The value of perspective

A couple of months ago when a Jewish woman in Hevron was filmed berating and cursing at an Arab woman it was a hot topic of discussion among the Jewish blogosphere.  Predictably, those on the secular left were appalled and wrote extensively about how terrible it was that a religious person could act this way [funny how those who are most vocal about Jewish law are rarely those who follow it] and how it was not only demeaning to this poor Arab woman, but it was representative of all that was bad about Jewish settlers.

One blogger, who is also a professional journalist, went to to Hevron to cover the story and wrote: 

"A horrible shame. No words to describe what you can see there... I felt so much tension that I came home emotionaly destroyed. There are checkpoints in each corner. Palestinian kids walk around under the eyes of Christian international volunteers. Jewish settlers sometimes provoke them in front of us in clear and good English to be sure everyone understands. "

The deliberate lack of perspective presented in such a report beggars belief.  When a commenter tried to point out that the blogger seems to reserve her outrage for the religious and settlers, she refused to respond directly and fell back on her standard 'it's my blog and I can write what I like' answer. 

For that reason I have given up commenting on that particular blog.  However I was pleased to see another commenter eloquently write:

"Words can be uncivilized, but NOT NEARLY as uncivilized as the recurring Arab gunfire targeting Jews (and especially targeting Jewish children) in Hebron for decades. There is a broader context than your post acknowledges for the tension in Hebron, dating back even earlier than when the Arab massacred (i.e., *MURDERED*, not insulted) the Jewish population of Hebron within the lifetimes of many of Hebron's current Jewish residents. "

I sat back to see what kind of answer that would receive.  Instead of the blogger responding, another commenter (from whom I expected more balance) asked the critical commenter "Is one to understand from your comment that the behaviour of the Jewish settlers who curse at their Palestinian neighbours, throw stones at them and vandalize their property is therefore acceptable? " 

WTF?  A commenter asks why it is that the blogger seems to be ignoring the context within which the events she is describing took place (i.e. nearly constant attacks, both verbal or physical against Jews)and this is somehow taken to mean that one condones bad behavior by Jews?!  ARGH! [bangs head against wall]

There are nearly daily reports of Palestinians stoning Jews in that area (and many others)... throwing Molotov cocktails at cars and even shooting at people whose only crime is being Jewish.  This in a community that was literally wiped out in murderous Arab rioting less than 80 years ago... and this journalist/blogger doesn't feel any of that is cogent to the ongoing problems between the Jews and Arabs in the area? 

Was it a terrible thing that this woman cursed at an Arab?  Yes.  Was it a disgrace to all Jews that she did so on camera?  Of course.  Do Jews behave this way (and often worse) in Tel Aviv towards their neighbors every single day?  Yes, sometimes they do... but somehow, that isn't newsworthy to a blogger with an agenda.

I have been privately seething about that episode and the way some bloggers covered it for some time now... and this morning it came to a head when I read of another report - a real tragedy this time - from the same area:

During yesterday's freak snowfall, a minivan lost control on the icy roads and slammed nearly head-on into a bus near Hevron.  The driver of the minivan and his wife were killed and one of their children was critically injured.  They left behind eight orphans including the injured girl (Gitit Bat Simcha for those who want to offer prayers for her recovery) and that really should have been enough to set the nation to mourning.

But as if this tragedy weren't enough by itself, I read with horror that "Ambulances rushing to the scene came under attack by local Palestinian Authority Arabs, who hurled rocks and bricks at the rescue vehicles, as well as at those motorists stuck in the ensuing traffic." [source]

Where is the outrage?  This was a blameless car accident in inclement weather where two parents are killed and a child is critically injured and nobody seems to have a problem with a Magen David Adom ambulance coming under attack by an Arab mob as it tries to rescue and evacuate the survivors?!!

I scoured Haaretz for a report of the accident and came up empty.  Even the Jerusalem post seemed to have found trouble squeezing it into their busy coverage of, well, nothing much.  There was a brief mention of it in both Maariv and Yediot, but without any mention of the attack on the ambulance (although that might have been buried on page 8 or 9 where the story was continued).

Instead, I had to read about this on Arutz Sheva, arguably the worst written/edited news source in country.  But for all their problems (bad, high school level writing, quirky choice of topics and unabashed political bias), Arutz7 is at least willing to report on stories that hold no interest to the left.

I am sick to death of certain tragedies not being newsworthy... of attacks against development towns and religious settlers being something the country 'just has to learn to accept'. 

As terrible as it is to write down, a part of me actually can't wait for the PA to develop rockets that can reach Tel Aviv so that blatant Arab attempts to injure and kill Jews can once again be an Israeli problem that must be faced instead of just an inconvenience that the poor, the religious and the settlers have to 'suck it up' and accept.

/rant