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If you’re following the war against Hamas now, you’re likely bombarded by news of suffering of Palestinian Arabs, almost as much as we have been bombarded by Palestinian Arabs’ rockets. Much of this is fake news, perpetrated by Hamas and other Arab/Islamic terror groups using images and “statistics” of “suffering” to play to your sensibility. Don’t get me wrong. There is suffering, and it’s a shame. But any real suffering is largely self-inflicted, and you’re simply not seeing the whole story and context. Let me explain.
It’s not only the “suffering” that you are seeing that we should care about, but the suffering that you are not seeing. There are many Palestinian Arab victims of the war, but these are all a direct consequence of Hamas’ terror.
One that you’re not seeing is economic. I live in a Judean mountain community south of Jerusalem with Palestinian Arab communities surrounding us. Before October 7, there was not peace in the sense of the relationship as between the US and Canada. But there was peaceful coexistence, even mutual respect, and a sense that we relied upon one another.
Before October 7, hundreds of Palestinian Arab men and women came to work in our community from adjacent Arab communities daily. I joked that on some days, there were more Arab men in our community than Jewish men, because the Arabs come in to work here, and Jewish men commute to their work elsewhere. In my home alone, we’ve had Arab workers such as Ahmed, Omar, Mustafa, Fares, Imad, Auni, Morad, and Mohammed among others. In all cases, ALL cases, we had cordial to friendly and respectful relations with all these people, and their staff. They provide services we need at a good value and we pay them much more than they could earn in their communities (if any work were to be found there). A free market can do wonders for coexistence. We offer them coffee and cake regularly, and cold drinks and watermelon on hot days.
Now, after October 7, all these people and many others who earned a living in Israeli Jewish communities (about 1/3 of the Palestinian Arab economy) will suffer, as people like us no longer want to risk having Arabs in our community and homes. Across the street from my daughter’s home is an elementary school where a Palestinian Arab woman cleans the school and is there all hours of the day. After the slaughtering of scores of infants and children on October 7, no parent is going to want an Arab woman working among their children. The same can be said in one of our shopping centers, and across Israel.
Maybe indeed many of these people are truly good people, that they want peace, or at least accept and respect us enough not to drink the terrorists’ vile Kool Aid that we are foreign occupiers and must be killed. These are not hollow threats. Maybe. But in the wake of October 7, Israeli authorities have detained and interrogated many who once worked in the communities in which they committed inhuman atrocities.
There are reports of former workers mapping out the communities which they raided, identifying homes of security personnel, who had dogs (that might threaten the terrorists), and more. How do I know that Ahmed, Omar, Mustafa, Fares, Imad, Auni, Morad, or Mohammed are not spies for Hamas, or that Hamas won’t threaten them to commit a similar act of murder here, by threatening their own families?
The year we moved to Israel there was once such instance. A Palestinian Arab worker who was well known and had been hosted in many of my Jewish neighbors’ homes came into town on a Friday, the Moslem sabbath and usually a day off. A curious neighbor followed him until it became clear he was about to detonate a bomb under his coat. Fortunately, my neighbor was armed, and quicker than the terrorist. But the carnage inside the grocery store could have been vast.
In Jerusalem it’s worse. There have been widespread celebrations of the massacre of October 7 by Jerusalem Arabs: in public, on social media, and even where they work, “peacefully” among Jewish Israelis. To say that Israeli Jews feel insecure and unsafe around their Arab Moslem coworkers and neighbors is an understatement. It is the literal and proper definition of Islamophobia, and for good reason. It’s a thin line between celebrating the inhuman massacre of civilians, and perpetrating those acts themselves. As a result, many Jerusalem Arabs are going to find themselves out of work too. All thanks to their terror masters of Hamas, and in Iran.
Whether in Jerusalem, or Gaza, or Judea where I live, let’s be clear, there is no perceived wrong to anyone that justifies the horrors that we’ve witnessed and, from which, more than two weeks later, bodies are still not yet able to be identified. The rape, beheading, burning alive, and execution of Jewish Israelis in their homes is not “resistance” or the work of “freedom fighters.” It is the work of evil, an evil that goes to the core of extremist Islam housed in Iran, with tentacles around the world in places like Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and more.
But let’s return to sympathy for the “suffering” Palestinian Arabs. It cannot be overstated enough that all this suffering is self-inflicted. It is self-inflicted because of the evil of Hamas using its own civilians as human shields, and robbing them of any opportunity for prosperity as billions in cash and tons of supplies have been used to build up its war machine rather than investing in the well-being of average Gazan Palestinian Arabs.
