By Michael Kuttner…
Knaves are dishonest, deceitful, and untrustworthy individuals, while fools are foolish, ignorant, or lacking in wisdom. The phrase knaves and fools often refers to a situation where the world is divided or disrupted by deceit and ignorance.
What a perfectly perceptive and relevant definition for the currently prevailing state of affairs.
It seems that each week produces an increasing crop of such individuals and groups whose sole purpose in life is to pillory Israel and cause collateral damage to Jewish communities.
The knaves and fools will be out in force as we edge closer to the year’s grand finale, namely the choreographed farce known as the UN General Assembly.
One of the chief actors whose past performances have earned him saintly status has been derailed by the Trump Administration. Abbas, the president for life of the PA, has had a spoke put in his travel plans to New York. This has sent the usual woke folk into a tailspin of frantic frenzy.
The question is what happens now?
If the UN and its progressive cheer leaders do not manage to change the US State Department’s mind there is a precedent. When chief terrorist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Arafat, faced a similar situation the UN conveniently changed the venue to Geneva. At the site of the failed League of Nations, Arafat with his gun strapped to his side, addressed an adoring audience. This intifada murderer was applauded and embraced and given an international seal of approval.
It set the stage for subsequent nauseous waves of hypocrisy and selective condemnations of Israel. The result can be seen in the current deceitful declarations emanating from all and sundry.
The pandering to jihadist terror and appeasing of those sponsoring and funding it, is now a standard feature of international gatherings.
Countries which once upon a time clearly stood on the side of democratic values and refused to join the mindless mobs have mainly succumbed. They have retreated in the face of mass indoctrination, mind numbing disinformation and weak leadership. That is why they meekly acquiesce as the UN, International Court of Justice and World Court are subverted by some of the most corrupt countries in the world. Instead of standing up to the bullies these democracies prefer to appease and go with the flow as Israel is pilloried for selective condemnations.
The “rent a crowd” clowns take great comfort witnessing the knee jerk reactions of their respective governments. The mass gatherings grow bigger and more raucous after they realize that headline grabbing photos, outrageous marches and demonstrations are guaranteed to go viral.
Imitation is the name of the game.
Thus, thanks to social media the spectacle of terrorist flags, offensive placards and portraits of terror leaders pop up at every mass gathering.
After the misnamed “march for humanity” across the Sydney Harbour Bridge the New Zealand knaves and fools obviously feel compelled to follow suit. A similar march across the Auckland Harbour Bridge is scheduled to take place on 13 September. No doubt the same terrorist flags, banners and photos will be recycled and the same venomous vitriol and slogans will be articulated.
Instead of scuttling what promises to be a major disruption to traffic and a mass incitement against Israel the authorities are meekly folding. This is par for the course. After all it is far easier to surrender to mob intimidation and excuse it in the name of “freedom of expression.”
One has to ask: who is funding and directing the groups involved? Could it conceivably be the same suspects recently expelled from Australia? Are the NZ security authorities investigating or is it a case of hoping that by ignoring it the problem will magically disappear?
It was only by chance that I stumbled the other day across a Facebook pronouncement from the Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand’s Capital city.
It reads as follows: “We need to stand on the right side of history. That’s why today, Wellington City Council moved an amendment to ensure we have a BDS approach to our new Disaster Resilience Fund. This means we will not invest in Israeli government bonds or businesses that support the genocide or illegal occupation of Palestinian land. We have a moral responsibility to invest in a way that upholds human rights, supports our Palestinian community and ensures that our money does not profit off genocide, war crimes and atrocities. As a public entity, we have a responsibility to lead with dignity and be a voice for communities. Whether it’s joining protests that put pressure on governments that refuse to act, or passing amendments like this, it is vital we continue to show our support and solidarity with Palestine.”
This missive is typical of the warped, ignorant and brain addled narratives so beloved of those who know nothing about historical facts and who instead mouth mindless slogans. I presume that if an earthquake were ever to devastate Wellington, the local authorities would refuse any Israeli offer of assistance. It’s the height of absurdity that instead of fixing the city’s failing water infrastructure, resuscitating failed businesses and dealing with homeless citizens, the mayor and council prefer to obsess about Israel. Rather than educate themselves on the real facts they prefer to mouth inane fake libels.
Having digested this potpourri of half baked baloney, I searched for some sort of robust rebuttal from representatives of the local Jewish community and Zionist spokespersons. Despite my best efforts I have not been able to discover any pushback. It could be that the main media have decided to ignore this although I doubt this is the case.
I did come across a well known talk back host who fronts an alternative media site. He usually exposes subjects that the main media prefer to either ignore or distort. On this occasion, his interview was with a member of the Wellington Jewish Community and concerned this very subject. After expressing disgust and outrage over the City Council decision and the Mayor’s pathetic excuses the interviewer posed the question: “has the Jewish community hit back at this disgraceful act?” The answer was “not that I am aware of.” There was a moment of stunned silence as this response sunk in. “Excuse me,” continued the host “but don’t they seem to be rather sanguine about all this?”
This was a rather diplomatic and polite way of querying the total lack of outrage. To his credit, the community member replied that this was a historical way of reacting to hate. He explained that keeping a low profile and melting into the undergrowth was a preferred tactic although not one which he agreed with or which had ever saved Jews from being targeted.
This deplorable invisibility is in direct contrast to the proactive and no nonsense approach that used to be the norm over 50 years ago when I was active in communal and anti defamation activities. The current debacle would never have been allowed to sink without trace. There were plenty of people in the community back then willing and able to tackle the clueless pontifications and pontificators.
The knavery and foolishness now on display would never have had a chance of proceeding unchallenged.
Presumably embracing BDS cements the previously signed partnership agreement between Wellington and Ramallah. Birds of a feather certainly do flock together.
Look no further than Greta and also the Irish for conclusive examples of how deranged the anti Israel rabble rousers have become.
The former is a one time climate conspiracy theorist who has graduated to anti Israel performances. The latter are reincarnated leprechaun lemmings whose hate genes warp their addled minds.
Greta is sailing towards Gaza again in another media stunt. This time she is accompanied by a flotilla of boats and in the company of an assortment of terror supporters of various nationalities. Ironically, their first attempt to leave Barcelona was thwarted by a storm. Perhaps this is an omen Greta should take note of as she sails the Mediterranean. The object of this exercise has nothing to do with providing aid. It is simply an attention seeking farce which attracts publicity and adds to the accumulation of lies and mistruths about Israel.
It is yet another act of the absurd embraced by the likes of Wellington’s mayor and other knaves and fools.
According to legend, kissing the blarney stone endows one with the “gift of the gab.” It certainly does not guarantee that those so endowed will articulate common sense.
Take the latest pronouncements from over fifty Irish medical consultants as an example.
They have demanded that the Irish Government not give any medications manufactured by Israel’s Teva Company to any patients. Presumably they would prefer Irish patients to suffer or die than have them treated by Israeli produced pharmaceuticals.
Ireland according to surveys has become the number one Israel hating country in Europe.
We can only shake our head in wonderment as the knaves and fools take over.
Michael Kuttner is a Jewish New Zealander who for many years was actively involved with various communal organisations connected to Judaism and Israel. He now lives in Israel.
[This article was originally published on J-Wire and is reproduced here with permission from Michael Kuttner.]
