Wednesday, July 27, 2016

'Ostrich policy' comes at a price - Dan Margalit




by Dan Margalit

The current leaders of the continent, who will reveal their incompetence, will become targets for public outrage.


The French establishment, and Europe in general, was forced to point a finger at Islamist terrorism immediately after the priest in Normandy had his throat slit in a gruesome murder carried out by the Islamic State group. There was no other choice; the murderers entered the church after Islamic State instructed its followers to wage war not only against the French, the Jews and Westerners, but also against what the terrorist group leaders refer to as "Crusaders."

Spokespeople in Germany, France, and even to a large extent, U.S. President Barack Obama, did not express themselves in this way after past, more serious terrorist attacks. When the murderers failed to leave an ideological fingerprint at the scene of the crime, the official spokespeople in Europe were quick to stress that it was not Islamist terrorism, or at least to say that there was still no basis to consider an Islamist motive. 

From a professional communications perspective, you could say that the spokespeople were sent on an inappropriate mission. For the most part, leaders sought to have their own wishes communicated over the actual facts. The "unknown" characterized the attacks in Nice and in Cologne, and across the ocean in Orlando as well -- even though they understood at the time who the murderers were and they also knew that the truth would come out within a few hours. This is deliberate blindness. If an IDF spokesperson expressed himself in such a manner, intentionally and not accidentally, he would be crucified in the town square.

The clear trend: Politicians are hoping that if they let Islamist terrorism off due to reasonable doubt, they will manage to calm down the voters who have arrived as immigrants from North Africa and the Middle East. This is good for elections and lends strength to the illusion that such a strategy will reduce terrorism. As though if it is not spoken about, it does not exist.

Mainly, this is done to avoid learning the necessary lessons -- that is, the need to adapt liberal laws in order to ensure civilian security. The point is not to work against a political opponent or a foreign enemy, but against those who undermine the foundations of Christian democracy on European land.

The ones who will end up paying the price for the current "ostrich policy" are the moderate, liberal and democratic parties. The current leaders of the continent, who will reveal their incompetence, will become targets for public outrage. Currently, they are only paying the price on legitimate terms, such as Britain's exit from the European Union as a way to disconnect from German Chancellor Angela Merkel's liberal immigration policy. If the growing wave of terror continues, the politicians will also pay the most painful price they know -- at the ballot box.

Suddenly, Israel is painted in a new light: It has put on trial someone who shot and killed a helpless terrorist, but it is not impressed by European preaching against shooting a terrorist who approaches a soldier while wielding a knife. In order for democracy to avoid collapse, it must learn to defend itself.


Dan Margalit

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=16801

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