By Solly Ganor

HERZELIA, Israel—Saddam Hussein who threatened to burn down Israel was hanged  without fulfilling his wish. Among his last words was ‘Long live Palestine.’ The main reason why he hated Israel was the fact that in 1981 we thwarted his plans to Build an atomic bomb. A squadron of Israeli fighter bombers took care of that threat.

U.S. Secretary of State James A Baker was furious with Israel and threatened us with sanctions. However, in 1991 during the first Iraqi war President George H.W. Bush (the father) was very grateful that we did. It is doubtful that the coalition forces would have dared to attack Saddam Hussein if he possessed nuclear weapons.

Most likely Saddam would have been alive and well today and would be the ruler not only of Kuwait but perhaps of Saudi Arabia and the other gulf oil states as well.

It was Israel that prevented that calamity.

However, with Saddam gone we are faced with another threat, Iran whose leaders proclaim day and night that they will wipe Israel off the map. The world doesn’t seem particularly disturbed by the threat of a new Holocaust against the Jewish state.

The majority of Holocaust survivors and their descendents live in Israel and the new threat evokes in us old nightmares of Dachau and Auschwitz, Babi Yar and Ponar. Are we going to face this new threat once again alone with the whole world standing silently by as it did during the last Holocaust?

How serious are the threats coming from Iran?

Considering that the death cult is the prevailing philosophy among the Islamic terrorists, it is very serious. It becomes even more serious when you see on Iranian television thousands of young people signing up to become suicide bombers for Allah, not to mention those in dozens of other Islamic countries. Would they use their nuclear weapons against Israel once they developed them? We think that it is more than likely.

However, there is a small difference between the last Holocaust and the looming one ahead. The chief of the Israeli air force is the son of Holocaust survivors. The only Israeli cosmonaut IIlan Ramon. who unfortunately perished in the Columbia space shuttle crash, was one of the pilots who bombed and destroyed the Iraqi atomic bomb effort in 1981.

He too was a son of Holocaust survivors. There are many more high-ranking officers in the Israeli army and air force who are children of Holocaust survivors and are very sensitive to the Holocaust issues.

I am sure that there are those in Israel who are working on the problem right now and if necessary, will deal with the Iranians they way they dealt with the Iraqis in 1981.. Those who doubt us, do not understand what the Holocaust means to us survivors, our children, grand children, and all of Israel.

I suggest, that not only the Iranians should take notice of it, but Western countries as well. If they think that Israel will sit quietly and allow itself to be wiped off the map they should better think twice about it.

I remember a conversation I had with two young Germans in Frankfort a few years ago.
I was invited by my publishers the ‘Fischer Verlag’ to discuss my book Das Andere Leben with a group of young people. The book was originally published in English under the name of Light One Candle.

After the lecture I met two young Germans who explained to me why they think that Israel is the most dangerous country in the world. Naturally, I was outraged. Their argument was as follows:

“We consider Israel the most dangerous country not because we think that Israel constitutes a danger to Europe. What we do believe is that if a major war breaks out again between Israel and the Arab States, and Israel’s existence is threatened, you may set the world on fire with your nuclear arsenal. “

I was getting a really annoyed with them and answered:

‘If you mean that this time, we won’t go peacefully to the gas chambers like good little Jews, you are absolutely right. We won’t, even if we have to use all means at our disposal. If Europe is affected by that, too bad. Your continent is soaked with Jewish blood anyway. Perhaps it could do with some cleansing.” I said sharply.

There was a short silence. The Germans looked embarrassed. “

At the time I was furious with the Germans, but perhaps they weren’t so wrong. Perhaps we should make crystal clear to the world that as far as the survival of Israel is concerned they better take into the account our Holocaust background. Perhaps it is not such a bad idea to be considered a mad dog rather than a silent lamb.