Why do Palestinians celebrate sadism?

WHEN the story of the 21st century is written our descendants will look in astonishment at what passed as the factual record of events.

They will stand amazed and ask what the ongoing wave of stabbings of Israelis say about Palestinian culture.

They will seek clues about why Palestinians have been seized by their present blood-lust.

From our perspective today inflicting pain and rejoicing in suffering are so visible within Palestinian culture that they can be construed as defining traits. When Israelis being murdered, kidnapped, or having rockets fired at their cities become reasons to publicly affirm pleasure in the suffering of oth- ers, it becomes a cultural anachronism and, in the 21st century, demonstrable dehumanisation.

Sadism of course is hardly restricted to Palestinian culture and examples can be found in every country, but today sadism is the individual exception rather than the societal rule. With the exception of warfare, those who set trends and values never endorse sadism. The leaders of Palestinian culture do. Consider Sheikh Muhammed Sallah’s sermon exhorting: “My brother in the West Bank: Stab! Stab the myths of the Talmud in their minds! Stab the myths about the temple in their hearts!”

And Palestinian President Mah- moud Abbas’ call to arms: “Al-Aksa is ours and so is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. They have no right to desecrate them with their filthy feet.”

Israel has never shown any desire to destroy any place of religious significance to the Palestinians; it has not enjoyed the same respect in return.

Nobody can expect Israel to cede what belongs to her, but everyone can expect them to defend vigorously against an implacable enemy what is hers by historical and legal precedent.

Only Israel can protect the sites holy for all religions in Jerusalem.