Bring it home...

The Government of Israel, the elected parliamentarians who are supposed to be a 'light unto all other nations,' well she acts in mysterious ways. that's putting it lightly. recently there has been a ruckus of commotion regarding the Israeli prime minister's decision to grant Holocaust survivors a whopping 83 NIS (New Israeli Shekel) stipend per month. for those of you who do not regularly trade in foreign currencies, the going rate for one shekel is just a tad better than $0.23. this brings the monthly benefit to a not-so-grand total of $19.60 for these survivors of genocidal nightmares. many of these victims still relive their horrors with emotional, mental and physical scars. others have no one to care for them and live in squalor. some suffer from a combination of both and probably other situations that we on the periphery might not be well-equipped to comment on, given the unique nature and circumstances in which these beings were degraded in our not-too-distant history. an article I found today at haaretz.com said the Prime Minister's Office and a group representing Holocaust survivors finally agreed, after weeks of unsuccessful negotiations, on a monthly stipend of 1,200 NIS. hopefully the increased amount will bring some much-needed relief to those slated to receive it, even if the way in which the Government decided to handle and appropriate the funds illustrates the embarrassing neglect and denial of civility for the survivors of the worst calamity to come upon the Jewish people for centuries. the situation begs the question: if Israel obviously casts her own people to the wayside, the very people who were the subject of the hatred and ignorance that the Zionist pilgrims stood up against in order to found the State of Israel herself so that she may be a pinnacle of light, hope and most importantly a homeland and protectorate for the Jewish Diaspora, what does it say to all the peoples of all other nations? they might think, and properly so, that if Israel does not care to act to strengthen the victims of the Holocaust, then surely we should not either. it shows that, frankly, it's not that big of a deal. here's $20 - enjoy your chicken schnitzel.

Juxtapose the Israeli government's lack of concern for Holocaust survivors to the immediate pledge of $20,000 to Peru for earthquake assistance. that spells to me the ingredients of an unhealthy family relationship where one family member pays deference to his/her friends and even friends' families more than their own family. oh wait - there is another example from which we can illustrate how the situation is so absurd.
reading yet another article from haaretz.com, I found that the EU is delaying funding for fuel transfers to Gaza. interesting enough, so I read on...what I learned was humiliating and increased my frustration with the hypocrisy of politics that seems to have slyly snuck on to the agenda of Olmert's government. the article stated that the EU was still debating whether to resume funding for transferring fuel from Israel to the authorities at a certain power plant in Gaza. their concern, and what is ultimately responsible for the halt in their operations, is the involvement of Hamas with the power plant. after lobbying for years that Hamas should be listed as a terrorist organization, it seems that Israel convinced those in the European Union so much so that the EU is committed to keep funding for power away from anything associated with this terror group. not Israel though. fully aware of Hamas' control of the Gaza Generating Company in question, Israel has still been transferring fuel as part of her commitment to humanitarian aid and services.

Israel is Catch 22'd here. it is important for a country in Israel's position (a position that is certainly, by the nature of the country itself and everything surrounding it, one of a kind) to maintain a higher moral level and lead by example. the principal of a light unto the nations is again in mind. yet again we ask ourselves about the humanitarian aid due the Israelis who survived the Holocaust. it is preposterous to think that Israel extends herself and her reputation at the negotiating table in actions such as dealing with Hamas-run authorities while neglecting her home-front needs, politically, security-wise, economically and morally.

I'm proud of Israel and the opportunistic ideals it represents. I do not think any other country exists that would supply tax money and fuel, and I'm sure quite a lot more, to an entity with which it is warring for the humanity of the civilians who dwell within that entity's borders. the show of support for Peru is admirable. Israel does not have much in terms of resources, manpower or finances, yet examples like the monetary contribution to Peru in the wake of a disaster and sending relief teams to Somalia make Israel's small shadow on the map stand out on top of its neighbors and fellow countries. these positives just scratch at the surface of the strength of character and leadership that embodies Israel. I've been told by Israelis on numerous occasions that Israel is not as idyllic as I would like to believe. I disagree. there are problems with the country like every other. many reasons are due to the semi-religious nature of the state; since Israel bases many of its laws and certainly its traditions on religion, perhaps we look to Israel with higher expectations. nonetheless, I do expect that those who lived through the dark period of Nazi Germany should live with the honor and respect they deserve, especially from the people and Government of Israel. So hopefully when the Prime Minister reads this op-ed he will recall that the obligations of Israel are great and extend his efforts accordingly so that the results of his mission are greater.