Comment

Mark Appleton

Jan Willem van der Hoeven

Letter to Matt Rees of Time Magazine

Naomi Honey

The Arab cause has never gained ground by way of their somewhat unorganized fighting machine – their armies – they have always lost. They have, however, recognized and developed the most powerful well-oiled, well-organized modern fighting machine ever known - world public opinion. They have, over the years, become masters at feeding and controlling this medium. So competent, they even have Jews expounding the Arab cause, publicly denouncing Israel - the result is what we see every day in the news footage.

Of the many strategies used by the Arabs to fuel this machine there is one - seemingly innocuous one - that goes almost totally unnoticed and unfettered, but whose power has, over recent years, contributed more to the forming of world public opinion than anything else. Seemingly systematically, public gatherings across North America - many times in universities - are used to explain their version of the issues. These gatherings are usually in the guise of an impartial attempt to show both sides of the conflict. They have been most successful because they use an “objective” third party that is “knowledgeable.” These “knowledgeable” parties have been, amongst others, university professors, fledging film producers, and more astonishing - Jews that have chosen to champion the Arab cause. The Arabs have created a brilliant system that plants seeds, nurtures them, and feeds them - all with an eerie patience - eerie, because they know that time is on their side.

Recently I attended one of these gatherings at University in Canada. The focal point of the gathering was a documented movie created by a young Canadian (whose name I will not mention so as not to provide him the fame he seeks at the expense of the Jews) and funded by the Canadian National Film Board. The film was a series of interviews of Lebanese and Israeli Palestinians, Jewish Israelis, and at least one Israeli politician. Although the official theme of the film was an unbiased approach to the conflict, much inaccurate and outright disinformation was used, and it was plain that all interviewees were hand-chosen to push home one idea - the total delegitimatization of Israel’s existence.

In the packed university theatre the attendance was comprised of about 65% Arabs. The majority of the remaining 35% seemed to be Arab supporters and truly unbiased and sincere young people and students that were there to learn “both sides of the story” - many for whom this was their first encounter with “documentary truth.” The remainder smattering were made up of about 8 Jews.

The atmosphere during the Q&E after the film became totally hostile (toward the Jews) and any views put forth by the Jewish representation were blatantly laughed off by the audience and dismissed by films director and creator with a wave of the hand (one lone Jewish student was so intimidated that she was afraid to speak). This may not seem serious. After all, the real focal point, the real target audience of this entire escapade was only the handful of sincere Canadian students and young wanting to know the truth. What they got was “documentary” material that will become for them the basis upon which their opinions are formed - public opinion!! in the making!

While there was a blatantly organized attendance of Arab representatives, there was next to no Jewish representation - hence the good-intentioned Canadian students were left to hear the “whole story” - which in fact was only half . You may wonder and say “well, what is a smattering of students when it comes to the affairs of the State of Israel and world Jewry” what can they matter? What can they do? What Jews are failing to see and understand is that these students will become teachers, professors, news reporters, and politicians. The students of twenty and ten years and five years ago are already at work expounding the Arab cause - teaching and reporting and politicizing, speaking of massacres that never took place and borders that never were - re-writing history! This is how the Arabs are winning what they have not been able to take by force over the last hundred years. It is the methodical, patient indoctrination of the world to push their cause.

Just before the gathering of this film showing I spoke with a regional leader of the Jewish community. He suggested that I not attend, that it could get violent and that it would just turn into a shouting match. I was astounded to hear this from a leader of the Jewish community on the. I was astonished to learn that this person does not understand the threat at hand - that the hour is two minutes to twelve and the clock is ticking. Why do you feel so safe?

I should not have been astonished. Jews are sleeping, while the Arabs are charging full force on a battlefield that Jews fail to recognize. The Jews are sleeping while all around them the world is beginning to question the legitimacy of the very existence of Israel. What is happening today would have been viewed very few years ago as a science fiction novel.

Why do we feel so secure? Why are not the leaders of Jewish communities not recognizing the danger? Why are these “unbiased” gatherings not attended by large organized Jewish representation? Why is this time so reminiscent of the days prior to every Jewish catastrophe that has ever befallen us; without exception, whether in biblical times or modern times, Jews have always been at the height of their affluence and the height of intoxication at being allowed to hobnob amongst non-Jews. But it was never with the sudden blow of an ax. It was always the result of a very clear and methodical publicized campaign - a plan for all to see – destroy the Jews. We Jews always choose not to see it. What an interesting phenomenon.

After 50 years which we like to view as the distant past, we allow ourselves to sleep, and to wallow in our good fortune. We must wake up and smell the coffee. I urge Jewish leaders to take charge. In the battlefield of the streets of Gaza we question the morals of mothers and fathers using their children on the front against Israeli soldiers. I urge Jewish leaders to not leave Jewish girls alone on the front of this new and dangerous other battlefield - packed and hostile auditoriums - fighting the battle alone. The mandate of Jewish leaders is no longer to organize marches once a year in remembrance of Kristalnacht 1938. Your mandate is to prevent KRISTELLNACHT 2000!