How long before a gun-toting, slogan-chanting Hamas fighter (but not a female) is invited to address the UN General Assembly? The European Parliament? A Nobel Prize of some kind not far behind. A knighthood even? Certainly an Australian honour, at least a Sydney Peace Prize (in the wake of Black Lives Matter). Well, that’s the trajectory as I see it. Terrorism to heroism is the way much of the world is spinning Hamas, with university students (real and fake) leading the way, demonising Israel and adulating Hamas in its Palestinian robes.

At first, Hamas is damned and disparaged, then frowned upon, then – as in now – it is protected by the UN and every chicken-hearted, cabbage-brained politician and basically given the green light to keep the hostages, keep attacking Israel, the whipping boy who must be condemned, while Hamas is assured of the most widespread acclaim of victimhood when the fighting ends.

Without fail, our leaders (but thankfully not conservative politicians) condemn Israel’s defence forces – without making even a passing admonition of Hamas. It seems much of the world has been infected by a mass delusion that has inverted natural morality. Hamas would never have contemplated such a scenario in its wildest dreams. And they were pretty wild.

The barbaric murderers, rapists, and baby killers are gradually acquiring the shroud of sanctity that has been worn by the likes of climate warriors. It is not Hamas being urged to save the lives of Hamas’ hostages and their fellow Gaza residents … it is Israel. Victim blaming on steroids, we might say. The madness of crowds, indeed…