The Difference Between Love and Hate

April 1, 2007 - Earlier today, as I perused through my email and the various news headlines of the day over morning coffee, I happened upon two news stories that, after reading them both, left me...well, they left me synergistically befuddled. You see, each of these two stories, of which you will, after reading this article, gain a better understanding, are nothing new nor surprising when read and considered independently of one another. The events and circumstances found in each, individual article could be considered, by and large, everyday occurrences in the land of Israel, as evidenced by what we see on televisions and read in newspapers. However, after reading these two headlines within seconds apart, I became confused and perplexed. You see, these two headlines, in and of themselves, tell the whole story.

The first article, entitled "Hamas Threatens Israel", was one riddled with hatred, disdain, vitriol and incitement as Abu Ubaida, spokesman of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, warned and threatened an Israeli, as it were, "occupation": "We will turn the Strip into a graveyard for soldiers of the occupation...", he said, "The Palestinian resistance is ready to deal with this aggression...We will teach the enemy a lesson and send him home disappointed, just like many times before. We have nothing to lose..." This is, of course, in response to a potentially imminent Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip aimed at putting an end to the onslaught of Qassam rockets that continue to be fired into southern Israel by Hamas militants. I know, such hatred on behalf of "Palestinian" militants towards the Jewish state hardly qualifies as "unique", nor is the nonstop barrage of rockets being launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel. My sentiments exactly, but then my eyes immediately met the headline for article #2.

The antithesis of its predecessor, the second article was one of compassion, courage and perseverance. While the first article wreaked of venom and hatred, the second embraced a loving kindness that, quite frankly, evades human understanding. The second headline, entitled, "Israeli Ambulance Saves Palestinian Baby", told of how a bullet-proof Israeli ambulance entered the "Palestinian" territory of Ramallah in order to evacuate and thus save the life of a critically injured, six-month old, "Palestinian" infant. Thought to be the victim of poisoning, the infant was transported by the Israeli ambulance to the Chaim Sheva Medical Center at Tel Hashomer, where the Israeli medical team promptly and professionally (as indicated by eyewitnesses) handed over the child along with all medical documents.

I think you know where I'm going with this. Fathom, if you can, a scenario in which the circumstances were reversed--a scenario, as it were, in which an Israeli infant was on the fringe of death and the only timely medical response available was situated in Gaza City. As saddening as it may be, the reality of such a fabrication is that the infant would be lost, and its death would be a trophy headline that very evening on Al Jazeera television.

An expected response from the "Palestinian" side to this heroic act of courage on behalf of the Israeli medical workers, whom effectively saved the life of the Palestinian infant, would be one of gratitude--one of thanks. Quite contrarily, the "Palestinian" Ministry of Health had this to say in response, "all humanitarian matters, especially those concerning human lives, should be separated from political issues." Fair enough, but I ask you, would the "Palestinians" abide by that logic? If you do not have an answer, then consider the outcome, and subsequent "Palestinian" response, if the infant had died.