The museum of innocence, the land of cruelty


Those who visited Jerusalem after 2005 know there is an impressive memorial museum at the Hill of Remembrance – Children's Memorial, a museum of child victims of genocide. The architectural design and presentation of the museum is exceptional. The effects of setting and sound are used in order to transmit the bitter fact that children were also one of the targets of the Nazi's genocide. You enter underground on a narrow stony path. After a while, the place you enter brings to mind a void within space, surrounded by the stars. The stars symbolize the child victims. The rest is dark bitterness. A voice whispers the child victims' names, ages and their hometowns. That's all. However, when the path of the museum leads you to the brightness of Jerusalem, you feel shame for the relief that comes with it and try to hide it from others. You become ashamed as a human that such a disaster happened. The darkness follows you for a while. You try to chat with others about the architecture of the museum in order to release the burden. At that moment many say, "Those who saw this museum can never hold hatred or a grudge against children anymore!" Our optimist naivety, our political propaganda, global culture and humanity are staggered by the effects of media. But the reality is not as it seems. Not far from that museum, Israeli soldiers are beating Palestinian children with absolute cruelty and truculence in the garden of al-Aqsa Mosque. A few kilometers back in Gaza, children are dying gradually from lack of medication and nutrition because of the blockade. And now we know again, Israel has built that museum and also drops bombs on children who play football on the beach when it pleases. A female representative in the Knesset named Ayelet Shaked stood up and said, "We should also kill Palestinian mothers!" without any shame or decency. How about the Jewish citizens who walk around their Palestinian neighbors with t-shirts bearing the picture of an Israeli soldier stabbing a pregnant Palestinian woman's belly? Now tell me, how can Israelis exhibit their cruelty so openly and comfortably? In fact, we know the answer. The whole world is slowly becoming aware of the answer. Such cruelty stands so open because of political abuses.It is these kinds of political abuses that the museum describes. They also play the anti-Semitism card as an alibi. When you object, criticize or protest them or their actions, they immediately interrogate you, asking, "Are you anti-Semitic?" But all of this will come to an end. As I have also stated in my previous column, the power of pro-Israel states and world media will last up to some point. Beyond that point, the citizens of this world will no longer buy this blackmail. And there is more – we can also realize that Israel creates an alibi and legitimacy by provoking anti-Semitic inclinations through Zionism. It cannot be noticed in the mainstream media, but on the Internet the issue has been highly evaluated by Jewish writers. Outspoken critics have been raising their voices on how Israel prioritizes its goals more than its religion and how this damages the overall image of Judaism. Apparently, the latest Gaza attack is dragging Israel into a critical position. What Netanyahu considers political genius is slowly turning into a permanent, ideological defeat. Let's also say something about the Arab administrations that support Israel either publicly or privately. Up to where? Is there anyone who does not know that palace coups or coup plotters, just as it happened in Egypt, cannot resist the will of the people? The Arab Spring has served Israel's interests. But seasons pass and they come again. Who can claim that the new one will be the same? But it's true; these days appear to be the darkest for both Palestine and the Middle East. In other words, the morning is nigh.