The UseFool Idiots

By Rebeca Permuth de Sabbagh

As the UN continues perfecting the art of being UN-useful, there are another kind of idiots: the UseFools.

Yes, those who think they’re useful, yet are merely being fooled into a perverse agenda. The ones that over the past two years, shouted “ceasefire” while wanting only for Israel to cease — but for Hamas to fire. Those marching for peace,  but by glorifying terror. Those whose silence is now more deafening than ever, as Palestinians are now being executed by Hamas in broad daylight in the streets of Gaza,  even during this so-called ceasefire. As always: no Jews, no News.

We’ve known that this hatred that erupted after 7/10 has nothing to do with being pro-Palestinian and everything to do with being antisemitic. It’s no longer October 8, but it certainly feels like that day after epiphany moment when as Jews we realized that antisemitism had become WWII type of trending and fashionably academic.

In these past days, images of unbearable pain have emerged —interwoven with moments of joy that remind us why we still hold on, until the last hostage is returned, dead or alive. Siblings that were kidnapped and freed together. 

Childhood best friends discovering in disbelief that the other had survived.  Couples that were kidnapped together, now finally in an unbreakable embrace, showing the world that love defeated terror. All of them desperately trying to make up for stolen time. Along with the relief of the living, comes the sorrow of those who have laid their loved ones to rest, finding a  painful closure after so many months of uncertainty. The farewell to deceased foreign nationals also stands as a stark reminder that hatred that begins with the Jews never ends with us; we are the canary in the coal mine.

Amid these roller coaster of emotions, the Speaker of the Knesset regrettably removed his yellow pin to hand it over to President Trump, as if to that day there were no more hostages left behind worth fighting for. Ironically as the speaker that he is, he silenced the voice of those still struggling to get their deceased relatives home.

As we rejoice for those reunited, we know far too many families will never be complete. Twelve hundred souls were slaughtered on October 7th; about nine hundred soldiers have fallen since; Jews in the diaspora have been murdered as the call to “globalize the intifada” intensifies. One by one, the Jewish world buries yet another body that Hamas cruelly returns — yet we cling to hope that one day, the Bring Them Home flyer will show no more names on it, and that we’ll finally take off the yellow to begin a process of healing the collective trauma. Just not yet.

Our hymn to resilience -Al Kol Eleh- says it best. “Al hadevash v´al haokets, al hamar vehamatok”,  “… for the honey and the sting, for the bitter and the sweet”.

So to all of you: the students on university campuses who parrot terror propaganda while parents pay thousands of dollars for critical thinking gone sour; the Hollywood celebrities — including the self-hating Jews — who distanced themselves from their own people in a futile attempt to belong where their identity is not welcomed; the countries that turn artistic and athletic events into stages for expelling Israelis; the LGBTQ+ activists who champion causes that would have them executed the moment they set foot in Gaza; and the so-called women’s organizations who betrayed their very mission by turning their backs on Israeli women simply because of their nationality.

Yes, to all of you: you did not find a worthy cause — you embraced a self-destructive one.

Congratulations on your down fall.

You have been UseFooled.