Can the Whole World be Wrong?

How we know that the problem isn't us

It can sometimes be overwhelming and intimidating to see just how much of the world is against Israel. There’s a famous teaching that the word “Hebrew” means “on the other side” and alludes to Abraham’s, and our, ability to be contrarians. But is it really likely that everyone is wrong? Maybe the problem is with us? This is doubtless a major reason why some Jews become self-hating unJews.

At such times, it’s useful to think about the classic blood libel in which Jews were accused of slaughtering non-Jewish children so that they could consume their blood on Pesach, mixed in with their matzah. This procedure was discussed in La Civilta Cattolica, the semi-official journal of the Vatican, in 1881: “It remains therefore generally proved... that the sanguinary Paschal rite... is a general law binding on the consciences of all Hebrews to make use of the blood of a Christian child, primarily for the sanctification of their souls, and also, although secondary, to bring shame and disgrace to Christ and Christianity.” The blood libel was extraordinarily widespread and long-lived. And yet, every single Jew knows that it’s utterly false. In a way, it’s reassuring. Yes, the whole world can indeed be wrong.

The same goes for the United Nations. Many people argue that Israel must be evil, since so much of the international community is against us. But it’s just the opposite. The fact that the United Nations cannot condemn Hamas for the October 7th massacre - one of the worst atrocities of our era - says a lot about what “the whole world” is worth, and how Judeopathy is clearly a very, very powerful force.

At the same time, it’s important to remember that we do have support from some of the most important players. Germany staunchly supports Israel. So does France, despite the horrible comments made by Macron to the BBC (he subsequently called Herzog to apologize, which unfortunately does not undo the damage he caused). The prime minister of the UK, along with the leader of the opposition, support Israel, which counts for much more than the millions of noisy Muslims and leftists in the UK who oppose. The EU has condemned Hamas’s use of civilian shields. All these strong democracies are worth much more than a hundred tinpot dictatorships. And, of course, there is the leadership of both parties in the US, which are almost worth more than everyone else put together.

This support is not only reassuring for morale; it’s also of great practical value. International political support is of genuine importance to Israel’s survival. Having US carrier fleets off the coast, ready to intervene with Hezbollah and Iran, is valuable. Being able to buy and sell arms with other countries is valuable. Having trade relationships is valuable.

We must try to solidify that support, and not let the leadership of those countries be swayed by anti-Israel forces. The March for Israel rally tomorrow in Washington DC is of tremendous importance. Everyone who cares about Israel should try to attend.