Those accusing Israeli soldiers of rape and genocide in order spark a wave of hatred are returning to the Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin Al Husseini’s 1948 playbook. Why? Because it works.
Here's an example: In the initial stages of the War of Independence the Irgun was given the assignment of clearing the village of Deir Yassin because of Arab murderous attacks on convoys trying to reach Jerusalem. After the Irgun successfully conquered the village, the mufti spread the work that the soldiers were raping Arab women and mass murdering the residents.
Up until that point, the Arab nations surrounding Israel were only mildly empathetic to the Palestinian Arab cause. After hearing of the rape of their women, they could no longer sit on the sidelines. No doubt Al Husseini calculated this would bring the Arab neighbors’ military involvement. What he did not calculate was that his rumors caused much of the local Arab population to leave pre-state Israel, no doubt, hoping they would be able to return after a “certain" Arab victory.
Was it a lie? We know it was a deliberate lie because Eliezer Tauber (The Massacre That Never Happened) interviewed numerous Arab residents of Deir Yassin and all said the same - no massacres/no rape. Nevertheless, Deir Yassin was the rallying cry and to this day the lie is repeated in the media. The result has been a reason for 80 years of vile hatred towards the IDF and a continuous state of war taking countless lives. Still, other than the Arab residents of Deir Yassin who actually lived through the battle, few are willing to admit that Al Husseini’s lies were a major cause of the continuous hatred.
Fast forward 78 years and the parallels are striking. NYC Major Mamdani commemorates Nakba; i.e., the catastrophe of the War of Independence from the Arab perspective of 1948 - never mind that the disaster was largely self-inflicted.
The NY Times shares a blood libel of rape and genocide as the Mufti did. And thanks to the Mayor and the NY Times, the flames of Israel and Jew hatred grow.
There are however significant differences between then and now. Today there are voices speaking up and refuting these lies. But maybe the biggest difference is the attitude of Israelis. While Israel is suing the NY Times and Jewish leaders are speaking up, the general attitude in Israel is the “nothing surprises me anymore" eye roll.
It is an attitude of quiet confidence - the best hasbara of all - that with the strength of the IDF and the help of God we will continue to not just live, but to thrive.
Yehezkel (Gary) Schiff is a guide and consultant connecting Israel and the US