Recently, we have seen the Middle East once again ignite with the fires of war, as the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas launched an unprovoked invasion of Israel (1).
Let's make one thing abundantly clear; it sickens me to see and hear reports of beheadings, murder, and the outright slaughter of innocent Israelis. War is hell (or so they say), and anyone worth his or her salt should be disgusted by it.
Even so, the horrific actions of Hamas take evil to another level.
Hamas' sympathizers, of which there are many, try to justify this hell by calling it "resistance, by any means necessary". However, they completely miss the mark; what Hamas and their allies have been doing is not "resistance". Rather, it is genocide.
Allow me to further explain this for those who may not be aware.
Those supporting Hamas need to understand that their so-called "resistance forces" are brazenly (see definitions) committing war crimes, with no regard for human lives other than that of Arabs. Unfortunately, this is nothing new; it has been going on for over seventy-five years (2).
Although there have been lulls in this conflict, most notably during the 1990s, it has become evident that Palestinians have no interest in peace. Instead, they seek the total destruction of Israel, and the eventual establishment of a homeland for Arabs and only Arabs (as opposed to a homeland for both Jews and Arabs).
Most observers have realized that in this regard, the Palestinians would someday launch a decapitation-style attack (see definitions), meant to "wipe (Israel) off the face of the earth". The one thing that remained unpredictable was on what day they would ultimately make their move.
We now know that day to have been October 7, 2023.
As for the charge of genocide, the Oxford Language Dictionary defines the term as follows:
"The deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation, with the aim of destroying that nation or group" (3).
The Nazis committed acts of genocide. Hamas is committing acts of genocide.
There are some people who, faced with the spectre of unspeakable horror, would rather be silent than speak to condemn it. I have never been one of these people; I believe that silence in such a case is equal to approval of the evil occurring.
So when it comes to the current conflict, I totally and unequivocally (see definitions) stand with the State of Israel.
And what of this idea of peace?
We'd all like to see a lasting peace; at least those of us worthy of mention would. Be that as it may, I must refer to two quotes by Golda Meir, the former Prime Minister of Israel.
First, "you cannot negotiate peace with someone who has come to kill you". Like most things, peace is a two-way street. If the other side is not interested in pursuing it, peace cannot and will not be had (4).
Second, "peace will come when the Arabs love their children more than they hate us" (5).
Far be it for me to suggest that the Palestinians do not love their children. However, perhaps they do not love their children quite enough. If they did, they likely would not strap explosives to the bodies of their kids, and frequently use them as suicide bombers, which is an exercise in futility (see definitions) in any case.
And tell me, other than possible religious martyrdom, what is gained by the intentional destruction of a human life? That is a question that both Arabs and Jews must ponder, and answer for themselves.
I pray that such an answer will someday bring peace.
Definitions -
Brazenly: Adverb, "marked by shameless or disrespectful boldness" (6).
Decapitation-style attack: Noun, "a military strategy aimed at removing the leadership of a hostile government or group". In this case, the meaning intended is an attack meant to completely destroy Israel (7).
Unequivocally: Adverb, "in a manner which leaves no doubt; unquestionably" (8).
Futility: Noun, "the quality or state of being futile; uselessness" (9).
Sources:
7. “Decapitation (Military Strategy).” Wikipedia,
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