Part I of 2

Is it possible that Israel will disappear as the Jewish state? Although it seems improbable, there’s no doubt that Israel’s destruction is the fervent wish of many of the world’s billion plus Muslim population, not to mention the Christian anti- Semites. Can you name any other state whose legitimacy is attacked day in and day out? The only one I can think of is the former South Africa, the apartheid nation.

We proudly call Israel the “Start-up Nation,” after the influential bestseller by Dan Senor and Saul Singer, which tells the story of Israel’s economic miracle. Unfortunately, as impressive as our country’s progress has been since independence was declared in 1948, the relative honeymoon we had from anti- Semitism has long since lapsed. Whom do we have to thank for this resurgence of hatred for our country and countrymen? The Muslims.

Muslim hatred of the Jews started with Mohammed in the 7th century. There were many Jewish tribes roaming Arabia, even before Mohammed’s time. While he was consolidating his power in Mecca and Medina, the Jews overwhelmingly remained true to their faith. They were waiting for the Messiah to emerge from among themselves and they refused to accept Mohammed as a messenger of God.

To no avail, the new prophet made overtures towards the Jews, even briefly specifying Jerusalem as the holy spot to which Muslim prayer should be directed. Mohammed eventually wrote the Jews off as infidels, stipulating that they were to be hunted from every hiding place and killed. That didn’t stop Mohammed from making temporary ceasefires with the Jews, a practice which continues until today.

I’m not forgetting about Christian anti-Semitism, which started shortly after Christianity’s emergence. As the so-called “killers of Christ,” the Jews were the victims of horrible pogroms, inquisitions, and finally worst of all, the Holocaust. But, with some vile exceptions, Christianity made its peace with the Jews after World War Two.

Not so the Muslims. During WWII they had their own “Hitler,” the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Muhammed Amin al-Husseini, who was devoted to expelling the Jews from Palestine. Al-Husseini was appointed for life by the British after being pardoned for instigating a 1920 Arab attack against Jews praying at the Western Wall. This extreme Jew-hater rallied the Arabs against the Jews and was so loved by the Nazis that he spent the war in Berlin as Hitler’s guest.

At the Nuremberg Trials, Eichmann’s deputy Dieter Wisliceny, later executed as a war criminal, testified: “The Mufti was one of the initiators of the systematic extermination of European Jewry and had been a collaborator and adviser of Eichmann and Himmler in the execution of this plan. ... He was one of Eichmann’s best friends and had constantly incited him to accelerate the extermination measures.”

Al-Husseini escaped trial after Germany’s defeat because the Allies feared Arab rage if he, a hero of Arab nationalism, were put on trial. Al-Husseini enjoyed heroic status in Egyptian exile, where he was an influential sponsor of the Arab war against the renewed State of Israel.

There are plenty of Western left-wingers who have made common cause with the Arab anti-Semites, but they’re small potatoes compared to the Muslims. So too are the rightwing skinheads, who are surprised to find themselves on the same side with their former left-wing enemies against Israel and the Jews.

Europe’s future, which looked so bright when the Cold War unexpectedly ended in 1991, now appears to be on the ropes, economically and culturally. Unless something drastic happens, the once-proud Europeans will find themselves swamped by a younger generation whose most common name is Mohammed and whose mosques outnumber churches.

Is President Obama helping the situation? The answer is “yes” if you’re tired of America being #1. Obama has become the world’s darling by proclaiming America is a superpower, “whether we like it or not.” Evidently, Obama doesn’t like it. His attitude makes the rest of the world love the newly unassertive America, but undercuts America’s prestige and power.

Is it better to be loved or to be respected? While Obama may think he’s the world’s president, many of his real constituents at home are fed up. Israeli pundit Barry Rubin described Obama’s “proud weakness” on the same day that conservative American columnist Charles Krauthammer listed the president’s foreign policy (so-called) accomplishments in his article, “The Fruits of Weakness”:

1. Failure to support Iran’s brutally suppressed democracy demonstrators.

2. Agreement to Russia’s re-assertion of power over Eastern Europe.

3. Indifference to Iran’s takeover of Lebanon and Gaza.

4. Passivity as Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez organizes his anti- American coalition while deepening military and commercial ties with Iran and Russia.

Krauthammer sums up: “This is not just an America in decline. This is an America in retreat – accepting, ratifying and declaring its decline, and inviting rising powers to fill the vacuum.”

Despite this, Israel must rely on America as its closest ally. While the president steers the country towards ever closer relationships with the Muslims, especially the Arabs, Israel is left out in the cold, with no one to depend on except itself. Is Israel up to the task?

Part 2 next week: Bad news and good news.

Stephen Kramer’s new book “Encountering Israel — Geography, History, Culture” is intended for: armchair travelers (even if they live in Israel); travelers who have been to Israel; and those who intend to travel to Israel. Kramer says: “My goal is to give readers a personal feeling for contemporary Israel, while not neglecting its tumultuous past. This book covers many of Israel’s wonderful sites and locales, including some unusual, less touristic ones. After reading each vignette, you’ll have a feeling for the geography, history and culture of the place, as if you’ve been there with me. Even better, you may decide to put down this book and tour Israel yourself.”

The book is divided into three sections, Central, North, and South. Kramer says “Encountering Israel” will give you an almost first hand experience of Israeli life and its attractions. “You’ll never feel closer to Israel unless you land at Ben Gurion Airport!”

Kramer’s book can be ordered securely online at www.Comteqpublishing.com. Pricing and other information is available on the Website.