Israel: Over-Experienced, Under-Appreciated

In grade school, there were students who had all the answers and volunteered them in class, saving all the others the embarrassment of being called upon to supply an answer they did not have. Despite being helpful, the students with the answers were ridiculed for being "too" smart and shown no appreciation or respect.

Israel is today's school know-it-all and no more respected.

Early this year, Israel fought Hamas in Gaza. Known for dozens of deadly suicide bombings in Israel earlier this decade, Hamas this time had been shooting rockets into southern Israeli cities. Israel was forced to act. Still, a United Nations report accused Israel of war crimes. This type of criticism, unfortunately, has become the norm.

The irony is that the world has so much to learn from Israel's experience. Yet, that experience is constantly and consistently under attack.

Today, the Wall Street Journal reported that a dual U.S.-Egyptian citizen living near Boston had planned to attack shopping malls. A mall representative acknowledged, "it is difficult to prevent someone from carrying out an act if they do not care about dying in that act." True, but vigiliant Israeli security has foiled many an attack on Israeli malls, and the Israeli experience could be instructive here.

Similarly, NBC News reported tonight that U.S. authorities on the Arizona-Mexico border have discovered 18 underground drug-smuggling tunnels this year. One tunnel passed beneath a church playground, reminiscent of Hamas weapons-smuggling tunnels in Gaza some with entrances and exits in Palestinian childrens' bedrooms. Like those dug by Hamas, drug tunnels found were elaborate, with wood frames and ventilation systems. (Are Mexican drug-smugglers taking a lesson or two from Hamas?) U.S. authorities say it is a "daily struggle, a cat-and-mouse game" to disrupt the tunnels, and they admit the border is "not secure." U.S. and Israeli military forces are training together in the U.S. on new techniques to locate and destroy underground tunnels. Again, we can and are learning from Israel's experience.

Israel is also routinely criticized for its policy of demolishing homes of terrorists and their families as a deterrent. However, other countries now facing terrorism inside their own borders are adopting the same technique. The Wall Street Journal reported today that Pakistani troops are "facing stiff resistance" with militants "fighting for every space" in that country's stepped-up campaign against the Taliban. Sounds a lot like Israel's battle against Palestinian terrorists in the West Bank city of Janin in 2002, during which Israel was falsely accused of massacring civilians. Interestingly, the Journal reports that Pakistani troops "demolished the houses" of a Taliban leader and a "main trainer of [Taliban] suicide bombers." Pakistan has taken a page from Israel's counterterrorism playbook.

The next time countries like Pakistan are called upon at the UN to condemn Israeli actions against terrorists, they would be well-advised to recall their own actions. Unfortunately, Israel has a lot to teach the world about successfully fighting terrorism. It's about time the world show some gratitude and respect.

(A few days after I wrote this entry, the Israeli daily Yisrael Hayom essentially made the same points, suggesting that the UN learn from Israel's experience and "adapt the acceptable laws of war to the situation of countries -- and Israel is not the only one -- that are fighting terrorist organizations. It would be better to ask how they would have us act next time that terrorists shell us.... so that perhaps [Israel might receive] a little respect.")