By Andrew L. Jaffee

Just the title of a BBC story, “West Bank jail raid sparks chaos,” implies Israel is at fault for yet another Palestinian bout of lawlessness and chaos. The Beeb was reporting on Israel’s capture of terrorists from a Palestinian “prison.” These terrorists were about to be freed, and would have never had to answer for their crimes against Israeli citizens. Because of well-known Palestinian irresponsibility, and implicit support for terrorism, American and EU monitors were stationed in 2002 at the prison to make sure the inmates did not escape. But the monitors left because they feared for their own safety. How can Israel be blamed, as it is a sovereign democracy sworn to the protection of its own citizens? How can Palestinians expect to be treated as responsible members of the world community when they cannot even govern themselves and adhere to established, civilized norms? The BBC article provides facts that would seem to contradict its own story’s title.

Here’s the litany of Palestinian lawless acts, supposedly caused by Israel:

In the wave of Palestinian unrest that followed the Israeli raid in Jericho:

• The director of International Red Cross in Gaza was kidnapped by gunmen
• Two French citizens and a Korean were seized from a hotel in Gaza City by gunmen, one of whom was shot dead by security forces
• A British Council cultural centre in Gaza was set ablaze and an EU compound stormed
• The border crossing between Gaza and Egypt shut for the day after European monitors withdrew because of security threats
• An American teacher at the Arab American University in Jenin, in the northern West Bank, was held briefly by militants
• Two Australian teachers were held by militants in northern Gaza for two hours before being released
• Palestinian militants from the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades in Gaza City warned US and UK nationals to leave the Palestinian territories immediately
• Hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank demonstrated against the Israeli raid and what they see as the complicity of western governments.

And just why are these people, who are in “Palestine” to help Palestinians, being punished? Teachers? The director of International Red Cross?

To its credit, but contradicting the accusation that Israel is at fault for Palestinian chaos, the BBC provided background information as to the real cause of the mayhem:

UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said he had repeatedly raised concerns about the security of the Western monitors in the jail and given a final warning about their withdrawal on 8 March.

An Israeli foreign ministry official said the army raid was necessary after Mr Abbas said Mr Saadat and other militants were about to be freed. …

Under a 2002 deal with Israel, Mr Saadat’s incarceration was supervised by British and US prison monitors, but they were withdrawn shortly before the raid for what was described as “security reasons”. …

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the PA had ignored repeated British requests for guarantees regarding the security of the UK prison guards.

This incident should provide a cautionary note to those with over-eager “good intentions” (like Tom Fox) — or as some would put it, the “culture of low expectations.”

As long as Palestinians are given ultimate leeway, and are not expected to act in a civilized manner, they will continue to act irresponsibly. Political correctness and the ideology of making excuses have gone too far. Give an inch, and a mile is taken.

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Related: Israel, Palestinians, Peace Process

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