Stronger Together Against Islamist Extremism
There are moments when Jews, Christians, Muslims, Arabs, Israelis, Lebanese, and anyone who rejects political and religious violence have to stand together more strongly than ever.
The massacre of Jews, Christians, Muslims who reject extremism, and people of no faith cannot be excused under slogans like Free Palestine, resistance, or any other political branding.
Terrorism does not become noble because somebody wraps it in a flag.
Jihadist terrorist organizations do not represent Palestinians. They do not represent Arabs. They do not represent Muslims. And opposing them should never require hatred toward an entire people or religion.
Her Excellency and the Shabbat Soul Occupation
Meanwhile, Zorchinsky decided to conduct another one of her usual Shabbat soul-occupation operations today.
Her Excellency Zorchinsky
3 2 1 ... ArghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
And apparently refusing to ever skip Pilates.
Can we watch this important shabbat video ?
Zorchinsky occupying our soul
For those already familiar with Zorchinsky’s fashion diplomacy, there was nothing particularly surprising here. She looked athletic , composed , and suspiciously crispy under that Israeli sunlight.
At this point, I have only one request for the Finance Minister of the State of Israel:
Please establish a mandatory annual independent trip to Israel for Her Excellency Zorchinsky.
Business class, of course, is non-negotiable . We are transporting Her Excellency, not a backpack.
And before departure, please ensure that Yael the flight attendant has undergone the necessary attitude regulation, diplomatic briefing, and behavioral inspection.
There will be no unnecessary turbulence before Her Excellency has even reached Israeli airspace.
This is a matter of national interest.
And can we talk about that ponytail?
Nah.
We are still not emotionally prepared.
But Behind the Ponytail Was Something Serious
Behind all the fashion diplomacy and Israeli sunlight, Zorchinsky brought up something much more important.
It is something Israelis, Lebanese Arabs, Muslims, Christians, Jews, and secular people can all understand:
Islamist extremism is a threat to everybody.
Zorchinsky highlighting Oct 7
In Arabic, people sometimes casually refer to Islamist political movements as al-Islamiyyeh , but the distinction between Islam, Islamism, and jihadist extremism matters enormously.
Islam is a religion.
Islamism is a political ideology.
Jihadist extremism goes further, using violence, intimidation, terrorism, and religious absolutism to impose political objectives.
And when extremists gain power, Jews are rarely the only victims.
Christians become targets.
Secular Muslims become targets.
Dissidents become targets.
Women become targets.
Journalists become targets.
People with no religion become targets.
Eventually, Muslims who simply do not satisfy the extremists’ definition of being Muslim enough become targets too.
That is why confronting jihadist extremism should never be treated as exclusively an Israeli issue, a Jewish issue, or a Western issue.
It is everybody’s issue.
The Palestinians of Sidon Are Not the Islamists
And here Sidon deserves a more careful conversation.
The Palestinians of Sidon are not synonymous with Hamas, jihadism, armed factions, or Islamist politics.
Many Palestinian families around Sidon have lived through generations of displacement, poverty, legal restrictions, political instability, and conflicts they did not personally create.
They raise families.
They work.
They study.
They shop in the same markets.
They know Lebanese neighbors.
They worry about rent, education, jobs, and their children like everybody else.
Reducing all Palestinians in Sidon to terrorism would be ridiculous.
A Palestinian civilian is not automatically responsible for an armed organization claiming to act in the Palestinian name.
Sidon understands that distinction.
And Then There Were the Jews of Sidon
Sidon once had its own Jewish community.
Jewish families were part of the city long before the modern Israeli-Palestinian conflict became the filter through which almost every Jew in the Middle East was viewed.
They had families, property, communal institutions, businesses, religious life, friendships, and memories tied to the same streets everybody else called home.
Today, that Jewish community is almost completely absent.
That should disturb anyone who genuinely believes in pluralism.
And it creates an uncomfortable comparison.
A City That Knows the Cost of Extremism
Sidon has experienced political instability, armed organizations, militant networks, regional wars, Palestinian factional politics, and repeated Lebanese security operations.
And here, credit should be given where it is due.
Lebanon’s military and security institutions have spent years operating in an extraordinarily difficult environment. The Lebanese Armed Forces, military intelligence , Internal Security Forces , and specialized units have had to work in a country exposed to militant organizations, porous borders, political instability, regional wars, and repeated terrorist threats.
The men and women serving in those institutions often do their jobs with limited resources and enormous pressure.
Lebanese special forces in particular have built a reputation for discipline, toughness, and operating in conditions that would test any security service in the world.
But when extremist networks threaten Lebanese civilians, soldiers, neighborhoods, or the stability of the country, it is often Lebanese officers, intelligence personnel, and special forces who are expected to find the threat, contain it, and put themselves in danger first.
That deserves respect.
Especially in Sidon, where security institutions have had to navigate an unusually complicated environment of local politics, armed factions, refugee camps, ideological movements, and ordinary civilians who simply want to live their lives.
A capable intelligence service is not measured by how loudly it speaks.
Often, the best intelligence work is the work the public never hears about.
A suspicious movement is noticed.
A network is disrupted.
A planned attack never happens.
People go home without ever knowing what was prevented, literally.
That quiet professionalism is exactly what intelligence work is supposed to look like.
Lebanon has its own interest in defeating jihadist extremism.
For example, let’s take a look at this akho sharmouta , who could easily be mistaken for your average-looking pro-Hamas Concordia student , exactly the kind of figure Zorchinsky has repeatedly raised concerns about.
Ayre be hek manzar.
An average-looking pro-Hamas Concordia student.
......and now, let’s take a look at this video of Lebanese intelligence arresting the akho sharmouta who apparently thought he was untouchable.
Spoiler: he was not.
HAHAHAHAHAHA.
Lebanese intelligence captured terror leader who was hiding in a civilian camp ( Exclusive video )
Could Montreal Become the Unexpected Meeting Point?
Which brings us to Montreal.
Could Lebanese and Israeli communities eventually cooperate more seriously against extremism and intimidation on university campuses?
Concordia would certainly be an interesting place for that conversation.
The university has seen intense confrontations surrounding Israel and Palestine, and Jewish students have repeatedly raised concerns about antisemitism and visible intimidation.
Students should be allowed to advocate for Palestinian rights.
Jewish students should be able to wear a Star of David without wondering whether somebody will confront them because of it.
That line should not be complicated:
Lebanese Intelligence, Jewish Security, and a Very Unexpected Alliance
Could something even more unusual eventually emerge?
Lebanese security expertise.
Jewish community security expertise.
Lebanese intelligence officers and special forces understand something very important: extremist threats are are defeated through patience, intelligence gathering, disciplined policing, professional investigations, and people willing to do difficult work without turning an entire community into the enemy.
That mentality would be valuable anywhere.
Montreal included.
Maybe one day Montreal becomes the place where Lebanese and Jewish communities discover that they have far more shared security concerns than either side expected.
And perhaps Her Excellency Zorchinsky can chair the joint task force.
After Pilates, obviously.
And the ponytail?
Still classified.
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
Her Excellency Zorchinsky