When surveying the history of Israel, one can’t help but admire the resilient nature of Israelis who live in a small nation surrounded by a sea of hostility. Prior to 1948, many Jewish people settled in Palestine to escape persecution, only to face it again in the land of their ancient cultural roots. In a sense, these folks were “Palestinians” until they earned recognition as a state in 1948. The word Palestine is derived from the Old Testament term Philistine.
Unfortunately, attacks haven’t let up since the land was partitioned and Israel was recognized in 1948. The armed forces of Israel defeated Arab military forces in 1948–49, 1956, 1967, and 1973. After these Israeli victories, Arab and Iranian leaders in the region have often resorted to funding surrogate terrorist groups that repeatedly attempt to annihilate Israel.
After Israel’s statehood, the term “Palestinian” was loosely attributed to stateless Arabs that lived in and roamed throughout the neighborhood of Israel. The “Palestinians” have had numerous opportunities to achieve their own national status since 1947–48, but their leaders have rejected all compromises and offers of land for peace. Indeed, Arab nations urged “Palestinians” to flee the region, which many did, only to demand the “right of return” years later.
Currently, most Arabs in the region want peace and prosperity, but for decades corrupt and incompetent leaders have failed to meet their natural aspirations. Yasser Arafat, among others, squandered billions in foreign aid, as well as the good will and opportunities presented in arduous negotiations with Israel. Each time progress has partially materialized, radical militants emerge to provoke a conflict that has derailed the peace process. Indeed, former Israeli diplomat Abba Eban once noted that Arafat never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
Most nations would have crippled Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad years ago if they had been victimized by heinous attacks. In most situations, the Israelis have exercised amazing restraint when dealing with the diabolical designs of Iran’s surrogates. Indeed, the usual bluster of terrorist leaders is a prime example of how inverted reasoning operates when these aggressors play the victim card. They point the finger of blame at Israel for their own failures.
It’s common knowledge that Israel is the sole pluralist multi-party democracy in the region. Israelis have chosen the difficult path of blood, sweat, and tears to achieve democracy and innovative prosperity. Moreover, close to two million Arabs and Palestinians who reside in Israel are the freest Arabs in the Middle East. These citizens enjoy far more civil rights in Israel than they possess in any other Arab-majority state.
By contrast, neighboring states such as Lebanon and Syria and their terrorist proxies have often taken the path of least resistance (violence) to achieve their political objectives. Hamas and Hezbollah bully their own people and use them as human shields, while they intentionally target innocent civilians in Israel. Consequently, the blame for civilian losses on both sides should rest squarely on the shoulders of the terrorists who launch rockets from their own urban centers.
Preemptive attacks by Hamas and Hezbollah are conducted with no credible explanation or warning. They have mastered the art of using God to justify their atrocities and blame others for their own accountability deficit. On the other hand, professional armed forces, such as the Israel Defense Forces, strive to adhere to the laws of warfare and avoid civilian casualties as they target the bad guys.
Israel has the moral duty to protect its territorial integrity and the right to dismantle any terrorist infrastructure that launches unprovoked attacks. Prior land concessions (Gaza, Golan Heights, West Bank) to the “Palestinians” may have only emboldened the terrorists to generate more destruction. The current preemptive atrocity is so brazen and insidious, that for only the second time in Israel’s history a unity government was formed to rally the nation to victory.
Over time, the promotion of responsible democracy and liberty in the entire region could help neutralize terror ideologies. It’s the type of democracy that entails much more than open elections. Unfortunately, Hamas and Hezbollah have used free elections and foreign aid as a ruse to claim legitimacy and further their supremacist worldview instead of developing local communities and economies.
We can offer our prayers and support for Israel and the innocent Palestinians in the region who are held hostage by their terror masters. Let us hope that someday the Palestinians will muster the courage to unshackle their chains and vote out Iran’s fascist proxy leaders, who reject liberty and the rule of law and seek Israel’s demise. The sooner Israel’s neighbors absorb the fact that Israel is here to stay, the faster an expansion of human rights and peace can be achieved in the region.
