Kill Them All

An editorial in today’s New York Times reflects the attitude of the majority of the American and European Left and virtually every Democratic candidate for the 2008 Presidency when it states:

One major lesson of the Lebanon experience is that Israel cannot defeat its most dangerous enemies by brute force alone. Its security and survival require a more active diplomacy toward the Palestinians and Syria — and a willingness to take risks. More than ever, Israel needs a government and a leader strong enough to steer it wisely through the uncertain hazards of war and bold enough to test the equally uncertain possibilities for peace.

It appears that the NYT editorial writers (and by extension, all those who agree with them) have forgotten that Israel has exhibited a continuing “willingness to take risks”—recent examples: acceptance of the Oslo accords (now in shambles), unilateral withdrawal from Gaza—only to be faced with continuing, barbaric responses for the "oppressed" Palestinians.

But wait, maybe this is a new day. Maybe the Palestinians appreciate the earnestness of the Left and as soon as the new Democratic President is in office, will move back to the negotiating table.

For example, consider the following speech by Sheik Ahmad Bahr, acting Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (a Hamas member), as reported in The Jerusalem Post. This potential negotiating partner ended a vicious anti-Israel, anti-American speech with the following prayer:

Oh Allah, vanquish the Jews and their supporters. Oh Allah, count their numbers, and kill them all, down to the very last one. Oh Allah, show them a day of darkness. Oh Allah, who sent down His Book, the mover of the clouds, who defeated the enemies of the Prophet, defeat the Jews and the Americans, and bring us victory over them.

I’m certain that Nancy and Harry and Barack and Hilary et al would argue that it’s just rhetoric. I have to wonder, though, how they’d respond if a high ranking Israeli official said the same thing, substituting "Palestinians" for "Israelis" as the object of the "kill them all" reference. There would be worldwide condemnation, wouldn't there? Strange that we hear none from the MSM, the candidates, the Euros ... nobody.

But, oh, never mind, we haven’t even begun to negotiate, appease, and take risks, have we?