As all are certainly aware, there has recently been some drama surrounding (literally) the Temple Mount. This drama has been accompanied by grandiose threats from both local and foreign muslim terrorist leaders. From Mahmoud Abbas, dictator of the largest local arab mafia, “The Israelis will lose as a result of this.“ Others, such as Erdogan in Turkey and the little “King” in Jordan have been constantly predicting tragedy for Israel if security measures are not removed. Tons of endless threats. It reminds of the unwillingness of the new US Administration to move their Embassy to Jerusalem – the arab world will not tolerate it. There will be mayhem and chaos. blah, blah blah.
With the plethora of threats and doomsday predictions, I was reminded of a particular passage in quite an interesting book I recently read – “The Wandering Jew Has Arrived” by French journalist Albert Londres (Geffen Publishing House). The book is the result of Mr. Londres’ extensive investigations into the perilous situation of world Jewry in the year 1929. He first describes in detail the dire position of Jews in Europe – both Western and Eastern. He follows this by making a personal pilgrimage to the Land of Israel to see firsthand the situation of the Jews there. Mr. Londres is quite enamored by Zionism and the secular Zionists in Tel Aviv and the various kibbutzim. He is less enchanted, although maintains a certain respect, by the religious Jews, both in Europe and Israel. (He would probably be surprised to hear that his book encouraged me to grow my peyos out.)
At the end of the book, there is a dialogue between the author and local arab leaders in Jaffa. At the end of the conversation about the recent massacres of Jews in Hevron and other cities, Mr. Londres recalls a discussion he previously had with the current Mayor of Jerusalem, Ragheb Bey al-Nashashibi. In that conversation, Al-Nashashibi said that as long as the Balfour Declaration stood, there would have to be more massacres. The author then said to him, “you can’t kill all the Jews. They number one hundred and fifty thousand. It would take too long!” To which the Mayor responded “Two days.” The author pointed out that would be “seventy-five thousand per day.” The answer from the Mayor: “No problem!” The other arab notables all completely agreed with this sentiment.
Now for the best part: the journalist’s response:
“So, gentlemen, when the British board their ships, do me a favor and send me a telegram. I think that you are overestimating your strength. The new Jews are not going to let themselves bleed to death. I am even certain that they will pay you back in kind. It will be a tough battle. Here is my address. Don’t forget to notify me.”
A few years later, Mr. Londres perished in a fire. However, safe to assume the arabs never wrote to him with an update. Empty threats from the arabs are not new. You’d think we’d realize that by now. Often reading a book set in the past helps us to better understand the present. The Jewish People are not going to lose, regardless of Abbas’, Erdogan’s, or Abdullah’s empty threats or Bibi’s pathetic capitulations. Its just very likely that in the future they might look as silly as these jokers do in this book.