Shalom Pollack: Respect

 

Who can forget the embarrassing tongue-lashing that Ukrainian President  Selensky endured in the White House by President Trump and V.P. Vance?

He came to Washington, requesting  US support against the Russian invasion. Instead, he was undressed and humiliated in front of the entire world. The message was clear: you are weak, and you will lose, and we do not have time for underperformers.

Certain that he would understand the message- either he would "make the deal"  or be left to die - Trump continued cozying up to Putin, one of his favorite dictators.
Trump likes a winner. He likes strong people, he says.

Zelensky did not lash back at his detractors.

He just continued fighting against the Russian bear.

Four and a half years of staggering casualties in the  Russian army have stunned the world.
Trump has found a new respect for Mr. Zelensky and his cause.

Russia, the world's energy superpower, is forced to severely ration gas due to the destruction of its refineries and other infrastructure by the man whom Vance and Trump humiliated before the world.

Is there a lesson to be learned?

When the Jewish people suffered their worst single day since the Holocaust, the world waited with bated breath for the response to the monsters.
The small window of sympathy and outrage that Israel commanded was shared by Trump as he urged Israel to finish the job and expel the enemy population once and for all.
He explained to the world how tiny Israel is surrounded by enemies and they must do what needs to be done. Not only Trump, but the entire world was ready to embrace any response that Israel chose.
The world was ready for Good to deal Evil the final death blow.

Jordan already expressed their agreement to accept large numbers of Gazans. Trump announced plans to bring other countries on board to receive the Jew hating  Gazans.

And Israel waited.
Instead of immediately and unapologetically erasing  Nazi Gaza, we did nothing for weeks.
In that short time as Israel floundered in its moral confusion, the world lost its patience and expectations for good.
It didn't take long before the antisemitic tsunami struck.
The one nation that could have confronted evil backed down.
Who needs them?
They are just trouble, and Jews to boot.

Trump dropped his plans for emigration of the Gaza/Nazi population.
His enthusiasm for Israel to finish the job was stilled.
Instead, Trump turned to insulting Netanyahu and browbeating him on the world stage.
If Netanyahu won't be the strong ally he needed and appreciated, he would look elsewhere.
(Erdewan, the Jew hating  dictator of Turkey, and Joliani of Syria are his latest  good,  strong friends )

Instead, the focus turned to Israel begging for its hostages and guaranteeing thousands of trucks of supplies for the  Gaza Nazis. (Not all Germans were Nazis, but the allies  did not  supply  evil Germany )
How did that happen? What made Netanyahu squander the fleeting opportunity to do what was imperative to protect the Jewish people?

That is a long story, but recalling an incident from 1977 will shed some light on a disturbing phenomenon.

How should a leader of Israel react when faced with a head of state who publicly demeans and humiliates the Jewish people by meeting him wearing a swastika emblazoned on his tie for the world to see?

This occurred when Egyptian President Sadat met PM Begin for the first time in  Israel in 1977.
Sadat came with a list of demands in return for Egypt not attacking Israel again. As he read them off in the Knesset, the MKs rose in applause after each demand, swastika and all.
It was an absurd theater, but it happened.

From that day on, Israel lost her right to respect.
Indeed, the tsunami we are reaping began with just a small tie.
The argument in 1977 was: be practical, forget "pride"
Ignore the silly tie.
"Peace" at any cost.
Peace in our time.

Meanwhile, Egypt is the most antisemitic country in the world and has built the largest army in the Middle East -  and it is parked on our border - against the treaty.

You can run from self-respect, but you can't escape the consequences.