A democratic nation is fighting a genocidal anti-Semitic terror group. Why are Israel’s supposed allies unwilling to accept that Israel must win decisively?
The way Israel is treated can sometimes be tough to describe, because it is so absurd and unjust.
Perhaps the best way to explain it is that Israel treated by the world the same way Jewish People are treated by individual anti-Semites.
Israel is held to a completely different standard by the world, is relentlessly demonized, is expected to fund and support its own enemies, and is expected to be fine with being repeatedly attacked and threatened without being able to fully respond.
Consider that Israel has had to fight all of its wars completely alone.
Sure, Israel has received military aid from other countries, but it has never had the United States, Canada, the UK, or any of its other allies directly intervene on the ground.
This is all the more shocking when you consider that Israel has no margin for error.
Israel can’t really trade space for time.
Israel can’t lose a war and then try again a few years down the road.
If Israel loses a war, then Israel ceases to exist.
That’s the danger Israel has faced since it was founded, and that danger continues to this day.
Israel has repeatedly managed to survive facing foes who have massive advantages in population and territory, wars with existential stakes.
And this is where the hypocritical way in which Israel is treated is such a disgrace.
Israel’s enemies – who have varied over time but generally included much of the Arab world – face no such existential danger. They were able to try and destroy Israel – almost certainly a prelude to another Holocaust – and then simply return home when they lost.
Even when Israel managed to win additional territory (taking territory from your enemy in a defensive war is obviously justified), they were then demonized for having survived, criticized for having won, and then pressured into giving territory back in order to be ‘recognized.’
Imagine that.
Imagine facing an existential war for your survival, winning the war, taking some territory to expand your security, and then being told you had to give that territory back to the same enemy that wanted to destroy you.
Despite how unjust it is for Israel to be placed in that situation, Israel has still done it over and over again in the pursuit of peace.
Sadly, the end result has often been the same:
Israel’s gestures of peace and good-will are met with violence and further attempts at genocide.
Israel voluntarily left Gaza, and left behind significant infrastructure that could have provided a great base to build a strong and vibrant economy.
Hamas – even with billions in foreign aid – decided instead to use Gaza as a base to try and destroy Israel.
On October 7th, 2023, Hamas launched a horrific attack against Israel, committing acts of mass rape, mass murder, and mass torture. Many Gazan civilians celebtrated the attack, participated in the attack, and then participated in holding Israelis hostage after the attack.
In response, Israel did what any democratic nation would do if they faced an insane genocidal death cult next door: They sought to remove Hamas from power.
And Israel is doing so with great success.
Hamas is being steadily worn down, it’s combat capability has eroded significantly, rocket launch attacks against Israel have been reduced, and Hamas is now down to its last stronghold – the city of Rafah.
But of course, in keeping with the disgusting way in which Israel is treated even by its erstwhile ‘allies,’ politicians like Justin Trudeau are trying to stop Israel from finishing Hamas off.
In a joint statement with the leaders of Australia and New Zealand (two democratic nations surrounded by nothing but water and thus facing no immiment threat even close to what Israel faces on a daily basis), lectured Israel and tried to dictate Israel’s military campaign:
The full statement can be read below:
“The Prime Ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on reports of Israel’s planned military operation in Rafah.
We are gravely concerned by indications that Israel is planning a ground offensive into Rafah. A military operation into Rafah would be catastrophic. About 1.5 million Palestinians are taking refuge in the area, including many of our citizens and their families. With the humanitarian situation in Gaza already dire, the impacts on Palestinian civilians from an expanded military operation would be devastating. We urge the Israeli government not to go down this path. There is simply nowhere else for civilians to go.
There is growing international consensus. Israel must listen to its friends and it must listen to the international community. The protection of civilians is paramount and a requirement under international humanitarian law. Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price of defeating Hamas.
An immediate humanitarian ceasefire is urgently needed. Hostages must be released. The need for humanitarian assistance in Gaza has never been greater. Rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian relief must be provided to civilians. The International Court of Justice has been clear: Israel must ensure the delivery of basic services and essential humanitarian assistance and must protect civilians. The Court’s decisions on provisional measures are binding.
We are clear that a sustainable ceasefire is necessary to finding a path towards securing lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians. Any ceasefire cannot be one sided. Hamas must lay down its arms and release all hostages immediately. We again unequivocally condemn Hamas for its terror attacks on Israel on October 7.
Ultimately, a negotiated political solution is needed to achieve lasting peace and security. Australia, Canada, and New Zealand remain steadfast in their commitment to a two-state solution, including the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, where Palestinians and Israelis live side by side in peace, security, and dignity.”
Now, just imagine for a moment a statement like “German civilians cannot be made to pay the price for defeating the Nazis,” being made during World War Two.
It would have sounded absurd.
Imagine saying the Allies were responsible for taking care of German civilians in German controlled territory while the Germans were still fighting back against the Allies.
Insanity.
And we don’t even need to talk about hypothical absurdities.
In the here and now, Hamas rejected yet another hostage deal:
https://twitter.com/ostrov_a/status/1758245832896446683
The fact is that Hamas could surrender at any time.
They could lay down their weapons.
Hamas leaders could surrender themselves to Israeli authorities to face prosecution.
Yet, Hamas refuses to do so.
Thus, Israel has no choice but to use force to destroy Hamas.
A negotiated settlement that falls short of Hamas being disbanded, all the hostages being released, Hamas leaders being arrested/exiled, and Israel having security control over Gaza is unacceptable to Israel, and should be unacceptable to everyone who values freedom and justice.
If Canada or the U.K. or the United States was in Israel’s position, there is ZERO CHANCE we would settle for anything less than the total destruction of Hamas. In fact, given that Israel’s efforts to reduce civilian casualties are far and above all others, it is almost certain that civilian casualties would be far higher if another Western nation faced what Israel was facing.
And so, we must ask ourselves why Israel is treated in such a way that they are not allowed to actually win?
Why are they always told to stop short of acheiving total victory, even when defeat would mean the end of Israel itself?
The sad conclusion is that behind the treatment of Israel lurks widespread anti-Semitism.
We cannot let this continue.
Israel must have the right to defend itself, and that means Israel must be allowed to win, must be allowed to completely destroy Hamas, and must be allowed to operate without constant political interference and lectures from politicians like Justin Trudeau and others who simply don’t know what they’re talking about.
Spencer Fernando
