Some may be shocked to hear that Hamas recently murdered six Israeli citizens, but we need only to look at the Hamas charter to understand the nature of such an atrocity.
“The Day of Judgment will not come until Muslims fight the Jews, when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say, ‘O Muslims, O Abdullah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him,’” the charter proclaims.
Hamas, which has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007, is an anti-Semitic terrorist organization that strives to annihilate world Jewry, and it will do anything to achieve its goal.
This is why, after showing an enormous amount of restraint, the Israel Defense Forces decided to launch Operation Pillar of Defense on Nov. 14. The goal of the operation was to selectively assassinate Hamas’ leadership and to severely maim its rocket-launching capabilities. Luckily for the innocent civilians that live in the Gaza Strip, the IDF is one of the most moral armies on Earth, so it worked diligently to keep civilians out of harm’s way.
However, Hamas devised a plan to manipulate the IDF’s unwavering morality in its favor. Turning a gruesome act into a commonplace strategy, Hamas terrorists often kidnap Palestinian children and deliver them to launch sites in the Gaza Strip. In doing so, Hamas ensures that the IDF does not eliminate its military capabilities at that location. This act not only harms Israel’s inalienable right to protect itself but also violates the basic human rights of the Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip.
It is no wonder that some of the world’s largest democracies were appalled by Hamas’ war crimes and took an undeniably pro-Israel stance in this most recent conflict. President Obama recently expressed support for “Israel’s right to self-defense in light of the barrage of rocket attacks being launched from Gaza against Israeli civilians.” The United States — one of the many moral nations — knows that a rational foreign policy means it should unequivocally oppose terrorism.
Why does any of this matter? Because immoral nations around the world have taken a strong stance against Israel’s right to defend itself. These nations, like Iran, which has called for Israel’s annihilation, and Syria, which is currently committing a genocide against its own people, have a strong influence over global politics and have even brainwashed a minority of the U.S. public to support Hamas’ aggression against Israeli civilians.
If one truly wishes to combat Hamas and its anti-Semitic platform, then one must separate fact from fiction and understand that Israel is the only party in this conflict that maintains a moral compass. As the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel stands as a light unto the nations that can, and will, protect itself and all innocent civilians from the horrors of war.
In this recent clash of civilizations, we have decided to unequivocally stand behind the State of Israel.
A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Nov. 26 print edition. Mia Applebaum, Michael Harris and Blair Hart Newman are contributing writers. Email them at [email protected].
Asian • May 1, 2013 at 3:59 pm
NYU is far too liberal…I doubt many non-Jews here would support Israel. I don’t agree with everything the Israelis do, but at least they are better than Hamas.
Carlos • Feb 21, 2013 at 4:26 pm
The root of the problem is organized religion. Neither Islam nor Judaism – nor even Christianity, for that matter – has become what they were originally intended to be.
This paper is very conflicted. There’s writers fervently defending Iran and North Korea, and others who excessively praise Israel. Both stances are fairly unbalanced, and not at all to my favor. To each his own, though…
Arafat • Nov 28, 2012 at 10:21 am
That Israel is still the subject of hatred is deeply disturbing and one of the forces that drives my support for the Jewish State.
In choosing not to stand idly by as the age-old hatred of the Jewish people has been transferred to the “collective Jew,” I have been speaking up against the new anti-Semitism that is so pervasive today.
It targets the Jewish people by targeting the Jewish homeland, as the source of injustice and conflict in the world.
It is perversely couched in the language of…
Ellis • Nov 27, 2012 at 8:37 pm
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/11/after-gaza-a-single-state.html
Fanon • Nov 27, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Arafat, as much as I love hearing your mindless and fairly unoriginal racist claims, I could probably get a better take from Ms. Geller. And if I can read correctly I never called war petty, just calling the authors children. Regardless, I don’t understand your or the authors “moralist” arguments seeing as there is no logical backing at all. You may want to come back to reality and understand that hiding behind Nazi’s and caricatures doesn’t disregard valid criticisms of Israel.
Arafat • Nov 28, 2012 at 10:14 am
Fanon, This one is for you!
As of Monday Nov. 19, the Israeli Air Force carried out over 1,200 air attacks on positions in Gaza. If civilians in Gaza were being targeted, think of the number of innocent lives likely to be lost in such a densely populated area.
While any loss of innocent life is a tragedy, the fact that only a relative handful of civilians were killed in 1,200 air raids is hard to believe. America’s raids on terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan kill many more innocent…
Fanon • Nov 28, 2012 at 2:07 pm
Wanna recall Cast Lead for me? It’s so gracious though while Israel is destroying the civillians homes, controlling supplies, and preventing the movement of Gazan’s that they try to prevent killing them on the larger scales they have done before. So moral and so brave.
Edward • Nov 27, 2012 at 6:02 pm
This article must be written by racist trolls. No doubt. For shame! Climb out of the cave of filth where you kids are festering because your understanding of world affairs and the Middle East is demented.
Carlos • Feb 21, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Far be it from me to judge you…but your insults don’t make you an expert on Middle Eastern geopolitics either, not in my eyes. Sorry…
Jacob • Nov 27, 2012 at 2:23 pm
The following assertions are unsupported: “the IDF is one of the most moral armies” and showed “an enormous amount of restraint” before attacking Gaza, “Hamas terrorists often kidnap Palestinian children,” “many moral nations” support Israel’s actions (only the US is mentioned), Iran and Syria “have a strong influence over global politics,” and Israel is “the only democracy in the Middle East” (what about Lebanon, a country Israel has repeatedly attacked?) Is it “moral” to argue…
Fanon • Nov 27, 2012 at 10:18 am
This article honestly sounds like it was written by children for children.
“In this recent clash of civilizations” Thanks Pamela Geller,appreciate the racist jab.I got lost at implying the U.S. and the IDF having”unwavering morality”,it’s kinda hard to know the “morality” when 3,225 people killed by U.S. drone strikes and the 167 deaths in the last Israeli operation of group punishment,which is illegal to the U.N., along with stealing one’s land. I don’t think you understand what…
Arafat • Nov 27, 2012 at 7:02 pm
Fanon,
A little hint. War is not pretty.
Hint #2. War has always been part of human history.
Hint #3. You can side with the savages – Nazis, Islamists, Khmer Rouge – or not. That’s your choice.
“Allahu Akbar” they shouted out as they slowly cut off Daniel Pearl’s head.
Arafat • Nov 27, 2012 at 10:06 am
Leo, this one is for you.
‘The only religion I respect is Islam. The only prophet I admire is the Prophet Muhammad.’ — Adolf Hitler
bibi • Nov 27, 2012 at 4:32 am
Moral nation(s)? Besides the US, Israel’s main military benefactor and enabler of its war crimes, who are these other nations? Can you provide evidence of Hamas anti-Semitism? What IS a moral nation?
Raven • Feb 21, 2013 at 4:33 pm
Oh, please. Like Hamas distinguishes between Jewish soldiers and civilians, and like the Muslim nations are innocent of war crimes. Get real.
Leo • Nov 26, 2012 at 9:51 pm
“light unto the nations” and “clash of civilizations”…do Zionists actually think and use terms like this?
guess they’re more delusional and silly than I thought…sad