Hagai Segal
Photo: Zoom 77
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s
speech at the AIPAC
conference was a spectacular and inspiring display. We can even characterize it as the best speech ever delivered by our PM.
Should the principles outlined in the speech be realized one of these days, and Netanyahu will shift from words to actions and from threats to bombings, his AIPAC 2012 address may be included in the list of the 21st Century’s most important speeches.
The combination of the words, images, essence and body language was deeply convincing. Not to mention the level of English, of course.
Perspective
Yair Lapid
Op-ed: Yair Lapid presents surprising scenario of what Israelis can expect after Iran strike
As usual with Netanyahu, he linked the Iranian issue to the Auschwitz horror, yet this time it was necessary. Holocaust imagery is a despicable thing in domestic arguments between Jews, yet not when we face an external enemy planning a final solution for us.
If in Arafat’s case there was a slight doubt as to whether he hates Jews or only settlers, in Ahmadinejad’s case there is no doubt. Iran’s president openly aspires to collectively annihilate us. He is also vigorously preparing the required nuclear infrastructure to carry out his wishes.
Or as Netanyahu said this week: What looks like a duck, walks like a duck and sounds like a duck – is a duck.
Never Again
It is possible that Ahmadinejad is less capable than his spiritual fathers in the Arian Europe and may have trouble implementing his pans, yet it would be illogical to premise our future on such fragile operational assumption. If we do it after all, we shall render all our Yad Vashem rhetoric, memorial ceremonies and March of the Livings in Poland empty of all substance.
In the distant past we promised ourselves not to forget and not to forgive, yet a short while later we reconciled with Germany. We referred to it as “The Other Germany” and fooled ourselves a little. Yet we must not give up the “Never Again” pledge as well.
The main lesson of the Holocaust is that active anti-Semites must be stopped when they’re still small. We can’t wait for them to prepare a nuclear Auschwitz for us.