The press has been full of news about reaction to the Gaza crisis and hostility towards Israel and Jewish people which has apparently and presumably emanated, from those who have previously been neutral however since watching, as many of us have, the endless tragedy, on our television screens for many days been enraged at the disproportionate violence against unarmed civilians.
I'm afraid it is just purely human nature to react when you see innocent children and civilians killed by a sophisticated military machine, with no credible way of defending or even protecting themselves, Israel has run a slick propaganda campaign, firstly that they are vulnerable and innocent victims then telling us how they've warned that people by telephone call, text message, email probably and public announcements of impeding carnage, however the reality has been that these warnings have been utterly useless since, they have attacked acknowledged places of safety such as UN administered schools, supposedly safe havens until such time as a piece of Israeli artillery takes aim.
Israel has been adept in explaining itself, the terror it has experienced from the 200,000 people it keeps locked inside the world's largest open prison, Gaza. We are meant to be sympathetic, which of course we are, all human life is sacred, however the people of Gaza have been imprisoned for many a year, so is it any surprise that of 200,000 people some refuse to passively continue to be held hostage by Israel, who to put it simply robbed and occupied Palestinian land and turfed out Palestinian families from homes and lands they've owned for centuries.
Anyway forgetting all the propaganda and all the arguments with those pro and against Israel's recent defensive action, which required an attack on a largely defenceless civilians, the simple initiative, or rather action of one hero, from a previous conflict ought to serve as a wake-up call, to the likes of Benjamin Netanyahu and fellows, Mr Zanoli a man who has been honoured for risking his life to save a child in the second world war, has found it necessary to returned his award from the Israeli government of the "Righteous Among the Nations" honour, given in 2011 for helping to shelter a child from the Nazis from 1943-45 in the Netherlands.
Mr Zanoli who has lost members of his own family in the conflict is quoted in an Israeli paper as stating in letter "to hold on to the honour granted to me by the State of Israel under these circumstances, would be an insult... to those in my family, four generations on, who lost no less than six of their relatives in Gaza."
A simple action which speaks more of this crisis than any amount of politicians can, not even the slick Israeli military publicists or propagandists. Race and religion don't come into this, as with anything we are accountable for and judged by our actions. Israel as a State is ruthless toward anyone standing in their way, and while they continue steadfastly to deny the liberty of Palestinians there will be no peace and given that they imprison 200,000 people in Gaza refuse basic human rights and thanks to America has overwhelming military superiority it seems Israel will always be at war.
If you'd like to read more Haaretz BBC story
New York Times
