Well, I guess the North has finally joined the war! (As I write, there is a major attack 15 kilometers away.)
For us, at least, it began at around 1:30 a.m. with a series of very loud explosions coming from our south and much closer than what we're used to. They were powerful enough to not only shake the building, but to actually cause the windows to rattle. It woke up all the kids, who of course ran out to the balcony to see if they could see anything (war is all fun and games until the rockets fall around you). This happened two other times throughout the night, followed by a volley to our west early in the morning (which they DID get to see, much to their delight). Thankfully, most were destroyed, but two were not causing heavy damage. However, no matter what damage the air force is causing them right now, it cannot compare to the damage Hezbollah has done to us: Our whole area is at "Level Three," which is the highest alert status short of evacuation, which means: no school!!!!! If THAT is not terror, I do not know what is.
One of the most frustrating things about this war has been, and continues to be, the reaction of the Western world. Any time the word "escalation", "unlawful", or my favourite, "ceasefire", is used, it's always in relation to Israel. Hezbollah has sent over 8000 rockets/missiles over the border over the past year, and the world has been silent. At most, they speak of a "diplomatic solution" with a terror organization which has no problem admitting to the world that their number one goal in life is to destroy Israel. Then, when Israel executes an amazing operation, knocking out thousands of terrorists in one blow, with super-duper minimal civilian casualties, the world condemns this "terror attack" with the "usage of civilian equipment."
Just recently I saw the US complain about some video of Israeli soldiers pushing dead terrorists off a rooftop, demanding an investigation. If THIS is what they have to complain about, it means, Israel is doing a REAL good job at following the international rules of war AND … they are VERY desperate to find something.
And now, regarding a lawsuit in the US courts against UNRWA's participation in terror activities, the UN, with backing of the US Judicial office, has said that all "seven" who "might have" participated, have diplomatic immunity and therefore, they and the United Nations cannot be tried.
You cannot make this up.
Let us not forget about the Hague and the ICC.
There is talk about how Israel is fighting a seven-front war. But really, there is an eighth front: Legal Warfare.
When the Arabs launch their attacks, "frustrating" Is not the word used. Why? Because, they are pretty straightforward in what they want: to destroy us. It's when the Western world, clothed in moral superiority, blinds themselves to what the Arabs want, launch their own legal attacks against Israel. They claim that they are simply following the cold rules of law and are certainly not antiSemitic. THAT, is frustrating.
A friend of mine pointed out something interesting from the Haftarah a few weeks ago, in Parshas Re'eh. It's an explanation written by the Abarbanel, several hundred years ago. He helps put things into perspective.
"No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Hashem, and their due reward from Me, says Hashem" (Yeshaya 54:17).
Says the Abarbanel: "The Prophet assures them that they should not fear the nations, for they will no longer come to destroy you with their wickedness… The phrase 'no weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that rises against you in judgment you shall condemn' refers to the nations of the world today, who force their religion upon others. Some do so without arguments, threatening to kill anyone who opposes them, as is the case with the nation of Yishmael. Others engage in debates and intellectual arguments, as is the case with the sages of Edom, who are skilled in the art of rhetoric. Therefore, the prophet says that neither of these methods will succeed: 'No weapon formed against you shall prosper,' referring to the methods of the children of Ishmael, and 'every tongue that rises against you in judgment you shall condemn,' referring to the debates of the children of Edom. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness will protect them from harm, whether by force or false arguments."
Amazing, no? Can we not see his words playing out as we speak? The Arabs (Yishmael) are out their fighting with weapons, and the Western world (Edom) attacks us with words, using "judgment" against us.
Our frustration with the Western world comes from the fact that we think that they really like us, or at least are neutral with us, and are simply blinded by their emotions.
That is where we are wrong.
Yes, there have been and currently are individuals who support us, but the Western world as a whole has just as much hatred for us as the Arabs do. It's a spiritual hatred, going back to Yaakov and Eisav, and that has never and will never change.
Once that fact is internalized, that this is not coming from some foolish innocence, but rather from an ancient hatred that Eisav/Edom have always had for us, our frustration will ebb and will be replaced with acceptance on where each side is really holding. From there, we can recognize that the Jewish people were never really part of the world, but rather above it, and our existence is not dependent on the will of the world, but rather the will of Hashem.