I am blessed to know a great many amazing people in this world. Ann Hansen has always intrigued me and frankly her life is worth noting. She has always been a fierce supporter of her adopted country, Israel, and although not Jewish she never wavers in her love for the country or the people.
I know that what I am about to say will probably upset some people, but I am furious about all these "ye suis Charlie" marches, etc. Three attacks were made this week in France, and possibly a fourth. The first was made against the Charlie office, but the other two were made against Jewish targets. The second attack, in which a French policewoman was killed, was also against a Jewish target. The terrorist was in a traffic accident on his way to commit "slaughter" (his words) against a Jewish elementary school. This was the same terrorist who then attacked the Jewish supermarket, in which 4 French Jews were killed by him. He was a friend of the brothers who committed the attack on Charlie, and was in contact with them during their respective sieges.
Of the 17 victims of the French attacks, 5 were Jewish, including one of the Charlie cartoonists. Ironically, his parents had left France in the 1930s to escape anti-Jewish violence.
My anger had two sources. One is that so much of the Western world still refuses to acknowledge a very real threat and therefore take necessary precautions to minimalize it. The world is outraged about an attack on the press, but how many have reported the numerous attacks against Christian schools and churches in Nigeria the past week in which several HUNDRED innocents have been killed? How many reported the suicide bombing the same day in Nigeria which killed more than a hundred? The bomber was a girl aged 10 or 11. This is a new technique employed by Boko Horam - kidnap girls and allow them to choose between rape or suicide bombing.
My greatest anger, though, is that the Western world is so ready to assemble and mourn the attack on a magazine - a symbol of Western values - yet remain absolutely silent about attacks on Jews. Do any of those Suis Charlie signs include any mention of the Jewish victims or Jewish targets?
Where was world outrage a few months ago when The Jewish Museum in Belgium was attacked a few months ago and 3 Jews were murdered? Where was French or world outrage last year when a Jewish school in France was attacked and Jewish children were killed? Where was world outrage last month when a Jewish baby was killed last month in Jerusalem when a terrorist deliberately ran over her mother, who was standing at a train stop?
It feels good to stand up for what you believe, and joining candle vigils and holding placards helps us to feel like we are doing something constructive, but when "solidarity" turns into a way to put our heads in the sand this attitude is dangerous.
The gatherings I have seen in the news show people holding pens in honor of the victims and theoretically the principles. Almost a third of those victims were Jewish. Two of the three targets this week were Jewish. But did one single person in those gatherings hold a Star of David?
