Mar 24, 2016

The response of Israel’s Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz just one day after the attacks in Belgium was such an uncomfortable mishmash of schadenfreude, condescension and rudeness that it was easy to imagine someone had distorted what he actually said.

“If Belgians continue eating chocolate and enjoying life and looking like great democrats and liberals, and not noticing that some of the Muslims there are planning terrorism, they won’t be able to fight them,” said the senior minister in a radio interview the day after the attacks. Adopting a somewhat reproachful tone, he seemed to be admonishing the Europeans for their lax policies in confronting international terrorism, compared with Israel's.

Katz’s comments encapsulated the patronizing attitude toward Belgians coming from the Israeli political right immediately after the attacks, especially on social networks. Comments and the overall mood recalled the gloating arrogance expressed toward the French following the brutal terrorist attack in Paris in November.

Using Facebook as his platform, Katz’s Likud colleague Minister of Science Ofir Akunis released an especially reproachful and condescending post about the Europeans. “Let me repeat myself,” the minister wrote. “Many in Europe preferred to focus on the vile condemnation of Israel, on marking Israeli products and on boycotts. At the same time, thousands of terrorist cells affiliated with radical Islam sprung up, right under the noses of the people living on the Continent. Some mocked those who warned them about this. Others ridiculed them. Unfortunately, reality struck full force, cutting short the lives of dozens of innocent people.” According to Akunis, Europeans were so obsessed with the Israeli occupation that they failed to notice the monster that is Islamist terror growing right under their noses.

Whenever terror strikes mercilessly in Europe, the entire spectrum of the Israeli right raises its head. It misses no opportunities to boast about having chosen the right path. The consequences are extremist rhetoric and domination of the country’s security and even its nationalist dialogue. When enlightened Europe closed its eyes and provided immigrants with a home and a relatively easy life, they paid it back with terror. This chorus of “we told you so” is conducted by none other than Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He sets the tone and sends out his list of talking points. There is no one like Mr. Terrorism himself to explain to the world, “Our way is the right way.”