But let’s also be clear about one more thing. A majority of Gazan Palestinian Arabs, 57 percent, actually support Hamas, according to a recent poll by a respected Arab pollster. Many more support other even more extremist groups (if that were even possible). So, before anyone turns to blame Israel for any of their suffering, let them look into the mirror, and let the rest of the world hold their lies under a microscope on full view for all to see.
Indeed, the economic consequences will be significant. But it’s far more than economic. To the extent that there were opportunities for peaceful coexistence, these are also Hamas’ victims. Palestinian Arabs who used to be able to make a good living in places where they were appreciated and respected, and be able to put food on their own tables, will no longer be able to do so—thanks to Hamas.
Mohammed, I’ll miss your visit and talking about our families. I’ll regret that you may now have less food for your family without the few 100-shekel bills I used to pay you for your work. I am sorry for the situation, really, because I saw our relationship as a microcosm of what could be. But now, I am not willing to take any risks for my family, even at the consequence of you and your family suffering.
David Mu says
Trust no Muslim as at anytime the Muslim can become a faithful one, and there’s your own personal jihad against you. As for the problem of suffering for the Muslim – time to speak out and deal with the faithful Muslim among you – or be seen as being just another faithful sleeper.
Islam is not a religion of peace, and can never be made one.
Atikva says
Islam is NOT a religion, it is a totalitarian ideology that masqueraded as a religion to allow its leaders to reap the material benefits.
Richardhard Hassett says
Modern institutions are obsessed with self justified dictatorship as they have arrived at the end of knowledge and avoid the art of wisdom. Which is the result of reflection based on Natural Law and rational objective analogy., fermented by Theology.
We badly need an OPEN Global conference to expose the “beliefs of every major Religion. . To do so with critical evaluation and with severe consequences for any group who present false claims or historical facts.
WE can now have Global judgement on “What is TRUTH” using intelligent human logic and reason , with an absolute determination to openly reject ideas and beliefs that at their basic premise contradict Natural Law, no matter what the “Religion” claims..
Global conflict is not acceptable and cannot be justified in our current world, based on any false or delusional claims and those promoting them cannot be allowed to promote or preach them . Humanity demands transparent. Institutions and zero secret societies or clubs.
Hatred towards or by any person to a point of justifying their extermination of innocent persons is evil no matter who promote the killing., unless done in self defense.
Belfast says
The greatest mass human suffering lies in the hands of Communist dictatorships all expressly anti-religious. Pol pot, Stalin, Mao. You know that, I know that. The world knows that. Your anti-religion rant will play well in Russian and Chinese Labor camps.
CharlieSeattle says
Deport all Muslims, citizens or not, from the West. Islam is antithetical to everything America and the west stands for.Islam continues to attack the Christian world for over 1400 years after Christianity was established peacefully in the middle east 600 years before militant and political islam was spawned from hell.
The Hadith makes it clear that Muslims are allowed to lie to unbelievers in order to defeat them or protect themselves. There are several forms: Taqiyya – Saying something that isn’t true as it relates to Muslim identity (i.e whether one is a Muslim or what that means).
In Islam, Taqiya or Taqiyya is a precautionary dissimulation or denial of religious belief and practice. Generally, taqiya is the action of committing a sinful act for a pious goal. Hiding one’s beliefs under compulsion is common in many societies and religions. It has been a feature of Islam since its earliest days, and is acknowledged by Muslims of virtually all persuasions.
Taqiyya was even cited in 2015 by Ben Carson, at the time a frontrunner for the Republican nomination, when he said no Muslim should ever be president of the United States. “Taqiyya is a component of Sharia that allows, and even encourages you, to lie to achieve your goals.”
tracie l koehler says
AMEN AND NEVER FORGET IT !!!
Taylor says
10/7 was FAR from the first time that Arab workers have been used to gather intelligence. Every time they’re found to have done so, Israel dials back the number of work permits it issues, only to have a. the Israel Chamber of Commerce lobby for permits and, b. the USG pressure Israel to grant said permits.
Let’s see how long Israeli governments–left or right–can hold out and protect Israelis.
David Mu says
While it is from the New Testament (and not scripture for Jews) it is good to remember that it is said that the love of money is the root of all evil.
It’s (the love) that Lenin understood when he said the capitalist will sell them the rope Lenin would hang them from.
While capitalism works, we all need to tell the capitalist you will make your profit – but Not at the cost of our lives.
B Seidem says
Wrong. Only the KJV and Geneva Bibles express this doctrine incorrectly. We all know that pride is the root of all evil and money is a root of evil.
