I Stand With Israel
Protestor or Jew Hater?
On September 11, 2001, Al-Qaida attacked the United States of America, killing almost three thousand people. The victims weren't soldiers. There was no declaration of war against the United States. The people killed were ordinary citizens, at work or play, not suspecting that terrorists in hijacked planes were coming to kill them. The world community rallied to America's side, sanctioning two wars and supporting our right to go after the vicious and gutless terrorists who planned the attacks.
Fast forward almost twenty-two years to October 7, 2023, the bloodiest attack in Israel's history. Hamas terrorists brutally murdered at least twelve hundred Israelis. The victims weren't soldiers. There was no declaration of war. The people killed were ordinary citizens, at a concert, at home on a peaceful kibbutz; they were women, children, babies, and senior citizens. Graphic video evidence shows bodies strewn in the streets of the southern city of Sderot after the attack by Palestinian militants. Cars were riddled with bullets and lit on fire. It was the largest mass slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust claimed at least six million Jewish souls.
Unlike 9-11 and America, though, the world is not rallying to Israel's side. The international community is not sanctioning war or supporting Israel's right to go after the vicious and gutless terrorists who planned the attack and kidnapped over two hundred hostages for use as human shields. Instead, the international community condemns the Israeli "occupation" of Gaza and demands that this tiny country, surrounded by enemies, demonstrate its humanity and exercise restraint.
In the United States, students and Arab rights groups protest Israel's justifiable post-October 7 activities, air assaults, a planned ground invasion, and a quarantine of the Gaza Strip. These protestors demand that Israel restrain itself and permit humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
I don't know about you, but I am getting sick and tired of everyone, including the United States and the United Nations, telling Israel to restrain itself and consider the plight of the Palestinian people. What have the Palestinians ever done to deserve Israel's restraint or compassion? Golda Meir, the former prime minister of Israel, once said:
"Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us."
Sadly, fifty-eight years later, that day has not arrived, which tells you most of what you need to know.
Let's put today's crisis in a historical context, shall we? If you look at a current map of Israel, it seems to own or occupy most of the country. Many of you, ignorant of history, might think contemporary geography unfairly favors Israel. However, current territorial boundaries do not result from some ferocious land grab by Israel. On the contrary, every piece of "lost land" resulted from Palestinian and neighboring Arab states' refusal to recognize Israel's right to exist, hatred of the Jewish people, or both.
There has never been a nation known as "Palestine." In 1936, the British owned the land on the map below. The Peel Commission (look it up) proposed to give most of the land (eighty percent) to the Arab people and permit the Jews to retain a few small settlements that they developed in 1936. The Arabs revolted against the British and tried to murder the Jews. Hostilities continued until 1947.
Here's a map of the territory back in the 30s and 40s:
In 1947, following World War II and Britain's mandate to establish a post-Holocaust "national home for the Jewish people," the British handed the problem off to the UN, which proposed a new partition plan. The land would be divided into two states: Jewish and Arab. Jerusalem and Bethlehem would become an "international city." The Jews accepted the plan; the Arabs rejected it and relaunched war against Israel. The map displays the proposed partition.
Even the most progressive Palestinian protester would have to agree that this partition proposal was more than fair to the Arabs. They got to keep all the land they claimed was essential to them. "Israel" received useless undeveloped desert property, sand, if you will. The Arabs retained every developed city or farm, every agricultural point and water source, and nearly every holy site.
As they did in 1936, the Jews accepted the proposal, and the Arabs declared war. This time, however, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Syria joined in attacking this tiny group of Jews. Surprise! The Jews won! But here's the best part: Even though these nations were hell-bent on the Jews' destruction, the Jews took nothing from them, not an inch of land. Instead, they continued to build a nation in their given territory. They did "occupy" some land (controlled by Jordan) to prevent a repeat attack.
In 1967, the Arabs attacked again. Egypt, Jordan, and Syria attacked Israel to destroy the Jewish state and drive the Jews into the sea. The conflict became known as the Six-day War because Israel defeated them in just six days. In this conflict, Israel acquired land. Its government had a decision to make. Does Israel turn the West Bank back over to Jordan and Gaza to Egypt in exchange for peace? Or do they give it to residents who now call themselves "Palestinians" and allow these people to build their own country?
Think about this for a moment. Israel never considered keeping the land they conquered. They did not try to punish the Arabs. Their negotiations related only to deciding which option would more likely bring peace to the region. While they were making up their minds, the Arab League issued what is known today as the "three nos": No peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel, and no negotiations with Israel.
From 1967 until today, Israel endured more attacks, countless suicide bombs, the Yom Kippur War (which featured an attack by a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria), and, finally, the attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. All this despite the Camp David Accords and a 2008 peace offering that included all of Gaza and ninety-eight percent of the West Bank, to which the Arabs, as usual, said "no." Here's a current map of Israel:
With no agreement possible, the Israelis left Gaza and gave it to the Palestinians. Instead of developing the land into a beautiful port region for themselves, they turned it over to the Palestinians, who, in turn, entrusted it to Hamas. Hamas turned Gaza into a terrorist base camp. The terrorists took every dime of international aid (approximately two billion dollars a year) and used it to build an arsenal of weapons, launching over five thousand rockets into Israel. What did the "poor, innocent Palestinians" do? They elected Hamas as their ruling party.
Israel has tried repeatedly to forfeit land, lots of land, for peace. Hamas, the Arab nations, and the Palestinians do not want peace. Their stated goal continues to be the destruction of the Jewish people. What does a Jewish nation do when its next-door neighbor declares its wishes to annihilate that nation? Why aren't American students protesting that declaration? Should Israel turn the other cheek and allow the enemy next-door space to plan its next terrorist attack? Who else but Israel would be asked to do such a thing?
I love America and Americans. These are challenging times. We face multiple conflicts: war in Ukraine, divided government, a tough economy, and turmoil in Washington. I wonder if we are beginning to lose our souls. Are protestors ignorant of the historical facts outlined above? Israel has done everything humanly possible to live in peace, and the Arabs have rejected every reasonable proposal. There has been no "occupation" or bullying by Israel, only a commonsense response to terror for the safety of her citizens.
On October 7, 2023, Israel and the world observed firsthand what happens when Israel takes its foot off the gas. When neighboring countries tell you they want to exterminate your citizens, believe them the first time. Do your homework. Israel is not the problem here. Please don't take my word for it; do some research, as I did. Recognize the multiple efforts the Israeli government has made for peace, for the simple pleasure of being able to live without fear of being slaughtered at a music concert or at home on a peaceful kibbutz.
Recognize that neither the Palestinians nor the surrounding Arab nations want peace with Israel. They have rejected every reasonable offer because they hate the Jews, wish to drive them into the sea, and murder every Jew. Here's my final question to the protestors:
Do you protest Israel’s right to defend itself following this most recent Holocaust because you’re ignorant or because you, too, are a Jew-hater?
I stand with Israel! Mark, thank you for this informative post. I wish the protestors would read every word of your statement and act based on fact instead of fiction! Please continue bringing your comments and statements to "the people", even those who don't share the same ideas and facts!
I stand with Israel and the Jewish People!! Beautiful post, Mark. Thank you ...