Nazis, and which still supports the Nazis who today go by a different name.
Bring in those British newspapers that call for the dismantling of Israel, and that Oxford poet who demanded that all Jewish settlers be shot and killed. Bring him to Jerusalem.
Summon Germany to answer for... everything! Bring in Switzerland, which kept billions in Jewish gold and despite its "neutrality" helped fuel the Nazi war machine.
Subpoena all those nations that turned back the ship St. Louis so that virtually all its Jewish passengers were sent back to the Gestapo.
Bring in today's European Union, which once again consorts with genocide as it bankrolls Arab terrorism, beginning, but not ending, with Saddam.
Summon Saddam Hussein who openly subsidizes each family that sends out a homicide bomber. Ditto Iran and Syria.
Subpoena Saudi Arabia and all its princes, who raise millions to prolong the genocide against the Jewish people.
Bring in all those who dance in the streets of Ramallah and Jenin and Gaza when another bus or pizzeria goes up in flames. Summon the hundreds in Ramallah who laughed when two Jewish soldiers were disemboweled and tossed from the Ramallah police station (and who cheered when the Twin Towers fell). Subpoena Hanan Ashrawi and the rest of them who rush for the cameras to justify the murder of Jews.
Bring in Yasir Arafat to answer for the cold-blooded murder of Israeli athletes in Munich, among 10,000 other murderous crimes against the Jewish people. Bring him in again to answer for the murder of the American Jew Leon Klinghoffer, who, in his wheelchair, was thrown overboard in 1985, when Arafat's PLO thugs hijacked the cruise ship Achille Lauro.
Summon the Red Cross, which is alleged to have used its vehicles to hide and transport terrorists.
Subpoena those journalists who use their TV-marked trucks to conceal ticking human time-bombs. Let them answer as to their fairness in news-gathering. Bring in those journalists (even if they are immune from prosecution under cover of Freedom of the Press) to testify as to how they manipulate public opinion against Israel.
Yes, I realize such a decision by Israel could start a round of ?trial reprisals?. But it could also stimulate nations to judge themselves before judging others; as in the case of Belgium. An Israeli court to judge humanity would not be about revenge; merely, justice.
If there still is such a thing.
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Jack Engelhard is the author of the international bestseller Indecent Proposal and is a former radio and newspaper editor covering the Mideast, as well as a former American volunteer in the Israeli Defense Forces. His columns can be read online at http://www.comteqcom.com/jackcolumn.php and he can be reached at [email protected].
Once again Israel is on trial. Out in the Hague, the International Criminal Court keeps its "gotcha" eyes on Israel. But Belgium? Yes, Belgium has given itself "universal jurisdiction" to put Ariel Sharon (and other Israelis) on trial after he leaves office. "War crimes", naturally. The complaint against Sharon came from the same people who introduced "homicide bomber" into our dictionaries. Belgium said: Great idea. This only proves King Solomon correct once again: "In the place of righteousness there is wickedness."
Maybe -- and here's a suggestion -- maybe it's time to turn the tables.
I am talking about an Israeli court, a Jewish court, to judge humanity. Perhaps something called "The Israeli Criminal Court For Crimes Against The Jewish People." This court wouldn't be in the Hague or in Brussels, but rather, in Jerusalem. Given the history of Crusades, Inquisitions, pogroms, Holocausts and today?s relentless terrorism, plus the media?s own pogrom, I think such a tribunal is entirely legitimate. Never before have the nations had to formally answer for their crimes specifically against the Jewish people. Why not? If Israel has to answer, why not them?
Let's call them in, and for once, let Israel be the judge.
Start with Belgium, and let that nation answer for its war crimes in the Congo, Rwanda, and Somalia, where millions were put to starvation, torture, rape and murder.
Bring in the families and supporters of Arab suicide bombers. Bring in all the clerics who call for jihad. Subpoena them if you have to. Bring in France for its Paris Roundup of 1942 and the 72,000 Jews it handed over to the Nazis, and which still supports the Nazis who today go by a different name.
Bring in those British newspapers that call for the dismantling of Israel, and that Oxford poet who demanded that all Jewish settlers be shot and killed. Bring him to Jerusalem.
Summon Germany to answer for... everything! Bring in Switzerland, which kept billions in Jewish gold and despite its "neutrality" helped fuel the Nazi war machine.
Subpoena all those nations that turned back the ship St. Louis so that virtually all its Jewish passengers were sent back to the Gestapo.
Bring in today's European Union, which once again consorts with genocide as it bankrolls Arab terrorism, beginning, but not ending, with Saddam.
Summon Saddam Hussein who openly subsidizes each family that sends out a homicide bomber. Ditto Iran and Syria.
Subpoena Saudi Arabia and all its princes, who raise millions to prolong the genocide against the Jewish people.
Bring in all those who dance in the streets of Ramallah and Jenin and Gaza when another bus or pizzeria goes up in flames. Summon the hundreds in Ramallah who laughed when two Jewish soldiers were disemboweled and tossed from the Ramallah police station (and who cheered when the Twin Towers fell). Subpoena Hanan Ashrawi and the rest of them who rush for the cameras to justify the murder of Jews.
Bring in Yasir Arafat to answer for the cold-blooded murder of Israeli athletes in Munich, among 10,000 other murderous crimes against the Jewish people. Bring him in again to answer for the murder of the American Jew Leon Klinghoffer, who, in his wheelchair, was thrown overboard in 1985, when Arafat's PLO thugs hijacked the cruise ship Achille Lauro.
Summon the Red Cross, which is alleged to have used its vehicles to hide and transport terrorists.
Subpoena those journalists who use their TV-marked trucks to conceal ticking human time-bombs. Let them answer as to their fairness in news-gathering. Bring in those journalists (even if they are immune from prosecution under cover of Freedom of the Press) to testify as to how they manipulate public opinion against Israel.
Yes, I realize such a decision by Israel could start a round of ?trial reprisals?. But it could also stimulate nations to judge themselves before judging others; as in the case of Belgium. An Israeli court to judge humanity would not be about revenge; merely, justice.
If there still is such a thing.
--------------------------------------------------------
Jack Engelhard is the author of the international bestseller Indecent Proposal and is a former radio and newspaper editor covering the Mideast, as well as a former American volunteer in the Israeli Defense Forces. His columns can be read online at http://www.comteqcom.com/jackcolumn.php and he can be reached at [email protected].