After the Hamas attack on Israel, the mind struggles to find the appropriate words. The events witnessed over the weekend go beyond what can be described as “horrific” or “barbaric”.
The massacre and mutilation of innocent people at a music festival. The mass kidnappings, which included children and elderly women – even a Holocaust survivor in a wheelchair – taken hostage. The bloodshed at kibbutz settlements. Citizens shot dead in cars or while waiting at bus stops. Gunmen going from house to house on a holiday weekend, searching for Jews to snatch or kill.
With over 900 confirmed Israeli casualties, Hamas’ atrocities are reminiscent of the pogroms endured by the Jewish people throughout history and the unfathomable hatred that culminated in the Holocaust. This attack is just the latest attempt to rid the Middle East of Jews and eradicate the world’s only Jewish state.
Hamas, the Iran-backed terrorist organization in full control of the Gaza Strip, has made it clear that their goal is to eliminate Israel. They have consistently refused to engage in any dialogue with Israel.
However, it remains unclear what exactly Hamas hoped to achieve with this brutal assault. Did they expect the severity of Israel’s response to garner more sympathy for the Palestinian cause? Was the attack an attempt to derail a U.S.-brokered peace initiative between Israel and Saudi Arabia, seen as a threat by Iran? Did Hamas aim to escalate anti-Israeli sentiment across the Muslim world?
Regardless of their twisted motivation, there is no doubt that the war between Israel and Hamas destabilizes the region and poses a global test of resolve, similar to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. U.S. political leaders must support Israel in its efforts to defend itself, just as they must stand with Ukraine. The barbarity of Hamas cannot be tolerated or justified.
Groups like the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, who supported an anti-Palestinian rally held in Times Square on Sunday, should be condemned for endorsing the senseless killing of innocent civilians. Governor Kathy Hochul was right to denounce the rally as “abhorrent and morally repugnant.” The group’s feeble apology, issued only after facing intense criticism, failed to condemn the blatant anti-Semitism displayed at the event. Elected officials aligned with the DSA, including U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York City and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, should sever their ties with the organization.
This does not mean that criticism of Israel’s government is unwarranted. When the current crisis subsides and, hopefully, the hostages are reunited with their families, it will be appropriate to address issues such as the aggressive expansion of settlements in the West Bank or the potential vulnerability resulting from internal political struggles, including attempts to weaken Israel’s Supreme Court. The ultimate goal should be to end the seemingly intractable conflict between Israel and its Palestinian neighbors in the region.
However, in this moment, the right response is to stand with Israel, to empathize with its sorrows, and to mourn with its people. The right response is to reject hatred and the horrors it often brings.
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