Thursday, January 28, 2016

JOHN CHUCKMAN COMMENT: THE TERRIBLE PROSPECT WHICH ISRAEL'S BEHAVIOR OPENS FOR ALL OF HUMANITY


COMMENT POSTED TO AN ARTICLE IN THE INDEPENDENT


Response to another comment:

No one hates Israel per se, but millions are repulsed by Israel's behavior, and quite rightly so.

Now, in any ethical or moral system, isn't that how we are supposed to judge others, by their behavior, not by what they are?

No terrorist organization which exists has a record to match Israel's, and that's just a regrettable and unpleasant fact.

500 kids killed in Gaza?

1,700 others?

The people of Gaza can't even import cement to repair homes, schools, and sanitation?

Israel sprays a huge swath of Gaza with toxic herbicide, likely to cause birth defects for generations?

And that's only a partial list of recent Israel behavior.

If Israel wants to be regarded as a state like any other state, then it must act like one.

It does not.

And the great underlying, but generally ignored, truth of so much Muslim anger is that it is a direct result of Israel’s behavior, which never seems to be disapproved of in the West while Muslim violence is ceaselessly condemned.

The prospect which Israel's behavior opens for the future is a terrifying one.

If it is acceptable to behave as Israel does, then there are no bounds, no rules, no laws in international affairs, and every group or country may do just as it feels it is compelled to do.

Israel's behavior is a kind of experiment with chaos in human affairs, and it must therefore be of concern to everyone.