Israel’s Spoken Language and Body Language

By Moshe Feiglin

During Operation Protective Edge I explained that Hamas, Iran, Hizbollah, ISIS and other similar menaces are nothing other than different arms of the same octopus: Radical Islam.

“All the arms of the octopus are watching us now in Gaza,” I said. “If we do not eliminate the arm that is attacking us in Gaza now, it will become empowered, the octopus will perceive Israel as being weak and the temptation to strike and to keep Tel Avivians cowering on the ground with their hands covering their heads for months will intensify”.

I was pleased to hear similar statements in PM Netanyahu’s speech at the UN yesterday. The awareness that the various terror organizations and states are all part of the same enemy – radical Islam – was clearly delineated in the Prime Minister’s characteristically impressive speech.

Unfortunately, however, there is a fly in the ointment. The PM’s speeches, as on-target and important as they may be, do not make much of an impression on the world. That is because Israel’s body language – its diplomatic and military actions – belies the PM’s spoken language.

If Hamas is the ISIS, then why didn’t you destroy it when you had all the justification and opportunity to do so? Do you suggest that the world should now conduct negotiations with ISIS?

If Hamas is ISIS, why do you allow for the flags of both those organizations to be waved in the heart of your capital – the Temple Mount?

Why do you expect the world to remove the Iranian threat? Former PM Begin did not rely on the world when he bombed the nuclear reactor in Iraq. True, Shimon Peres was opposed to destroying the reactor and all the nations condemned Israel. But they also breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Israel is the country most threatened by Iran. Why does PM Netanyahu expect the world to solve the problem for us? Isn’t that precisely why we established the State of Israel? So that we would never have to turn to the British or American air force when we faced the threat of destruction?

And if we expect the world to defend us, won’t they think that the establishment of the State of Israel was a mistake?