D'var Torah - June 5, 2010

D’var Torah “Israel’s PR Front”  Rabbi Mark S. Kram, Temple Beth Or, 6/5/10

As of tonight, Memorial Day, we don’t know exactly what happened on the “Freedom” flotilla from Turkey to the Gaza Strip.  CNN reported that Israeli commandos were lowered on to one of the ships and were met by iron wielding, chair & bottle-throwing, culminating with an Israeli soldier being thrown off the ship (I don’t know how many stories tall it was) to the water below.

The world is enraged - at least the Arab part of the world - and of course European countries whose sizable minorities from Arab or Muslim countries are voicing their own concerns (democracies, thank God, do this!).

All of this in the backdrop of trying to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza.  What to think?  What to do?

1) Israel does not care about PR.  I don’t agree with them, but their view is - tens of thousands of rockets were fired from Gaza on to civilian settlements and towns in Israel for the past 10 years or so.  Even AFTER all Israelis, including those buried (47) in Gaza, left in 2007, rockets still rained on southern Israel.

2) Hamas’ constitution calls for the destruction of Israel.  Yes, publicly, you can Google it.

3) Israel left Gaza without parallel “give and take” as in other negotiations.  They left with nothing demanded in return.  Of course, some expected a cessation of rocket attacks.

4) Hundreds of tunnels have been operational between Egypt and Gaza, supplying food, medical supplies, etc., AND WEAPONS, ARMS AND WAR SUPPLIES.  Some of these “tunnels” are large enough to drive a truck through.

5) Does a country “at war” have the right to inspect cargo being sent to “the enemy?”  To vet it and send it on?

The MAIN POINT, the most salient fact is that all Hamas needs to do to open it’s borders not only to Israel, but to the entire world is to STOP SHOOTING!!!  That’s it.  If they did so, Israel would support and furnish the necessary nation-building stuff.  Period.

Meanwhile, this week, those who would prefer to see Israel slandered and worse, will have a field day until one day - the world will know the truth.

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Mark