When words become weapons: The rising threat of antisemitic harassment

It was shocking to read on All Israel News about yet another attack last week.

This wasn't a physical attack, and it wasn't against a Jew, but it was antisemitic. Actress Helen Mirren was verbally attacked because of her support for Israel.

Since when did we start attacking people because of their views?

I believe Helen Mirren has the right to her views in supporting Israel. I also believe the verbal attacker has the right to his views in support of Palestine. I don't agree with those views myself, but he has the right to hold them.

We have also heard of incidents where the phrase "baby killers" has been shouted at Jews in London. This seems to be becoming the norm: shouting at and harassing anyone who is Jewish or a Zionist. It is putting people's lives in danger.

In Israel, when there is danger, we have a siren that tells us to take cover. We have an app that gives us an early warning. But when someone comes up to you on the street and verbally attacks you, you get no warning. It is suddenly there, right in your face. You also don't know how that verbal assault will escalate. Does the attacker have a knife? Will he hurt me in any way?

This must be very frightening, especially for an 80-year-old woman. I would just like to remind the attacker that he was harassing an 80-year-old pensioner. I hope he is very proud of that.

Although London doesn't have a siren telling you that an attack is imminent, it is sounding the alarm for Jews to come home—to come home to their promised land.

It is quite ironic, though, with some of these verbal attacks and Jews being called baby killers. On October 7, 2023, Palestinian terrorists murdered 1,195 people, 38 of whom were children. So if 38 children were murdered in cold blood, why aren't pro-Palestinian supporters looking at themselves? Why are they condemning Israel with one hand but not condemning Palestinians with the other?

I want to mention the Bibas family. I have mentioned them before in my opinion pieces, and I am not going to apologize for mentioning them again.

The Bibas family were kidnapped on October 7 from their home and taken into Gaza. We remember the image of Shiri being taken into Gaza. She was brutally murdered there along with her two sons, Ariel (4 years old) and Kfir (9 months old).

They were murdered by Palestinian terrorists. Children were murdered by Palestinian terrorists, and yet people on the streets who support the Palestinians, in their hypocrisy, want to accuse Jews of being baby killers.

No one is going up to keffiyeh-wearing Palestine supporters and calling them baby killers.

How would the pro-Palestine crowd like it if we went up to them and accused them of being baby killers? They do not have any moral high ground here.

Israel went to war in the aftermath of the October 7 terror attack to fight terrorists who use their own people as human shields. Yes, innocent people, including children, get killed. Every innocent Palestinian child killed is a tragedy. But we know Israel tries to reduce casualties by giving warnings to residents to flee areas it is about to enter.

What do Palestinians do?

I am reminded of the Sbarro pizza restaurant attack. A civilian restaurant was targeted by a Palestinian suicide bomber. No warning was given. No attempt was made to ensure children were not harmed. There was simply an explosion that left 16 people dead, including seven children and a pregnant woman.

That is the ideology that the pro-Palestine mob is supporting, but I am not going to get in their faces on the street and call them baby killers.

And more recently, just last week, there was the car-ramming attack reported on All Israel News in Gush Etzion, leaving an Israeli teen seriously injured.

She is 17 years old, with her whole life ahead of her. Just a child. She will have to live with these injuries for the rest of her life.

We are not always going to agree in life, but respect is very important. Jesus said it well in Luke 6:31:

"Do to others as you would have them do to you." (NIV)

Do you want people getting in your face and accusing you?

No? Then don't do it to others.

The whole section in the Bible is called "Love Your Enemies."

Luke 6:27–31 says:

"But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise."

On a subject like Israel and Palestine, we are not going to agree. This issue is dividing the world, and with antisemitism placed right in the middle, it is becoming increasingly aggressive and violent.

So let us step back and love each other.