Miranda Rose Smith says
Dear Mr. Feldstein: You keep using the word “Palestinian.” You should take the opportunity to point out that the now-so-called Palestinians are historically, culturally, and linguistically ARABS. In living memory, everybody called them that. During the Mandatory Period, humdreds of thousands of JEWS were PALESTINIANS
ingeborg oppenheimer says
a good thing to point out; in my growing years, what is now israel was known as palestine.
112 says
“And it was after these^^ events that God tested Abraham”
I don’t need a heart with cancer in it. I’m not very happy about toad guys in Israel at all, but I don’t want these guys either.
P Bro says
What are toad guys?
THX 1138 says
Human survival, self-preservation, mutual cooperation to mutual gain and benefit, and flourishing on earth require Ayn Rand’s moral code of RATIONAL SELF-INTEREST, RATIONAL SELFISHNESS, not the evil and destructive moral code of altruism and self-sacrifice.
Why did Israel grant 20,000 work permits to Palestinian Muslims who would use those work permits to do reconnaissance on the Israelis they would slaughter on October 7?
Altruistic, self-sacrificing, self-immolating, mercy and pity for the undeserving.
By what moral right does the government of the USA confiscate the earned wealth of Americans and hand it over to the Palestinians? Not by any rational and actual moral right but by the irrational and evil moral code of altruism which claims that NEED MAKES RIGHT.
The Palestinians NEED money says the altruist and therefore their NEED makes it RIGHT to STEAL the earnings of Americans and hand that wealth over to those who have NOT earned it nor deserve it.
Intrepid says
Oh no, not the ALTRUISM lecture again, Because that is the first thing Israelis think about, right. How about a measure of self-preservation?
I guess class is in session today.
I got my pencil. Gimme something to write on!
P Bro says
I don’t know what all the down votes are about? Sounds to me like he agrees with you.
Intrepid says
Then you need to read all of his crap a little more closely. There is a reason he gets all of those down votes and I get well beyond my share of upvotes.
But don’t get caught up in his version of logic and reason. And you will waste hours of time doing his homework assignments. You will end up as screwed up as he is.
Have fun.
Robert Hagedorn says
THX 1138 triggers some people on this site. It’s a little bit like TDS. I’ve never understood it. But he apparently said something in the past that rubbed the wrong way. The animosity is related to Ayn Rand who THX 1138 often quotes. She was an atheist. So maybe that’s it.
Lightbringer says
THX often says things that rub somebody or another the wrong way, but often he writes quite intelligent comments that ought to be inoffensive to anyone.
Lucy says
It’s not just that he quotes Ayn Rand and is himself an Objectivist — I am one as well. It’s that THX tries to hijack every post he comments on and goes on at length (paragraphs) about his philosophy, even when it’s not directly relevant to the article he’s commenting on.
Brother Bob says
Aw, man, I think that clock is slow
THX 1138 says
“Should you be just? To the contrary, altruism insists that you treat people with mercy, rather than justice. If others are guilty of some wrongdoing, you should offer them absolution, not judgement. Treat them with pity in place of censure. Deal with people based not on what they deserve but on what they NEED.
Altruism’s attitude toward moral principles is sharply illustrated by the following. Some years ago, the campus of New York’s Stonybrook State University became the target of numerous fires, resulting in several million dollars of damage. It turned out that the fires were set by one of the university’s own fire marshals — who had previously been imprisoned for ARSON. While it is not clear whether anyone at the school knew of his criminal record at the time he was hired — he supposedly left blank the line on the application form that asked about criminal history — the university’s chief fire marshal said such knowledge would have made no difference in the hiring decision: “We couldn’t refuse him; that would be discrimination.” That is, it would have been UNALTRUISTIC for the university to be concerned about its own interests in keeping students and faculty safe from dangerous felons. It would have been unaltruistic to treat a criminal as a criminal, since the paramount consideration is supposed to be, not his character, but his acute need for the job.
An even more egregious example occurred at the Honeywell Corporation in Minnesota. There, an employee strangled to death a co-worker, his girlfriend, and was sent to prison for four-and-a-half years. Several weeks after his release the company took him back — only to have him murder another co-worker, who was spurning his romantic overtures. Explaining the decision to re-employ him, a Honeywell spokesman said: “The philosophy we have is that we don’t discriminate when it comes to hiring practices.”
It is true that employers may fear being sued for illegal discrimination if they reject such applicants. But the legal constraints themselves are simply the manifestation of altruism, of its mandate that we SACRIFICE everything, including our moral principles, for the sake of someone in need.” – “In Defense of Selfishness: Why the Code of Self-Sacrifice is Unjust and Destructive” by Peter Schwartz
Intrepid says
Not the Peter Schwartz lecture again.
