MADNESS: When Self-Defense Becomes a Crime

In the article below from the Jerusalem Post a long and convoluted argument is made for ex gratia payments to Arab Palestinians in Gaza citing as justification the payments made by Israel to the families of the nine people who were killed by IDF soldiers defending themselves on board the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish ship attempting to break the blockade of Gaza enforced by Israel and Egypt. As ex gratia payments go, the ones for the Mavi Marmara incident were some of the least justifiable. Turkey was entirely at fault.

I’m not sure what the Latin phrase is for bribing people to like you despite years of open hostility long before October 7th. but “quid pro quo” doesn’t come close in this instance.

In the eyes of the international community, a term to beguile one’s intelligence if ever there was one, Israel can’t do right for doing wrong.

Her humanitarian aid and her swift deployment of field hospitals in Haiti after the massive earthquake struck in 2010 count for nothing when she legitimately defends herself against Muslim terrorist killers who savagely and sadistically murdered 1,200 civilians in southern Israel because they were Jews.

The Double Standard Industrial Complex is always hard at work where Israel is concerned particularly when she responds to unprovoked attacks with force and vigor.

On the Richter Scale of Bad & Self-Sabotaging Ideas the one to provide Arab Palestinians with ex gratia payments blows past 10 on the register. It should not be countenanced for a millisecond.

Who is going to make ex gratia payments to the families of the victims of October 7th. and the subsequent terrorist attacks in Israel; Qatar, Turkey, Iran or the Palestinian Authority? Don’t hold your breath.

Israeli officials consider paying some Gazan war victims to rebuild global legitimacy – exclusive

Officials raised a controversial idea to free Israel from the black and white debate of war crimes without admitting criminal fault, starting the painstaking process of rebuilding Israeli legitimacy.

By: Yonah Jeremy Bob, February 26, 2026:

Some Israeli officials are considering paying compensation in a small number of high-profile cases in which Palestinians were killed during the war, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

The idea has many similarities to Israel’s compensation deal with Turkey after the 2010 Mavi Marmara flotilla incident.

One of the goals would be to free Israel from the trap it has been in with its critics in the form of a black-and-white war crimes debate which posed a false choice: Is Israel all evil or all good? Another goal would be to boost Israeli legitimacy globally, which has taken a massive hit.