Remembering Rantisi On Israel's Holocaust Day

While we mark Holocaust Memorial Day here in Israel, can we place this day in the context of current events?

On Saturday, Israel disposed of a bitter enemy, the head of Hamas, Dr. Abdel Aziz Rantisi. Around the world we hear that this targeted killing is unjust, unlawful and counter-productive.

The good doctor could have dedicated his life to curing the sick and relieving human suffering. This is what physicians, medicine men and witch doctors have attempted to do since the dawn of time. Instead, Rantisi sunk to a depravity not found in the most primitive tribes: he dedicated his life to killing and injuring innocent civilians. With this, he joined the dubious ranks of other fallen physicians who have dedicated their lives to making people suffer. The name that comes most prominently to mind is Dr. Josef Mengele.

And this brings me around to the connection between the events of the day and the events of the Holocaust. What lessons do we draw from the Holocaust? There are many, of course: about prejudice, about brotherhood, about heroism. One lesson that the Jews have learned at their terrible expense is that when your enemy pledges to destroy you, when he amasses the tools to do so - take him at his word. Do not wait to be destroyed.

The Jews are not the only ones who learned this message the hard way. In Rwanda, radio broadcasts urged people out to massacre - and indeed they massacred. The UN stood by and watched in disbelief as 800,000 were hacked to death. The fact that Kofi Annan is sorry now will not bring back those poor souls; European tears will not bring back our 6,000,000.

Rantisi was dedicated to committing genocide against Israelis and we took him at his word. Israel is too small and vulnerable to risk a bit of genocide here or there.

Ask your neighbors: What would they have done if it were them he had been out to destroy?

Naomi Leitner
Kfar Saba
Israel