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How October 7 Has Reignited Jewish Peoplehood

(Los Angeles Jewish Journal) David Suissa - Jews have bonded over disgust. They're disgusted by the savage murder, rape, torture, kidnapping and mutilation of 1,400 Israelis of all ages at the hands of Hamas on Oct. 7. They're disgusted, too, by the stunning explosion of Jew-hatred around the world and on college campuses, which came immediately after the massacres. This has ignited a level of Jewish solidarity I have rarely witnessed. There's a wartime level of urgency within the Jewish community. Critics who glibly call for a "ceasefire" misunderstand what Israelis are going through. Israel has survived for 75 years in a supremely hostile region because its sworn enemies were intimidated by Israel's might. Oct. 7 did much to erode the fear of Israel, and the word got out. The enemy smelled blood. Israel's harsh response in Gaza is not about vengeance. It's about survival. It's about regaining deterrence. Israelis know that if they can't put fear back into their enemy's hearts, their existence is in play. That's why Israelis from the left and right have supported aggressive action against Hamas. In such a life or death situation, it's hard for Israelis to take calls for a "ceasefire" seriously. In the diaspora, we're also seeing how these haters and Hamas supporters also smell blood.
2023-10-30 00:00:00
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