“I’ve long been of the position that a lot of this anti-Semitism furor has been overblown, and this would seem to underscore that.”
Marc Zell, director of Republicans Overseas Israel.
Last week’s revelation that a host of the recent bomb threats made on Jewish community centers throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand actually came from a 19 year-old in Ashkelon, “Israel” was, to put it mildly, a bombshell.
Never missing an opportunity to prove their relevance, Johnathan A. Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, said that the threats were, “calculated to sow fear and anxiety, and put the entire Jewish community on high alert.”
True, but by whom?
Mr. Greenblatt continued in the ADL official statement, “Even though it appears that the main culprit behind the majority of these attacks has allegedly been identified, anti-Semitism in the U.S. remains a very serious concern. No arrests have been made in three cemetery desecrations or a series of other anti-Semitic incidents involving swastika graffiti and hate fliers. JCCs and other institutions should not relax security measures or become less vigilant.” Ignoring the fact that distributing hate literature is in most cases not an indictable offense in the United States, the reference to the cemetery desecrations and graffiti is a classic example of what is known in debate circles as a “red herring”.
red herring |ˈˌred ˈheriNG|
something, especially a clue, that is or is intended to be misleading or distracting.
Instead of addressing the issue at hand, what compelled a 19 year-old Jewish boy living in “Israel” to make bomb threats to hundreds of Jewish organizations, the ADL commits a feat of verbal gymnastics that is truly Olympic worthy. The fine print of the ADL’s statement is:
“Yes, they have found what seems to be the main culprit in scores of bomb threats to JCCs around the world and is reportedly even Jewish…but don’t stop fretting! You are still in grave danger! Don’t stop panicking!”
The questions that have arisen following the Israeli-American teen’s arrest are many. How did an adolescent with an alleged brain tumor that severely affects his ability to function in normal society, who hasn’t been able to attend mainstream schools since the 1st grade, thwart law enforcement in at least 5 countries? And for 2 years no less! As the boy’s lawyer, Gilat Bash, stated, “He suffers from a brain tumor that may have had an effect on his cognitive functions.”
cognition |ˌkäɡˈniSH(ə)n|
the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.
a result of this; a perception, sensation, notion, or intuition.
Senses such as “perception, sensation, notion, or intuition” are things that someone evading international law enforcement would most definitely need. To not possess them is a recipe for failure/capture.
It’s possible though. Even with the accused supposedly suffering from “severe cognitive difficulties” he may have simply been blessed with natural abilities in the realm of technology. Nimrod Vax, a co-founder of the US-Israeli cybersecurity company BigID, said that the phone calls required a level of sophistication but were “not too difficult” for an experienced hacker.
Though possibly an incredible technological autodidact, other questions remain. Why would President Trump feel it necessary to send 14 FBI agents to assist in an Israeli investigation when “Israel” is recognized as being on the forefront of cyber-law enforcement technology? Why help the best? Shouldn’t their own resources be sufficient, especially in a case involving a disturbed teen who, though possibly skilled, wasn’t better than the best cyber crime prevention has to offer. According to sources on both sides of the Atlantic and Mediterranean, it was only after President Trump insisted that “Israel” follow up on leads it had received concerning the suspect and then sent over a dozen federal agents to assist that “Israel” had a breakthrough in the case.
Conspiracy theories are better left to those in fortified bunkers but one may allow himself the luxury of considering inconsistencies in the official story coming out of “Israel”. Especially when they’re followed by an upswing in “support” from Israeli politicians for “beleaguered” American Jews. The above-mentioned ADL statement or a Boston conference this week where Israeli law-makers reached out to American Jews regarding an alleged uptick in anti-Semitic incidents are two such examples. The conference was presented by the Ruderman Family Foundation where several Knesset members voiced their opinions. “It is unfortunate,” said Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin, a member of an opposition party. “I find it concerning, part of the worldwide battle against cyber (prejudice), but I don’t think that is the issue.” She went on to say that the Trump administration’s handling of the issue has not been sufficient to date. Rachel Azaria, whose party is right of center and aligned with Likud, said “You can’t ignore that there is more anti-Semitic incidents. I think everyone is kind of wondering, is the sky blue again, or is it still cloudy?”
Yes, more anti-Semitic incidents perpetrated by a 19 year-old, working-class tech savant in the “Jewish State”. There’s an enormous difference between “mostly cloudy” and “scattered clouds throughout the day”. Particularly when one person is supposedly making most of the weather. The conference concluded with words from Mickey Levy, a former Jerusalem police commander and deputy finance minister, who said that he worried about the future. “We need the Jewish community from the United States and they need us,” he said.
No. It seems not. Not for solving crimes at least. Maybe for producing anti-Semitism we can give them a call.
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