By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

The tragic murders of so many young Jews have plunged the entire state of Israel and their Jewish brethren across the world into anguish while Arabs hand out candy in celebration. In the meantime, for the past several weeks Hamas and Abbas of the PA have been encouraging Arabs to use every means at their disposal to riot.

Vigilantism is not the answer nor is it permitted. The clear-cut Talmudic view of the inherent harm and danger of vigilantism can be seen from the Maharsha’s explanation of the Gemara in Bava Kama (117b), where Rav Kahana took vigilante action against an informer (moser). The Gemara describes it as an incorrect action that required kapparah, atonement. Why? The Maharsha explains that it’s because he performed this action out of vigilantism. Other Acharonim understand this Gemara in the same fashion.

But there is an approach that could work, and it lies in the American model in the aftermath of the Second World War. How did the United States deal with a nation that grew up under the villainous tyranny of the Nazis? The answer was the policy of de-Nazification as implemented by the now little-known General Lucius Clay.

What did de-Nazification involve? Firstly, it involved stopping Nazi newspapers and broadcasts. But it primarily involved implementing what is known as “the carrot and the stick.”

The idea was to eliminate the scourge of Nazism and its vile philosophy through trials, prosecution, and replacement. The lists of Nazi party members were obtained.

Every German citizen was categorized into one of five categories: Major Offenders, Offenders, Lesser Offenders, Followers, and Exonerated Persons.

Major offenders were sentenced to death or to prison for many years. Textbooks were rewritten; censorship was applied. Nazi imagery was made illegal. In short, they put an end to Nazi hero-worship.

And then there was “the carrot.” Millions of dollars were poured into education and industry. Germany’s national infrastructure was rebuilt and modernized. Mercy was shown to lesser offenders and followers.

General Lucius Clay oversaw the entire program with remarkable impartiality. But more than this, he cared for the well-being of post-war Germans. When the USSR blockaded West Berlin, it was General Clay who orchestrated the Berlin Airlift.

What were the results? Germany rejoined the family of nations. It became one of the strongest democracies in Europe and a supporting member of NATO. They have also been a strong United States ally since the end of de-Nazification and they have been supportive of the State of Israel.

Germany recognized the debt of gratitude they owed to General Lucius Clay. He was given an honorary doctorate from the Freie Universitat of Berlin, became an honorary citizen of Germany in 1953, and even had one of the longest streets in Berlin named after him.

The modern parallel to de-Nazification could be called de-terrorization.

The first step is to use Israel’s existing technology to jam all inciting radio and television broadcasting.

A form of the “carrot and stick” method could be implemented in the Palestinian territories, starting with the termination of support for terrorism and hero worship of terrorists, as well as the elimination of textbooks calling for the murder of Jews and destruction of Israel. Government payments to families of a terrorist would be cut off, and anyone with a background of support for the killing of innocents or for other terrorist acts would be removed from positions of leadership and replaced by a new crop of leaders untainted by terrorism.

As for the carrot, a new infrastructure could be built and new system of education developed, including medical schools, schools for emerging technologies, and a Palestinian Silicon Valley.

Rebuilding Germany without the program of de-Nazification would have been fruitless and counter-productive. The same is true in this scenario. One cannot build a new infrastructure for a people who will form an alliance with a terrorist organization on a second’s notice. One cannot build a relationship of peace with those who support the kidnapping and murder of children.

It is time, in light of these attacks on innocents, these vile kidnappings and murders, that we launch such a program. Now is the time to completely knock out Hamas and all terror organizations. It will be a politically difficult decision to make, but it is the only manner in which a lasting peace can be forged.

 

The author can be reached at Yairhoffman2@gmail.com. Read more of Rabbi Hoffman’s articles at 5TJT.com.

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