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| Netanyahu and Biden (PBS) |
I don’t ever recall a time when Jews have been so divided. When the State of Israel was founded in 1948 until the 6 days war 1967 support for Israel was near universal. Since then support has been steadily waning. There are many reasons for that which are beyond the scope of this post. But no event has divided the Jewish people more than the war against Hamas.
On the surface Jewish opposition to the war makes eminent sense. The number of Palestinian civilians being killed, maimed, and starved is shocking. Under normal circumstances it would be a no brainer to stop the war. And to allow these people who have been under siege for over 5 months some badly needed relief. How can any human being worthy of the name ‘human’ not feel otherwise? 5 months of carnage is enough! Everyone should be calling for a cease fire now and allow the full and free flow of humanitarian aid to get through immediately.
There is no question that (aside the overt or closet antisemites) this is the motivation of the vast majority of those that oppose Israel’s continued prosecution of this war. It is also the reason that the President has changed course with respect to supporting the war. Although he has not actually said that Israel should not attack what remains of Hamas in Rafah, he may as well have. Since his ‘red line’ is the over one million Palestinians that would presumably be subjected to massively more deaths, serious injuries, and starvation. This is also why Chuck Schumer - the highest ranking Jew in the government has expressed similar sentiments.
What is forgotten in all of this is the existential nature of this war. Ending the conflict before finishing off the remnants of Hamas in Rafa will have made the entire war a complete waste of time - and Palestinian and Jewish lives. Without eliminating Hamas, they will retain full control over Gaza and go full steam ahead with their plan to exterminate the Jewish people of Israel.
While screaming Alahu Akbar they will continue to massacre and kidnap Jews . There is no 2 ways about it. The prime minister knows that. His unity war cabinet knows that. And the vast majority of Israelis know that.
What is Netanyahu supposed to do? Would any sane leader just say, OK. Well stop an existential war because of the increased Palestinian casualties that will result? I think we all know the answer to that.
The Jews who feel the pain of suffering Palestinians have forgotten why Israel has no choice but to finish what they started, The President and his men seem to have forgotten that too. What they refuse to recognize is that Hamas themselves does not feel he pain of their people’s suffering. They rejoice over their martyrs. They desire them. They correctly surmise that world sympathy - including that of the US - will force Israel to cease fire - permanently. They are succeeding in that goal. This is why they purposely use their own people as human shields - preferring women and children.
As I have said many times, good people everywhere do not want innocent people being killed in war. That includes Israel. It includes Netanyahu. It must not be forgotten that Israel tries mightily under the most impossible of conditions to spare Palestinian lives Hamas on the other hand tries mightily to create as many Palestinian martyrs as possible. Hamas is winning that contest!
And yet no one has said a word about Hamas’s responsibility other most Republicans and a few courageous Democrats (like Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman). They understand this unassailable fact. Which is why they have have continued to give their unequivocal support to Israel. Without the slightest reservation.
It should also not escape anyone’s attention that - even though Israel has not revealed what they are - they said they have a viable plan to relocate Gaza Palestinians to safe locations.
And yet there are Jewish voices - among them the most powerful Jewish Democrat in congress - suggesting not so subtlety that the US ought to use its leverage on Israel to condition further military aid..
If Israel is somehow forced into a permanent cease fire, they will lose the war against the most savage human pieces of garbage since the Nazis of the Holocaust. They will then proceed to finish what Nazi Germany started
Let us even assume for a moment that Israel has no viable plan to evacuate Palestinians. What are they supposed to do? Just give up?
I don’t know. maybe they should. Maybe the 7 million Jews living in Israel now should just relocate to Miami Beach. There are lot of kosher restaurants there. A great climate. And best of all - no Hamas.
I am so sick of blaming Netanyahu for the conduct of the war. It wouldn’t make any difference who the Prime Minister is. It's too bad that so many Jews don't realize that.
To say that I am disappointed in what all these well meaning Jews are saying would be an understatement. How about we all focus on who the real enemy is and win this war! That is what the Israel people want. That should be what we all want.