Why I Side With Israel

 “Let me ask you a question: Is it okay for us to talk about the coronavirus because it is 'hot news' and forget about the Jews, who are more dangerous than AIDS, coronavirus, cholera, and all the diseases of this world?...If you want to be saved from these deadly diseases, we should all remember Jihad.”

—Jordanian Islamic Scholar Ahmad Al-Shahrouri
Yarmouk TV (Jordan), March 8, 2020

I am a casual Jew. While I grew up in a kosher home and attended synagogue frequently with my family, as an adult I have basically given up all rituals except for the fun ones, like Hanukah and Passover. Still, I firmly believe that being Jewish is the best part of who I am. I also believe that other Jews possess qualities I admire, like compassion, empathy, intelligence, and above all a sense of humor, to a greater degree than non-Jews.

So it pisses me off to read the above quote from an Islamic scholar regarding what I consider to be my people. I hope Israel blows them all into the next century.