Before delving into the recent story of the 27 pilots who signed a document refusing to take out known terrorist leaders, let?s first examine an even more compelling phenomenon. They are both, in fact, inter-related, for one theory feeds the other, kind of like the act of throwing cut up, bloody fish to the sharks.



The first notion involves the world sentiment towards Israel?s right to defend itself, or perhaps we should say lack thereof. Let?s start with the something as non-violent as building a wall to keep out the terrorist murderers.



Nope. No good at all, came the responses from ambassadors throughout the globe. How dare Israel do such a horrible thing? Why, it?s so offensive to the so-called Palestinians, they argued. Who wants to live behind and look at this huge wall everyday?



Never mind the fact that the US has such a wall between much of the border with its neighbor Mexico. Mind you, they?re not keeping out armed terrorists; hey, if that were the case, Uncle Sam would have blown ?em off the map immediately.



Nothing that serious, folks. No, the US just doesn?t want an open-door policy with all these illegal immigrants. I recently had the pleasure of doing some gigs for Chabad and the JCC in San Diego. One afternoon we took a day trip to visit Tijuana just a tad bit south of the border. Customs was a good two-hour wait trying to get back in. Paper and passport checks. Bags searched. And that huge ever-imposing wall with all that round barbed wire on top. I guess if Mexico started sending some terrorists to ?liberate? Texas, well, the US, in order to be consistent with its foreign policy, would just take that wall right down. Wouldn?t want to offend the poor down-trodden ?militants?, would they?



What should Israel do? Nothing, say the nations of the world. Well, nothing other than negotiate more. Talk more. And yes, for sure, give them back more land, more money, and maybe, just to show you?re really tolerant and forgiving, throw in some nice weapons, too. Why should they have to go through all that effort getting goodies illegally from North Korea and Iran?



How about the Israeli policy of destroying the homes of known terrorists and suicide murderers? Another no-no, says the world. That?s just, well, downright mean. Okay, so they came to kill you, to shoot you in your home as you?re sitting with your family for the holidays, or as you?re driving on the roads, but c?mon y?all, show a bit of tolerance here, will ya?? And yes, we know that you guys try to get everybody out of the house first. But where oh where are these poor unfortunate souls supposed to live to carry out further attacks against you?



What should Israel do? Nothing, says the world. Be nice. Take it on the cheek, mates.



How about when Israel recently declared it had actually had enough and threatened to exile Mr. Terrorist himself, Yasser Arafat? Never mind the fact that this so-called leader has been responsible for ignoring peace offers, reneging on his hollow promises time and time again, brainwashing an entire culture to hate, cultivating major racism, and fattening his own personal bank accounts with millions in world funds. Of course, any other country with half a brain would have eliminated this royal pain years ago.



What should Israel do here? Nothing, says the world. Let him be. It will antagonize the Arab world, declared the US. Huh? Since when was this a criterion for setting foreign policy? Well, let?s clarify that a bit. Since when was it a criterion for setting US foreign policy? It?s definitely not part of Uncle Sam?s play book.



Wouldn?t you think that maybe, just maybe, bombing Afghanistan off the map and taking out Iraq might get some Arabs a bit upset? Too bad, argued the US. We gotta do what we gotta do to protect ourselves. Even if it means all out war thousands of miles from US soil. But let little tiny Israel just verbalize a threat to exile one terrorist leader ? not kill him, mind you, just fly him (probably first class on El Al with his own choice of movies) to another land to live to a ripe ol? age ? and the world is up in arms. How dare they do such a horrendous thing, declared papers across the globe. The utter chutzpah.



What should Israel do with this known enemy living and preaching within spitting distance? Nothing, says the world. Don?t want a whole bunch of angry Arabs running around now, do we?



And now, as promised, to the pilots, who have apparently sold out, bought out maybe, to this suicidal philosophy. They claimed that targeting known terrorist leaders, some with past records of murder against Israel on their resumes, was unethical. (Excuse me, I gotta pinch myself, just to make sure I ain?t dreaming all this.)



Unethical?



What?s immoral is preaching hatred and racism and then sending in youth as suicide murderers to kill as many Israelis as possible. That is unethical. Hiding in civilian areas is unethical. Sending in bombers in ambulances is unethical. It is not Israel who puts them at risk here. It is the terrorists? own behavior.



Furthermore, there is no army in the world that can compare to the moral standards of the IDF. As I have written many times, any other army, any other country, would not tolerate the daily attacks that Israel has endured from their ?neighbors?. Any other country, the US included, would take ? and has taken ? much more severe and drastic steps to eliminate any threats to its security.



Even when the IAF has been called in to use its firepower, it has always been done with the greatest care and caution ? unfortunately so, in my opinion. Why are we showing compassion and mercy to an enemy that, no matter what we do, keeps trying to kill us?



What should Israel do?



First, stop listening to a world that always answers this question with that one word (?nothing?). Their hypocritical response reeks of anti-Semitism. We need to show the same self-respect that most other countries have no problem with. The first right and obligation of any country is the right of self-defense. Israel, thank God, has the means to protect itself, but it has been lured into this costly, defensive battle; one that puts Israeli civilians and soldiers at unnecessary risk.



Second, in street lingo, Israel needs to crank up things a whole bunch of notches and, well, take ?em out. Once and for all. These people need to be brought to their knees; to be taught a lesson that crime (terrorism) doesn?t pay; and then dictated policy by the victors. In their lucky case, this is a democratic Israel ? the only country in tthe Middle East where Arabs have freedom of the press, speech, can live where they want and can vote.



Israel needs to do exactly what America does when dealing with terrorism. No dialogue. No compromise. Just some hardcore action from the Air Force. You heard that right. It?s the only thing that worked for the US and it?s the only thing that?ll work for Israel.



Bring on the IAF. If for some mighty strange reason, they have trouble finding pilots who know the importance, obligation, and right of self-defense, then please, give me a call. IAF ? I?ll Always Fly!