Thursday night a terrorist walked into a Jewish school in Jerusalem and opened fire in a library full of students, who were sitting and studying. Eight students were killed, ten were injured.
I am personally acquainted with one of the families whose sons were killed. A boy who had turned 16 just recently, he was found dead slumped over his Talmud book. According to Jewish tradition, he was also buried with the book, as it had been soaked with his blood.
This was not a terrorist act. There was no intent to terrorize a population to achieve political goals. This boy, together with his schoolmates, was killed for the simple reason that he was Jewish.
There are many people who justify Arabs who kill Jews. They are under intense pressure, after all. But nobody truly expects the family of this slain boy to go out and kill innocent Arab civilians in response. In recent years his neighbors have lost many children to similar senseless attacks. And yet nobody expects them to retaliate in any way.
Muslims talk much about Islamophobia, but the real Muslim haters are those who hold Muslims to a lower standard. My sorrow is not just at the loss of these children, but that it seems the West expects such conduct.
I will convey to this family any condolences sent by my readers.
