My wife is in Los Angeles with my girls for fall break. She picks up the LA Times and sees a headline, “Four Palestinian Teens are Killed in Israeli Violence.” (Note: The link directs to an updated story.)
A half a world away I am in Israel and awake to see a headline from the Jerusalem Post, “10 wounded over the weekend as terror attacks continue nationwide.”
Having now been in Israel for several days, I can attest that the headline from the LA Times is better suited to the National Enquirer than one of the largest circulating papers in the United States.
The teens referenced in the LA Times headline were not delivering pizza or engaged in constructive activity. They were part of an effort to kill innocent people. They are terrorists that have targeted young children and the elderly. While it is always tragic when life is lost, for those who intend to kill innocents, it’s an occupational risk.
Contrary to what the LA Times headline would have readers believe, the terrorists’ deaths are a result of a normal police reaction to a wave of terror attacks that began around October 6.
There is a nasty propaganda campaign that may be inciting some of the violence. The false campaign suggests that Israel is plotting to divide the Dome of the Rock and limit the ability of Muslims to pray at this site.
This is false. Under Israel’s administration of Jerusalem, the holy sites are left available for all to pray. Prior to Israel’s control over Jerusalem, Jews and Christians largely could not pray at the holiest sites of their religions. (The recently enacted and limited restrictions over access to the al-Aqsa Mosque are the result of the recent spate of violence.)
While the headlines paint a story that can seem scary, life marches on in Israel. The delegation trip led by Gov. Ducey is sticking to its itinerary. We feel safe and are safe.
Stay tuned for some of the highlights from our meetings with former President and Prime Minister Shimon Peres and other leaders.
