The Muddled Definition of War Crimes

Day 259

Though it is unclear to which particular activities the US government refers, there is now a question on the immigration/green card form for Israelis that reads, “Have you participated in and conducted war crimes?”

If in fact this question means, “Have you, as an Israeli citizen, served in the IDF, toward the protection of your country,” there’s big trouble in River City.

If serving in the army includes aptitude with weapons and explosive materials, and guarding prisoners, and the US immigration authorities demand particular details, that also represents not only a violation of Israeli security.

Do they ask Palestinians running to America if they or their family members worked with UNRWA or have pledged allegiance to Hamas, or if they housed Israeli hostages in their homes in Aza?

And what if a Jews lives over the Green Line, is that automatic disqualification for entry to America?

Hypocrisy abounds.

President Biden has already signed an Executive Order, targeting Jewish individuals or entities who engage in actions “that threaten the peace, security or stability of the West Bank.”  There is now a movement in Congress to personally sanction de facto PM Smutrich and Finance Minister, for his efforts to encourage illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank;  and for withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in Palestinian tax revenues from the Palestinian Authority.

Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAT, Algeria and Kuwait have refused to donate any more money to the Palestinian cause, until Israel releases these funds.

Such a step has never been taken before against a sitting Israeli minister.

Anti-Semitism is thriving across the globe.  A 12-year old Jewish girl in the French town of Courbevoie was gang raped.  Two 13-year old boys dragged her to a shed, beat her, threw her to the ground and threatened to burn her and kill her, while shouting anti-Semitic slurs.  The two boys then raped her, while the third filmed the attack.

In Paris, several hundred people protested against anti-Semitism and the rape culture “to which young people are more likely to subscribe.”  President Emmanuel Macron condemned the event, and called for schools across France to address anti-Semitism and racism with the youngest and most impressionable generation.

But where are the voices of all the #MeToo people, where is the UN or the EU calling for an end to hate and violence?

Hypocrisy abounds.

British Airways staff have been wearing Palestinian flag pins, which has created unprofessional tension and antagonism for Jewish and Israeli travelers.

It’s a shame, because I hold a great love for that airline.  When my daughter was six months old, we flew to America via British Airways so she could meet my family.  From the moment of her birth, she refused to nap and barely slept, I always had the impression that she knew there was a party happening, somewhere, and she didn’t want to miss it.

Between waking up every two hours to nurse, and the travel time, I was exhausted.  One of the BA flight attendants came up to me and asked if I needed a nap, and volunteered to take Raphaela.  Feeling absolutely grateful, I gave her a full bottle, a burp cloth and a diaper, and of course her favorite doll, Bunny. 

I was able to rest for almost two hours, God bless.

When the flight attendant returned my child, I asked how she had behaved (“She’s a good baby, she didn’t cry at all.”) and what they had done together.  The flight attendant answered that they had hung out with the pilot and co-pilot in the cockpit, and the entire time, my daughter was looking around with curiosity and smiling at everyone.

Honestly, I felt a bit of jealousy, because I have always loved the concept of flight, and one point even considered getting a pilot’s license.  I thanked the flight attendant profusely, and it was an excellent thing that I had napped, because Raphaela stayed awake for 25 hours straight in transit.

(Translated from Hebrew: PM Netanyahu disbanded the War Cabinet. How will he make decisions now? Pictured, his wife HRH Sara, and his son Yair, on video call from Miami.)