Europeans have uprooted the Jews from their homeland, and marched them as slaves and as refugees in their victory parades. And for the past 2000 years Europeans have on one hand allowed them to re-sprout, while on the other hand they have violated, ill-treated, and exploited them through the centuries. E.g.: The European church has up- fronted Jews to lend money with high interest, against its own teaching — casting the Jew as the hated debt collector throughout the continent. It all came to a horrible crescendo seventy years ago as Europe exhibited its impressive technological and organizational capabilities through the most effective genocide act of all times. When Americans and Russians put a stop to it, the Jews that were standing in line to be annihilated have crawled their way out of Europe to their old homeland where Europeans have violated them to begin with.
By all accounts budding Israel is an inspiring story of hope and can-do. The sons and daughters of the Europe-violated Jews are now producing innovative products sold throughout the continent of Europe. A strip of sand north of Jaffa has become the bustling city that never ends: Tel Aviv.
And all that exemplary growth takes place against a massive stubborn, hateful campaign seeking to finish off the unfinished European program of annihilation — spearheaded by Israel intimate neighbors, the Palestinians, where peace-lovers and committed haters are thoroughly mixed. Israel is profoundly and passionately eager for peace, and disarmament — negotiating and defending as circumstances dictate. Given the European role in Jewish suffering for the last two thousand years, it’s Europe moral call to put its considerable weight in favor of a thriving Jewish state: Israel.
Standing by Israel means respecting its own assessment of just terms, of acceptable risk, or proper borders. A moral European politician who thinks that Israel errs, and should have a different position on matters of peace and borders, should so advice Israel, and do so under the conviction that his or her opinion may not be flawless either. Europe does not have to automatically agree with Israel on every point, and a friendly debate should ensue. However, when Europe flexes its muscles, threatens, boycotts, sanctions and denies access to Israelis whom they consider ‘occupiers’, then Europe is practicing a grave historical immorality. Europe cannot undo the Holocaust, it cannot run away from its record of cheering the Nazis for their Final Solution, but Europe must be righteous and brave, and acknowledge its moral debt to the Jew that begged refuge, to the Jew who so richly contributed to the culture of the continent. This moral obligation should be expressed through support of the Jewish quest for peace, security, and prosperity.
Europe: own up to your historic obligation to Jewish suffering — help out, don’t quash! open up — don’t cut off, debate — don’t dictate!
Europe has tremendous credit in the story of humanity — to exercise it, Europe should don the robe of morality. Acknowledging its debt to Jewry is a place to start!
Gideon Writes 