Too Often, Deaths of Jews Taken Too Casually

[NetGear]

Kolker might be an interesting guest, David.

Friday, November 7, 2003

Too often, deaths of Jews taken too casually

By MICHAEL S. KOLKER
GUEST COLUMNIST

For years we have heard individuals and groups in the political left, of which I generally consider myself to be a part, harshly criticizing Israel for its policies toward the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War. These criticisms have become even more frequent in light of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

When discussing the repeated suicide murders emanating from these territories against Jews in Israel, some will express sympathy for the Jewish dead and injured. Many, however, will express more sympathy and understanding for the perpetrators of those massacres and those who recruit and encourage them.

Generally, those in the left contend that the repeated murder of Jews in Israel must be "put in context of the Israeli occupation." It is the "legitimate resistance to the occupation" that inevitably causes the "unfortunate but understandable" acts of those Palestinians who blow themselves up to murder Jews. We can hear this argument repeated in the media (and at the United Nations) almost every day. [more]