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Why We Must Prevent the Enemy from Rising Again
(Times of Israel) Rabbi Yuval Cherlow - Israel is now facing growing criticism from the global community over questions of the humanitarian toll on the enemy. Such criticism demands that we re-explore the notion of a "just war" and strengthen our resolve for why this campaign is both necessary and ethical from the perspective of Jewish tradition. For centuries, a long history of victimhood largely placed the Jews on the losing end of battles and the very question of Jewish just wars from a position of any military supremacy had no practical application. A milchemet mitzvah is a war that is mandated as just and necessary by both Jewish law and most advanced perspectives in our modern world. As described by Maimonides, it is "a war fought to assist Israel from an enemy which attacks them." Apart from the most virulently anti-Israel critics, there is almost absolute consensus that the current war that Israel is fighting with Hamas fits into this category, and every Jew - and civilized human - is justified in supporting and participating in it. The current war is by every estimation just and demands the full and unwavering moral and practical support of our entire nation and all peoples who believe in a world defined by goodness and ethical practice. We are dealing with an enemy who has made it clear that their intent is on our complete destruction, and we are therefore permitted and commanded to do everything necessary to achieve our military objective and completely prevent the enemy from being able to rise again. The writer is Director of the Tzohar Center for Jewish Ethics.