I guess you really don’t have a lot to say re: your own….ever.
I’m helping someone from the church on some music she needs entered into Finale so she and her group can perform it. It benefits me not one scintilla. I may not even be there for the performance. So there is no value, as you would say in being just.
But you would have cut her off at the knees because you are an objectivist “tough guy”
Steven Brizel says
The only good terrorist is a dead terrorist
B Seidem says
To Israel: Wipe out all the Palestinian arabs and flatten Gaza. Totally remove this cancer from the world. Remember, never trust an islam.
Annie45 says
I like this article because you can enter into ordinary life in Israel at the
moment and learn what an Israeli person in Judea is thinking about
his Palestinian Arab neighbors, co-workers and employees. That is
indeed a dilemma in which the Jews surrounded by these Arabs now
find themselves.
What are the Arab communities like that surround the Jewish ones?
Are there mosques there? Wouldn’t they preach Islam which always
includes hatred of Jews. That’s something to seriously keep in mind
too. Although Mr. Feldstein has already made his decision and a wise
one at that.
Burt says
The Muslims of the world absolutely refuse to condemn these evil monsters among them. They refuse to report the terrorists among them while knowing full well what they are planning. Therefore I have no sympathy for the consequences they all suffer after these endless terrorist attacks. Wise up purge these animals from within or suffer what you deserve.
Poetcomic1 says
At the time of the attack there were 20,000 workers from Gaza who went into Southern Israel with work permits. Many of these work permits were found on the killed terrorists.
TomSJr says
WHEN THE PEACEFUL MUSLIMS stand up against HAMAS, then they will be NOT GUILTY of aiding and abetting their MUSLIM TERRORIST BROTHERS AND SISTERS and GOD will show them a better way to live, work, and support righteousness.
“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” —- Edmund Burke
SO, because these peaceful Muslims do NOT stand up against these Muslim Islamic terrorists, their lives will take a different path. They will end up as slaves to those terrorists and/or never prosper again.
ISLAM IS AN IDEOLOGY not a religion. ‘Religion’ is a man-made word that has been shameful in its endeavor to win the hearts of humanity to Jesus Christ.
THERE IS VERY CLEAR A LINE BEING DRAWN IN THE SAND OVER ISRAEL: righteous versus unrighteous.
IF YOU SUPPORT ISRAEL, KNOWING THEY ARE GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE, THEN YOU TRUST AND BELIEVE IN THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE.
However, if you support MUSLIM TERRORISTS against GOD’S PEOPLE, you will be annihilated either through these battles and/or at the end when GOD DESTROYS them and YOU who support these terrorists.
THIS IS ALL PREDICTED IN GOD’S WORD, THE BIBLE.
ISLAM is Satan’s counterfeit to Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.
WISE PEOPLE BELIEVE AND KNOW THIS.
FOOLISH PEOPLE DENY AND DISBELIEVE THIS. They are already dead but just don’t know it yet.
SPURWING PLOVER says
Most all our Liberal Based Media are always sympathetic to the Criminals who commit crimes they ignore the victims
Atikva says
The pseudo-Palestinians have made their bed, let them lie on it. I don’t care a fig if they ‘suffer’ now, let it be their turn for once, and for a long, long time, until it finally downs through their thick skulls that they have absolutely nothing to gain and everything to loose, by continuing to try and destroy Israel. Now if they prefer to die rather than live peacefully and behave like human beings, so be it.
The only positive effect of their mad slaughter spree on October 7 is that most of the leftist bleeding hearts who used to trust them before won’t even touch them with a ten-feet pole now. At least for a while.
Maha says
The only certainty greater than Muslims can’t be trusted to be part of Western cultures is Leftists can’t be trusted.
TRex says
I have to say this is always not the case. Just today a woman I know made a comment on FB wherein she found the deaths of civilian Gazans unacceptable because they were, in effect, innocent bystanders. This is an example of the liberal mindset that fails to take into account the history of Gaza and the ME, as a whole. I reminded her of the dancing in the street after 9/11, the hamas charter (in effect for 18 years) that calls for the elimination of Israel and the schools that teach their children Jews are the sons of dogs and pigs. A tiny few may be “innocent” but, still, they remain. I also reminded her no other arab nation will allow them entry and that’s how innocent they are in the eyes of their brethren.
commonsense says
Jew hatred is fundamental to Islam; the Koran and all other foundational texts of Islam are replete with imprecations about Jews. In addition, the call for jihad against the so- called People of the Book: ( i.e. primarily Jews and Christians) is explicit in the Koran. Fighting the disbelievers and dying as martys is, per Allah, the only guaranteed way for a Muslim to enter Heaven.
