As Israelis solemnly marked the harrowing anniversary of October 7th, a day seared into the collective memory of the nation due to the unparalleled violence unleashed by Hamas, the terror group callously launched its heaviest missile barrage in months. This deliberate provocation, timed to coincide with memorial events across Israel, was a stark reminder of the unyielding threat facing the nation.
On that fateful morning, as Israeli citizens gathered in unity to remember the largest slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust, Hamas resumed its rocket attacks. Most of these were intercepted by Israel’s robust missile defenses, showcasing the nation’s resilience and technological prowess. Yet, the terror was not limited to rockets; about 100 Israelis remain in captivity in Gaza, their fates uncertain, further underscoring the ongoing human cost of this conflict.
We find ourselves in turbulent times, navigating a path through the aftermath of profound tragedies. As we take this week to reflect on the events of October 7th, I offer my thoughts on this solemn occasion, a reflection on where we stand and where we must strive to go:
It is clear that Israel has the right to defend itself, with or without the support of much of the Western world – who are apparently too afraid to call out the evil of Hamas and Iran for fear of violent protests, military retribution, or losing at the voting booth in their own countries.
It is equally clear that the world has a double standard when it comes to Israel. Where we should be vigorously and loudly supporting Israel, who is the vanguard in the battle of civilizations and fighting our battle for us, we instead find moral equivocation and the use of terms like “proportionate response”, or the slow-walking of needed weapons, and a refusal to stand up and condemn Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran in unequivocal terms in international forums like the UN.
It is just as clear that the policy of appeasement towards Iran – through the lessening of sanctions, paying ransom for the release of US hostages, and unfreezing billions of dollars in assets bears direct responsibility for Hamas’ attack on Israel and Iran’s resurgence as the chief sponsor of terrorism in the world – now directly linked to a new Axis of Evil which includes China and Russia.
Last, it is clear that the world does not truly care that there are hostages being held, now for a year. If the world really cared, the names and faces of the hostages would be on the front page of every newspaper in the Western world, every day. The fact that they are not and that the world does not know their names and somehow blames Israel when Hamas brutally murdered six hostages, speaks volumes to the fear and appeasement that has consumed US foreign policy and that of our so-called Western allies.
We may not be able to define evil but as a civilized society, we all know it when we see it – and if we cannot clearly say that Hamas’ attack a year ago today was evil which included the burning of babies while still alive, then as a society we have clearly lost our moral compass and are beyond redemption.
Am Yisrael Chai
It’s clear that Israel stands on the side of life and peace, commemorating those they have lost, while Hamas persists in its deadly agenda. The escalation of violence by Hamas against Israel is not just an attack; it’s a manifestation of a stark battle between good and evil.
