Thought: The Terrorist Attack in Jerusalem/The Reactions

Thursday night saw a brutal terrorist attack on a yeshiva in Jerusalem. Eight people so far have been confirmed dead and the Jewish world is stunned, to say the least. While there is a lot to say on the topic as a whole, I will try to respond to a few things that are most important:1. The UN Security Council was blocked in putting out an official condemnation of the attacks because Libya decided it would not put out a condemnation without tying the attack to IDF action in Gaza. Excuse me for saying so but when, in the same breath, you call the country a “terrorist regime”, there is a hatred and a bias there and Libya should be, to put it nicely, removed from the UN Security Council. Need I say that when the IDF defended the citizens of Israel by carrying out ground operations in Gaza against terrorist cells who hide behind civilians like cowards and therefore bring harm their way, Israel was condemned in every capacity. When a Palestinian terrorist walks into a house of religious learning on the eve of a very festive religious month for these learners and shoots off automatic gunfire, no it shouldn’t be condemned. Can you -imagine- if an IDF soldier or a Jewish militant walked into a mosque or a Madrassah and started firing automatic gunfire at students learning the Koran!? 2. What kind of statement does it make that the Palestinians are celebrating this? Are you serious? This isn’t a military battle, it isn’t “invading forces”, it isn’t the “oppressive IDF”, its innocent young men. We’re not talking about collateral damage, shrapnel, or crossfire – we’re talking about a targeted attack on innocent people in a yeshiva. What kind of sick mentality justifies this and celebrates it and how can we hope for peace with that mentality in place? 3.  I want to recognize the Western world in coming to the party this time and actually condemning the attack. Four major names (all politics aside for the moment – we’ll get to that in a second) came out and categorically condemned this attack (more will soon, I hope). Some wrap-ups there (courtesy of www.haaretz.com): George W. Bush has said “America stands firm with Israel…” (more than that obviously, but I’d like to focus more on Obama and Clinton), Senator Barack Obama has said “The United States must strongly support Israel’s right and capability to defend itself. Today, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families, and with the Israeli people who defeat these terrorists every single day that they go about their daily lives,” and Hillary Clinton has said “The United States and the international community must make clear that such deplorable acts of terrorism will not be tolerated and we must continue to stand with Israel in its fight against terror.”  British Foreign Secretary David Milibrand has also been vocal, perhaps more so than anyone in the Western world, about this attack.4. The reason I  pointed to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton is to ask this. Why, by March 7th, has there been no official condemnation from the Republican candidate Senator John McCain? Isn’t he supposed to be the man that’s so good for the Jews and for Israel? The one who’s going to stand by Israel? Or is he so buddy-buddy with George W. Bush that Bush’s statement reflects both of their feelings? I’d like to know why his office has remained so silent in the face of this attack and how he justifies this.