“In the wake of the recent murderous attacks against us, Arab newspapers and leaders nonetheless engage in open lies and libelous accusations against Jews. In their quest to influence world opinion against us, they seek to reverse the truth, accusing Jews of doing what they actually just did to us – raping women, pillaging property and mercilessly killing innocent civilians. Enough with our constantly having to defend ourselves in the court of public opinion. It’s time for us Jews to launch a legal case against our libelous accusers. It’s time for us to file charges in court against all those who incite world opinion against Jews, against all who spread these slanderous lies and perpetuate these perverse reversals of the truth against us.”
These words could easily have been lifted from any of the five different Israeli newspapers I plowed through this past Shabbat here in Israel – Yediot Acharonot, Globes, Makor Rishon, Ha’aretz and Jerusalem Post. Left, right, center, Hebrew or English, all of these newspapers had similar reactions to the libelous accusations currently being leveled against Israel by South Africa in The Hague. The above paragraph would neatly fit into any of their editorial pages.
What’s chilling is that these words are not from this weekend.
While they bear a frightening resemblance to recent events, these words date back to the summer of 1929. “The recent murderous attacks against us” are not about October 7, 2023, rather August 24, 1929 – otherwise known as the “Hebron Massacre.” That’s when violent mobs of axe-wielding Arabs slaughtered 69 Jews, wounded and maimed scores of others, ransacked their synagogues and pillaged their homes. Sounds hauntingly familiar.
In the face of this physical brutality and verbal onslaught against Jews, one brave leader stood up in the name of the truth: Tel Aviv’s (and eventually Israel’s) Chief Sephardic Rabbi, Benzion Meir Hai Uziel.
The greatest compliment to a leader is that their ideas hold relevance in every generation. In this case, 95 years after he spoke the above words, I’m sure Rabbi Uziel would respectfully pass on this compliment.
Instead, I’m sure he would have loved for his closing remarks to his 1929 address to take effect:
“To all Muslims who don’t partake in spreading these lies, and to all nations of the world, we call upon you to ignore these words of incitement that seek to sow seeds of hatred and bloodshed amongst people. One God has created us all, so let us extend a hand of peace to one another.”
95 years later, three months after October 7, and now in The Hague – wouldn’t that be nice.
In the meanwhile…
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Daniel Bouskila is the international director of the Sephardic Educational Center.
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