The cease-fire between
Israel and Hamas has allowed the international media to go back to
addressing, among other things, the fighting in Ukraine (remember that?)
and the Ebola virus, which is much more worrying than the virus known
as "Hamas." The city of Donetsk in the eastern Ukraine has taken the
place of Gaza in the headlines of European newspapers.
For some reason, the
evacuation on Wednesday and Thursday of tens of thousands of Christians
from their homes as the radical Sunni Islamic State takes over extensive
areas in northern Iraq and Christian cities still hasn't been properly
covered by the European media (unlike the American media), which was
very -- I mean, very -- worried about Gaza. Which by yesterday had
nearly been forgotten.
Is it because there are
no European journalists in northern Iraq? Or maybe because the U.N.
Relief and Works Agency, which cares only for Palestinians, isn't active
there? Either way, the Islamic State, which is much more radical than
al-Qaida (is that even possible?), continues about its business without
too many headlines after taking over Kirkuk, Iraq's most Christian city
(it was home to 50,000 Iraqi Christians).
It seems like the
international media has thus far perceived members of the Islamic State
as space aliens. Hamas, on the other hand, are seen as freedom fighters
working to remove the blockade for the good of the people of Gaza.
Unlike the Islamic State people, Hamas operatives are seen as righteous.
Try and explain that they're one and the same.
U.S. President Barack
Obama announced on Thursday that the U.S. was looking into the
possibility of bombing Iraq. Nothing more was needed for the American
media to devote its top headlines to what is happening in Iraq.
At any rate, the
administration is sort of responsible for what is taking place in Iraq
today: the invasion (Bush) and the withdrawal (Obama). We mentioned the
American airstrikes? This is doubtless much less dangerous than a ground
operation, and between us, will anyone demand investigative committees
or a special session of the U.N. General Assembly if and when, heaven
forbid, innocent Iraqi civilians are killed in those same airstrikes?
"Leave, convert, or
die" was the top headline on the Fox News website. The readers,
obviously, were shocked to discover just how hostile the radical Sunni
Islamic State is to other religions. For some reason, no one this past
month has thought to look into how Hamas sees non-Muslims. "Leave,
convert, or die"… think for a moment how much Hamas would like to see a
headline like that here. The world was busier removing the blockade than
it was perusing the group's charter. Might there be a connection?
Obviously, France also
bears some responsibility for what's happening in the Middle East. Do
you remember the Sykes-Picot Agreement? Today it's collapsing and France
is seeing itself offering asylum to the Christians of the Orient. On
Thursday, the government called a special session of the U.N. General
Assembly to discuss the situation in Iraq. The Islamic state is "in" --
Hamas is "out."
How quickly the story dies
In general, it's pretty
amazing to see how quickly a story can die. You should see how far down
on the CNN website Gaza has dropped. "Hamas: We are ready to renew the
fighting," one of the more modest headlines read. No one is moved by
Hamas' threats to resume shooting on Friday morning if the blockade is
not removed from Gaza. The cease-fire talks in Cairo aren't even
mentioned, lest the readers/watchers/listeners doze off.
U.N. Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon managed on Wednesday to anger officials in Jerusalem when,
even before the Human Rights Council investigative committee began its
work looking into the Gaza war and civilian casualties, he laid the
blame on Israel for attacks on U.N. facilities in Gaza and said they
should stand trial. There is no question that the U.N. under Ban is
having trouble handling the troubles of the world, and it's good that
there is Gaza -- and Israel -- for the U.N. to flex its muscles over in
New York.
But recent weeks have
merely shown how helpless the U.N. and the international community are
in solving crises: Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, and Gaza have not helped the
organization's image. The various conflicts around the world just prove
how weak it is.
The U.N. undoubtedly
has a problem. The first clause of the U.N. Charter calls upon members
to solve conflicts through peaceful means and refrain from threats and
use of force to gain territory or power. Take note about just how
relevant it is today.
And one favor from
Israelis traveling abroad this weekend: If you happen to run into
"international opinion," ask it what exactly the "international
community" is these days and where it's headed. Because between us, it
looks like the international community is in real trouble, and before it
examines us, it should take a look at itself.
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