In mid-April, I noted in a column that after 29 Jews were killed by Palestinian Arab terrorists in Israel within half a year, there was no reaction from Swiss politicians or the Swiss media. Now we are half a year further and within one day over 900 Jews and Israelis have been bestially murdered. Switzerland and the world seem to have woken up. Really?
On "Audiatur-Online" we have been researching, reporting and warning for 12 years about anti-Semitic, Islamist and Jew-hating tendencies in the Palestinian Arab context including allies from left to right. Unfortunately, the interest of politicians, the administration and the mainstream media was limited. They preferred to denounce the bearers of the bad news, either as Mossad agents, right-wing nutcases, extremists, populists or as "the Zionists".
Many were of the opinion that we should write more about the beautiful sides of Israel, that this was much more important. Considering where we are today, the only thing I blame myself for is not having warned louder!
Heaps of election propaganda
Right now, everyone in Israel knows someone who is missing or dead. Everyone has lost family members or friends. Switzerland and the international community are largely behind Israel right now, for now. For those who support Israel, we will see how long that lasts.
In the coming days, as Israel expands its counteroffensive to hopefully finally destroy Hamas and other terrorist organizations, support will wane, as it always does when it comes to Israel and the Jews. The same old voices will turn against Israel again. The same voices that previously spoke in favor of "dialogue" with Hamas murderers and now act as if no water could muddy their waters will suddenly speak again about the need to listen to all sides, about apartheid and colonialism and the Gaza prison, about how it all doesn't work.
Outrageous "pro-Palestine" demonstrations have already taken place in many European cities and are certainly being planned in Switzerland as well.
Since parliamentary elections are coming up in Switzerland, politicians naturally want to be on the correct side as much as possible. And this week it's Israel and the Jews' turn. So be it what was yesterday. Next week it will be something else again.
However, something is different than before and comforting in this terrible situation. Israel and the Jewish people can defend themselves today and do not need advice or recommendations from Switzerland or elsewhere.They can take this war as far as they wish to. And that is a good thing. Am Israel Chai.
Gerardo Raffais editorial director at Audiatur-Online and managing director of the Audiatur Foundation.