Looking for a shred of reason
The first thing that struck me is the number of protests within the Arab world. I am not alluding to past Palestinian intifadas against Israeli occupation or the current demonstrations opposing the construction of settlements on Palestinian land. These protests do indeed serve a specific purpose: as a poignant reminder of the Palestinian people’s suffering.
Nevertheless, Muslims from the Middle East to Pakistan persistently engage in protests. For instance, when a person in Denmark publishes a “blasphemous” cartoon that would otherwise likely only reach a few thousand viewers, the entire Arab world erupts, making the cartoon visible across the world. A localized “insult” thus becomes a global issue.
Protests like these follow a usual pattern. They involve burning American or Israeli flags (usually), spitting on photographs of Western leaders, and even striking effigies of perceived hostile foreign figures with sandals – an action that carries significant offense in the Arab world.
Although we remain uncertain as to whether these actions provide any psychological relief, they yield no tangible outcomes. Could these protests be serving as a breeding ground for inexperienced and despairing children who may eventually become suicide bombers, sacrificing their lives and causing harm? This is the only, so to speak, logical explanation for the sustained unrest in the Islamic world. However, logic ceases here. Hundreds, thousands, or more naive children embark on suicide missions. Then what?
Equally perplexing is the new wave of Islamic terrorism, which lacks any discernible purpose. In past armed struggles, even when similar means were employed, there existed a clear plan with formulated demands.
I am seeking a rationale that transcends the narrative about the ‘era of monsters’ so that we can effectively confront these monsters
The primary objective was to raise public awareness about what they deemed their rights, and they refrained from massacring civilians.
If, on occasion, impulsive or hot-blooded fighters committed heinous acts, the leadership either concealed them or attributed them to “enemy provocation.” Nonetheless, the Hamas perpetrators have this time publicized their abhorrent deeds to such an extent that they have repulsed even the most fervent supporters of the Palestinian people.
Could they be anticipating a widespread uprising in the Arab world following Israel’s – as usual – harsh response? This notion has a degree of logic, but the dissemination of the videos undermines this goal.
Perhaps the central leadership had initially intended to incite an uprising, but it was derailed by the private initiatives of individual culprits who sought to showcase their “bravery.”
“What are you searching for?” some may inquire. I am seeking a rationale that transcends the narrative about the “era of monsters” so that we can effectively confront these monsters.
