It is hard to imagine an anti-Semite going to a Jewish doctor with a broken foot, and holding out his foot, telling him, “Here, fix this, you Jew bastard.” And yet this is what is happening today, but with a different twist. It is now, although virtually unreported by the world’s press, a case of, “Don’t fix this, you Jew bastard. Just send money.”

After the horror of the tsunami, Israel immediately leapt into a rescue mode. While most nations were dithering about and making promises, or promises to make promises, Israel sent 82 tons of medical and humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka, as well as a planeload of blood products and an additional 40 tons of supplies from private donors. On December 27 a medical team specializing in rescue work, trauma, and pediatrics was dispatched carrying medicine and baby food. A rescue-and-recovery team with specialized equipment for identifying bodies was sent, and a Health Ministry group of doctors, nurses, and members of IDF arrived in Thailand. Unfortunately, the American media, which ironically the Muslim and Arab press say is controlled by Jews, reported little of these extraordinary undertakings. The world media, along with a substantial portion of the American media, have a vested interest in continuing to cast Israel as a Palestinian murdering villain.

In addition to the help it has already sent, Israel offered to send 150 experienced military medics and support personnel to set up field hospitals. It was then that a light went off in the collective heads of at least three of the recipient nations, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and India. These countries with substantial Muslim populations apparently realized that in their condition, they would not be able to bite the hand that fed them, and, therefore, either turned down or did not respond to offers of Israeli aid. They much prefer to have Uncle Sugar pay the bills. And believe it or not, when President Bush suggested an amount that they did not feel to be sufficient, they had their public relations machines — the same ones whose usual bill of fare is a panoply of propaganda condemning the United States, its foreign policy, and anything remotely connected with Israel — complain that President Bush was a cheapskate and that we should throw more money at them.

It should not pass without notice that fellow Muslim nations, particularly the oil-rich Arab states, who are among the richest in the world in per capita income, yet their contributions to tsunami relief are amongst the lowest.

Certainly there should be a precondition that before these nations receive any aid, they should clearly denounce terrorism and, at the very least, discontinue the state-sponsored anti-American drivel heard in that part of the world.

The uncharitable thought crosses our minds that if the reverse were true, i.e., if Israel had suffered a catastrophe, would they come to its aid? No one, this side of a lunatic asylum, could honestly answer in the affirmative.

We believe that as a nation, we should not, as a matter of national policy — at least until the private sector proves inadequate — fund these relief efforts. Does this sound harsh? Let us point out several facts:

• The private sector of America voluntarily coughs up $34 billion a year in charitable aid that goes to foreign countries. This is more than virtually any other country spends for this purpose.

• To use American taxpayer money on this aid means using money that Jewish Americans and the mothers and fathers of service men and women — the same ones whose sons and daughters are regularly reviled in the Muslim media as murderers — believe is going to nations and regimes that are antagonistic (to be mild) to all that they hold dear.

• The proponents of foreign aid point out that this government spent over a billion dollars to assist Florida after the multiple hurricanes that struck the state. This reasoning, of course, nicely misses the point that these were American citizens helping other American citizens.

Perhaps the strongest practical reason to hold up monies is the fact that we do not know that the money will actually reach the intended recipients. In fact, history tells us the contrary. Dare we mention the Food For Oil plan? We understand U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan is urging U.S. aid. Could the fact his son is out of work have anything to do with it? After all, he has lots of experience in the field.

We are not suggesting never offering help. But let’s not rush into doing so. Let’s at least wait and see what those nations encouraging us to open our pocket books first do themselves.