Sura 2:216: “Fighting is obligatory for you, though you may dislike it. But you may hate a thing although it is good for you, and love a thing although it is bad for you. Allah knows, but you do not.”
Sura 9:111: “They will fight for Allah’s cause, they will slay and be slain. Such is the true promise which He has made them in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Koran. And who is more true to his pledge than Allah? Rejoice then, in the bargain you have made. That is the Supreme triumph.”
Ed Snider says
No more mosques
Only bagels and lox
Barbara says
The problem is that the Palestinians are brainwashed and have no freedom of the press. Were the elections in Gaza even free and fair? If any Palestinians in Gaza oppose Hamas, they will be imprisoned or killed. If any Palestinians in Gaza are not complicit with Hamas, their lives are endangered. Both those who favored Hamas and the secret opposition are trapped. The best thing would be to bribe countries with few Muslims to take a few and resettle them, scattered from one another as much as possible. With assistance, they would gradually adapt to the new country, provided they are cut off from other Palestinians and Muslims. Of course, the most militant belong in prison, but others could be put in Paraguay, South Seas islands, Belize, Iceland etc where they could open businesses or be professionals. It’s not good for them to stay in Gaza! Hamas wants them as human shields, but they must be removed permanently after this awful attack and put under surveillance for extremism and money laundering.
TRex says
I’d rather not have a gazan exile on house arrest next to me.
RS says
What is it about the spirit of some people who continually hate and their young children are taught to hate in the same ways with unjustified hatred of Jews? Many Arabs could work, make decent money, worship their God in peace and live in harmony with their neighbors in Gaza, and this is how they pay back their benefactors! People reap what they sow and we are seeing the fruition of those whose hearts and the way they think is the problem.
Jesus said, “He shall reward every man according to his works.” Matthew 16:27.
Yes, brainwashing is part of the reason, and they have never been taught any differently.
Donald Tikkala says
A well written, balanced, thoughtful essay – sympathetic to the plight of Muslims who would prefer to live in peace with their neighbours, but prevented from doing so by their masters.
angelo barbato says
All apologists of Hamas/Palestinians are themselves terrorists!! Make no mistake. These people are Jew haters!
Capitalist-Dad says
I saw a video of poor, slaughtered Shani Luk in the back of a pick up truck—raped, legs broken, shot to death, and now being used as a seat by some Hamas thug; with Gaza civilians dancing with glee and cheering her murderers, and with young Palestinian boys spitting on her body to further desecrate it. It will be a cold day in Hell before I have a scintilla of pity for any Palestinian—terrorist or civilian—killed in this war. The civilians are aiders and abettors of genocidal filth, so any collateral damage they suffer is essentially karma under a cosmic felony murder rule.
Rebecca Valiant says
Stop justifying it yourself by calling it “extremist” Islam. As Turkey’s pres has said,” There is no extremist islam. There is only Islam.” Anyone who says they are m*sl*m cannot be truste. Period.
Cat says
Jonathan, Mr. Feldstein, Lets talk about what friendship (or any other relationship bond) really is. It exists in the mind of one person who constructs an image and related expectations. These beliefs exist ONLY in my mind, for example, about another person. Is he honest, dishonest benign or evil or some complex mix? He is what he is, whether I know it or not. Your description of the nice lady cleaning a school or the Mohammed you will miss tells me about who YOU are and nothing at all about Mohammed. You are warm and kind.
I learned this the hard way on 9/11/01 in NYC near ground zero when my very helpful pleasant Muslim coworkers cheered the deaths as they occurred . I was as shocked by their behavior as i was by watching the towers fall after planes flew into them. Their behavior shook me to the core.
I had to change who I was to accept who they really were. Other cultures may interact in a friendly way and over long time periods.They may actually be somewhat fond of you. But more find of fooling you and completing their mission on earth. .When the jihad bell rings we see who they really are. This psychologically difficult for the Western and Jewish mind to grasp.
But, sir, grasp it if you love your family and your life..
George says
Yes, westerners need to get it through their heads that this planet isn’t big enough for both western civilization and islam. It’s either we wipe them out or they will wipe us out.
Dr. Don Rhudy says
Hiring a Muslim, working side by side with a Muslim, living next door to a Muslim, allowing a Muslim in your neighborhood is the same thing as doing those things with Democrats, or with angry poisonous snakes, or with hungry alligators. If you trust your mortal enemy you are a fool. You can only trust your mortal enemy to remain your mortal enemy and to attempt your life when you lease expect it.