Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Between self-Reliance and the Exploit of others

There has probably never been a single article illustrating the important reality as to why the Jews were pogrommed and holocausted in Europe (including the European part of Russia) but not in the Middle East or North Africa (the MENA region) … until now.

David Makovsky has written what may prove to be a classic example of what happened to the Jews when they moved their base of operation in the second century AD from the ancient world of the Middle East and North Africa to the rising new world of Europe. He wrote: “Trump Builds Rapport in Israel; Policies to come?” a piece that was published on May 23, 2017 on the website of the Washington Institute.

The article is about President Trump's visit to the Middle East where he met with most Arab and Israeli leaders, and about his visit to Europe where he met with most European leaders. The American President reversed much of what he considered to be obsolete, and resurrected much of what used to be America's domain but died naturally or was killed by a deliberate act.

What is notable about Makovsky's article is that it highlights the way that the Jews who migrated to Europe began to treat their neighbors. It stands in sharp contrast to the way that those who remained in the ancient world continued to treat their neighbors. In fact, David Makovsky's article is a study in contrast between the self-reliant “old” Jewish culture and the exploitative “new” Jewish culture. The undercurrent reality being that the ancient cultures of the MENA region did not allow the Jews to get out of line, thus had no reason to punish them. In contrast, the new cultures of Europe let the Jews run as wild as they wanted, then turned around and hit them with pogroms and a holocaust.

And so, what jumps at you when reading the Makovsky article, is the question he asks interminably: What has Donald Trump done for us, Jews? The answer he gave each time was “nothing.” But he never neglected to give hope to the rank-and-file; assuring it that Donald Trump will eventually come around and give the Jews what they crave most. This is the modern manifestation of what the Jews began to develop when they moved to Europe nineteen hundred years ago.

This is not to say that those who stayed behind instead of migrating to Europe were saints. Far from it. The truth is that they kept the savage habits which can be seen in the Old Testament. However, they were wise enough not to try exploiting their neighbors who read them like an open book, and would move to discipline them before they went too far.

What follow are crammed excerpts from the article showing how the writer develops two themes simultaneously. On one hand, he says that Donald Trump has done nothing for the Jews. On the other, he says there are signs Donald Trump will do more for Israel than former President Obama ever did. Here is how he put it:

“...a more assertive American tone in contrast with Obama's policy of resolving tension via diplomacy with Tehran … Israeli leaders alongside a grinning Trump declaring [they] appreciate the American change in policy on Iran [but] it remains unclear what has changed besides Washington's tone … Trump [avoided] magnifying US-Israeli differences; omitted virtually all Israeli-Palestinian policy issues. This marks a major shift that Washington needs to clarify … Trump suggesting that Palestine peace talks could contribute to regional peace, but Netanyahu suggesting the reverse … Trump may be planning to follow up his trip with a new set of policies that provide a sense of direction for the road ahead”.

No one; not a Jew; not an American or even the Secretary General of the United Nations could go to any of the ancient countries, and speak to them or speak about them in that tone. They could not do it now, and could not do it in the old days. And neither could the Jews who knew what would happen if they dared to be as vulgar as to say something like: “a shift Washington needs to clarify”.

They would have been told in no uncertain terms that no one owes them anything; not even a clarification. If they want to live in peace with their neighbors, they'll have to rely on themselves and develop good relations with the neighbors. Unlike Washington which keeps pimping for them, they would have been kicked out for asking someone to intervene on their behalf and smooth out their differences with a neighbor they keep abusing.

And they would have been told they must learn to enjoy suffering the calamities they bring on themselves because it is the way they'll learn to stop provoking the others – moves that earn them the calamities they incessantly complain about.