Zionism drains the soul of all human feeling.
Israel's Knesset held a first-of-its-kind discussion on the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. During a meeting last Thursday, Dr. Sharon Shaul from an Israeli-based organization that provides humanitarian aid around the world made a seemingly trivial remark: "I think that even everyone sitting around this table doesn't want a suffering child to be unable to receive painkillers or minimal medical treatment."
Israeli lawmaker Amit Halevi (Likud) angrily interrupted her: "I'm not sure you're speaking for us when you say we want to treat every child and every woman. I hope you don't stand behind that statement either. When fighting a group like this, the distinctions that exist in a normal world don't exist."
Shaul didn't back down: "I hope that you too don't want a 4-year-old whose arm has been amputated to go without painkillers. I hope you have that empathy too." Lawmaker Limor Son Har-Melech (Religious Zionism) couldn't hold back: "The only treatment needed here is for you," she said, pointing at Shaul. Another participant remarked: "You are the sickest doctor I've ever seen."
The discussion was convened by MK Moshe Tur-Paz (Yesh Atid) as part of a subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee dealing with public diplomacy and foreign relations. The issue at hand was not hunger in and of itself, but the diplomatic and public relations damage it might cause.
Contrary to Dr. Shaul's hope, many around the table indeed thought that the starvation and torment of Gazan children is not only legitimate but even desirable. Shifra Tzur Aryeh, who identified herself as a resident of the Gaza envelope, scolded the MKs for even holding the discussion. "Who are you pitying?" she shouted, repeating the false claim about the "disembowelment" of pregnant women during the October 7 attack as a reason why Gazans don't deserve sympathy.
"I don't think anyone in this room imagines that in 15 years we'll look back and say, 'It was great that we starved them – what a smart strategy,'" said Ron Yamin from the Political Headquarters of the Left-Wing Organizations Coalition.
Son Har-Melech once again couldn't restrain herself: "No one is starving anyone – stop echoing Hamas lies!"
