UK sanctions on Smotrich echo bitter legacy of Hebron massacre

The cries of the victims for intervention went unanswered as the British chief of police in Hebron did nothing to halt the violence, riding past the unfolding horror without action. This inaction remains a bitter memory, highlighting the failure of British authorities at the time to protect the Jewish community.

Eyewitness accounts from descendants of those who survived the massacre paint a grim picture of a community forsaken by those tasked with their protection. Despite repeated pleas from Jewish residents and students of the Hebron yeshiva, the British authorities not only failed to intervene but, in a bewildering twist, once the pogrom was over, detained and imprisoned some of the very survivors they should have rescued.

It is well known how Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook, a towering figure in Jewish leadership, was introduced to the British governor of Palestine shortly after the massacre, during a governmental meeting however Rabbi Kook bluntly refused to shake the governor's extended hand to him, boldly stating, "These hands are covered with the blood of the Jews murdered in Hebron." This refusal was more than a personal protest; it embodied the deep betrayal felt by Jews at the hands of the Mandate authorities, who failed to protect them and even took a stand to punish them for surviving the massacre with imprisonment and nowadays with sanctions.

History serves as a potent reminder of the consequences of apathy and inaction. As we navigate the convoluted landscape of Middle Eastern politics today, understanding historical contexts can guide more balanced and thoughtful approaches to achieving peace and security for all involved, if one wants to see the truth. Shame on the British! "Hashem will fight for you; you need only to be still."