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Why Most American Jews Oppose an Immediate End to the War in Gaza

(Ha'aretz) Eric H. Yoffie - At a time when American Jews have mostly rallied to Israel's side, Jewish parents and grandparents are wondering what can be said to kids and grandkids who challenge them about Israel. My advice is, first remind them that the Oct. 7 attacks were a methodically planned act of attempted slaughter; the terrorists came with computers filled with instructions, took pictures of their butchery, and in a ghoulish, sickening PR campaign, uploaded the pictures to the internet. Second, stress that Israel's war is a war for survival. No society can survive with a terrorist threat like Hamas on its doorstep. Crossing the border fence and killing Jews is the plan. Therefore, Israel must put an end to Hamas rule in Gaza. Failure to do so will lead to the end of the Jewish state. Third, because Gaza is one of the most fortified places on earth and Hamas has embedded itself in every crack and crevice of civilian life, there is no way to get at Hamas without a civilian death toll that is tragic. Still, Israelis know that morality begins with security, and the first responsibility of any government is to protect its citizens. Fourth, who doesn't want the shooting to stop? Yet for Hamas, a ceasefire is an opportunity to prepare for the next attack. And when it does, Israelis will die and Gazans will die. Hamas is not fighting for a two-state solution. They are not freedom fighters but a death cult, committed to nihilistic jihad. The writer is a former president of the Union for Reform Judaism.
2024-01-22 00:00:00
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