How people respond to Israel’s attack on Iran tells you everything you need to know about their views on Jews.
It all started somewhat innocuously. Wednesday night around midnight my wife and I went to the 24/6 (closed on the Sabbath…) store to get some eggs. On the way there and back, I noticed work crews checking underground electrical cables. Now, workers like these normally quit around 5 pm. If there is an emergency, then they may get called out. But they were doing a spot check under several manholes. Years ago, Israel moved much of its electrical grid underground. The official reason was aesthetics. But the fact that they left the electric poles up meant that it was to keep the system working against an attack or EMP. So when I saw the guys checking the underground lines during the dead of night, I knew that the attack was coming.
Thursday night was far less subtle. At 3 a.m., the sirens went off like crazy and that was the end of sleep. Five minutes later, there was a horrific noise from each cellphone—the kind that the National Weather Service uses to warn people of extreme weather. It was a warning that an enemy attack may occur soon. Stay tuned. An hour later, the same terrible noise. Stay near your closest bomb shelter. Our married son took his family to his in-laws while my wife moved our car into an indoor parking lot that doubles as our closest bomb shelter. Then came the wait. Like everybody, we tried to get as much reliable information as possible. Generals and scientists had been assassinated. Tehran was bombed, as were known atomic sites throughout the country. Later, Israel said that 200 planes using 330 munitions had participated in the attack. It would appear that the Mossad was busy on the ground. We have heard additional planes overhead apparently going for the next round.
Both Israel and the U.S. made it clear that the action was Israeli and that the U.S. was not involved. Qatar purists will say that Israel used American planes and American bombs. But most normal people will agree that the U.S. did not fire a shot. Now the question is if the remaining leadership in Tehran will pull a Hitler. FDR quickly declared war on the Empire of Japan after Pearl Harbor; he had no basis for declaring war on Germany, however much he wanted to join England in the fight. So, Adolf Hitler helped by declaring war on the U.S. and bringing America into the European war. Normal leaders would focus their response on Israel; the Iranians have been threatening “Death to America” for ages and have recently (this week) reinforced this worldview. Being dumb they might just attack American bases in the region and awaken the giant. Of course, the right-leaning Jew-haters will blame Israel for these attacks.
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The Iran bombing is a Rorschach test of one’s view of Israel and Jews. Anyone not named Witkoff could see that Iran was hellbent on making nuclear bombs. Whether they would use them, threaten with them, or just hold them as public insurance is not clear to me. But Iran with the bomb would become untouchable. Israel decided to act. Why now and not say next week, I couldn’t tell you. But the online know-nothings saying that Israel has started World War III or has started an aggressive war don’t want to discuss 40 years of threats to wipe out Israel (and support for terror organizations) and the near completion of 90 percent+ enriched Uranium. They are dumb and want to play dumb. One was so stupid as to accuse Israel of starting an aggressive “preemptive war”; uh-duh, if the act was preemptive, then it means that the other side had the means to harm you. Being a comic is tough.
Others on the right on the Qatari payroll are no doubt awaiting their official talking points from Doha on how dangerous Israel’s escalation is. One of the key planks of nuclear weapons since the explosion in the New Mexico desert 80 years ago next month has been that the owners of nuclear weapons have behaved as rational characters. Both the U.S. and USSR worked on the assumption that neither wanted to be destroyed. To date, even more volatile countries like Pakistan and North Korea have not run to use their nuclear arsenals. With the mullahs, all bets are off. When describing the generals and scientists Israel killed, they called them “martyrs”; for them, this is the highest level of religious success. So if they whip off a couple of missiles and their country is vaporized—hey, 72 virgins times 90 million Iranians equals…..The mullahs would use their bombs because for them the destruction of the little satan (Israel) and the big satan (the U.S.) are holy obligations. Just as Israel destroying Iraq’s reactor allowed for a safe and successful Desert Storm, Israel’s actions during these days will mean that both Israel and the West will continue to exist and hopefully thrive.
There are plenty who hate Israel. University students and professors demand its destruction. Right and left online personalities hate the country and its inhabitants. These and others wanted Iran to get the bomb and use it. Sure, they would show an unhappy emoji for a day or two after Tel Aviv is destroyed, but deep down, they would feel happy. Israel is not into making these people’s day. Israel has opted for self-preservation. As Prime Minister Netanyahu stated as the attack began, the specter of the Holocaust stands front and center for Israel and today’s Jews.
The biggest traffic jam I ever saw in front of my house was at the opening of the new Yad Vashem Holocaust museum. Many world leaders and dignitaries attended and traffic came to a standstill: people like dead Jews. The locals like live Jews, even if it means that certain people will be disappointed. So be it. Israel chose to live. Right now the streets are empty, though strangely buses are running. We apparently need to keep close to home for the next few days. This had to be done. The Iranians never planned to give up their dreams of wiping out the Jewish state. As Bibi said, the Talmud states that if one gets up to kill you, kill him first. Those are the rules.