Reflections on the First Day of School in Israel

By Barry Rubin

I ask my son how the first day of his elementary school (sixth grade) went. He tells me that the number of guards has been upped from two to five, and now they have metal-detector wands. One of the guards, as before, carries a .38 caliber pistol. For good measure he adds that the guard at the nearby clothing store is now carrying a G36C fully automatic Hechler & Koch (Daniel's an expert on small arms, one of his many hobbies, and has a high opinion of this weapon.)

They are not carrying this equipment because of concern over random trespassers or shoplifters. I often reflect that if terrorists were to attack the elementary school successfully they would be regarded as heroes in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and among millions of Arabs and Muslims.

In contrast, of course, Palestinian schools, stores, and malls do not have to fear attack. On the contrary, certainly in the Gaza Strip and to a lesser extent on the West Bank, they are being taught in textbooks that it is proper and virtuous to slay Israelis wherever they find them. Would all this change overnight if there were an internationally recognized Palestinian state? Of course not.

And incidentally...

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