Trump Bursts

One regularly hears demands that “moderate” Muslim leaders speak out against extremist Islamists.

Donald Trump, never one to mince words, has now come out with a demand that Muslims should be barred from entering the USA. This is the time for the “moderate” non-Muslim leaders and elites in the US to speak out. Church leaders, intellectuals, politicians must come out in droves and clearly distance themselves and American society from this hate mongering man and his message.  Point the finger at Trump! Boycott the man!

PS: I have given up on the hope that Israeli politicians will speak out against extremist Israeli words and deeds, as most of today’s Israeli politicians are extremists themselves.

Israel vs. Sweden

A few days ago, the Swedish foreign secretary, Margot Wallström referred to the recent spate of stabbings of Israelis by Palestinians – which she called “terrible”, adding that “they must not happen” and that “Israel had the right to defend itself.” However, Wallström also said that the response can not be “extrajudicial executions.”

Israel reacted to the Swedish foreign secretary with fury: The Israeli press was soon filled by statements about anti-Semitism in Sweden and Netanyahu suggested that the Swedish foreign secretary in her “scandalous remarks…expects Israelis to bare their throats to those trying to stab them.” 

Despite Sweden’s attempt to explain that it had not accused Israel of extrajudicial executions, it is clear that Wallström referred to the fact that since the stabbings had started, Israeli soldiers, policemen and civilians have shot to kill the attackers. Israeli politicians, who called on every Israeli with a gun license to carry a gun, have also called for a shoot to kill approach.

So, why is it ok for Israeli politicians to support shoot to kill and wrong for a foreign politician, to refer to it as “extrajudicial execution” - which shooting to kill rather than shooting to disable, in fact is -?