‘Occupied Gaza’
Prior to Oct. 7, there were roughly 2 million Arab citizens of Israel but no Jewish citizens in the Gaza Strip. Gazans in 2006 voted in Hamas to rule them. It summarily executed its Palestinian Authority rivals.
Hamas canceled all future scheduled elections. It established a dictatorship and diverted hundreds of billions of dollars in international aid to build a vast underground labyrinth of military installations.
‘Collateral Damage’
Hamas began the Israel-Hamas war by deliberately targeting civilians. It massacred them on Oct. 7 when it invaded Israel during a time of peace and holidays. It sent more than 7,000 rockets into Israeli cities for the sole purpose of killing noncombatants.
Hamas has no vocabulary for the collateral damage of Israeli civilians, since it believes any Jewish death under any circumstances is cause for celebration.
Hamas places its terrorist centers beneath and inside hospitals, schools, and mosques. Why? Israel is assumed to have more reservations about collaterally hitting Gaza civilians than Hamas does about exposing them as human shields.
‘Disproportionate’
We are told that Israel wrongly uses disproportionate force to retaliate in Gaza. But it does so because no nation can win a war without disproportionate violence that hurts the enemy more than it is hurt by the enemy.
The U.S. incinerated German and Japanese cities with disproportionate force to end a war both Axis powers started. In Iraq, the American military nearly leveled Fallujah and Mosul by disproportional force to root out Islamic gunmen hiding among innocents.
Hamas has objections to disproportionate violence—but only when it is achieved by Israel and not Hamas.
‘Two-State Solution’
Prior to Oct. 7, there was a de facto three-state solution, given that Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza were all separate states ruled by their own governments, two of which were illegitimate without scheduled elections.
It was not Israel but the people of Gaza and the West Bank who institutionalized the “from river to the sea” agenda of destroying its neighbor.
Israel would have been content to live next to an autonomous Arab Gaza and West Bank that did not seek to destroy Israel in multigenerational efforts to form its own “one-state solution.”
‘Cease-Fire’
The so-called international community is demanding Israel agree to a “cease-fire.” But there was already a cease-fire prior to Oct. 7. Hamas broke it by massacring 1,200 Jews and taking over 250 hostages.
Hamas violated that peace because it thought it could gain leverage over Israel by murdering Jews.
Hamas now demands another cease-fire because it thinks it is no longer able to murder more unarmed Jews. Instead, it now fears that Israel will destroy Hamas in the way Hamas sought but failed to destroy Israel.
Did Hamas call for a cease-fire after the first 500 Jews it massacred on Oct. 7?
‘Ramadan’
President Joe Biden believes that the Muslim religious holiday of Ramadan requires Israel to agree to a cease-fire.
But did either Hamas or any other Arab military ever respect Jewish—or even its own—religious holidays?
The Oct. 7 massacre was timed to catch Israelis unaware while they celebrated the Jewish religious holidays of Simchat Torah, Shemini Torah, and Shemini Atzeret on Shabbat.
Moreover, Hamas’ surprise attack was deliberately timed to commemorate the earlier sneak Arab attack on Israel some 50 years earlier.
On Oct. 6, 1973, the Israelis were the target of a surprise attack when celebrating the religious holiday of Yom Kippur. Arab armies also assumed they would achieve greater surprise when attacking during their own religious holiday of Ramadan.
So, Arab militaries fight opportunistically during Jewish holidays and their own Islamic holidays. Egyptians and Syrians still boast of their 1973 surprise attack on Israel as the Ramadan War.
Only Westerners, not Arabs, believe there should be no war during Ramadan.
‘Civilian Casualties’
Israel risks the lives of its soldiers to prevent civilian deaths. Hamas risks the lives of its civilians to prevent terrorists’ deaths.
Israel considers it a failure, but Hamas considers it globally advantageous, when more civilians die than its soldiers.
‘Foreign Aid’
The Biden administration threatens to cut off or slow-walk aid to Israel if it continues to retaliate against Hamas, even though Hamas started the war.
So the administration promises to give more aid to Gaza after the Oct. 7 Hamas massacres than it gave to Gaza before Hamas’ attack.
‘Prisoners’
The international community that favors Hamas nevertheless knows it would be safer to be a prisoner of Israel than of Hamas.
It knows women are not going to be raped in custody by Israelis, but are by Hamas. And the unarmed are more likely to be mutilated and decapitated by Hamas than Israelis.
Is the international community more likely to charge Israel than Hamas for war crimes because the Jewish state seeks to avoid civilian deaths that Hamas finds useful?
Victor Davis Hanson is a classicist and historian at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and author of the book “The Second World Wars: How the First Global Conflict Was Fought and Won.” You can reach him by e-mailing [email protected].
Reprinted with Permission from Daily Signal – By Victor Davis Hanson
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
Good article telling the truth about the situation. Israel has the right to defend itself against her enemies. Unfortunately, the lack of US response and turning against Israel has been foretold and with the recent “abstaining vote” in the UN, Israel has no friends in governments, only individuals to support her. In the end, GOD will have the last say.
Good article. I have been to Israel, many times over the years. I’ve met these people, and have had Palestinians throw rocks at me and my team. Hamas is a terrorist organization and should be removed from power. Israel is not the aggressor, those in Gaza and the West bank are. Israel would let all the areas live in peace, but those such as Hamas will not allow it, and instead desire to destroy Israel. The only option left is to remove / replace leadership in Gaza and the West Bank so all can live in peace. Israel is attempting to do that, but our corrupt left wing government will not support them. Instead, Biden is supporting the terrorist. WE need to support Israel. They are our ally and one of the most important stabilizing elements in the Middle East. Very sad our current administration is turning their back on Israel.
Wipe Hamas off the face of the Earth! Hamas is confident of the world condemnation of Israel’s actions. Collateral damage will just have to or Hamas will win. They are terrorists and the only way they can be eliminated is through total Destruction. They are taking everyone in the Gaza Strip hostage. Israel needs to continue until they totally eliminated.
Love VDH! He is an honest evaluator and historian on many subjects and I believe him when he tells us what is going on there. Thank you VDH!
The Palestinian people voted Hamas to lead their country. Not all Palestinians voted for Hamas, however they are all paying the price for their leaders. Like wise in America, not to the extent of Palestinians, we’re paying the price for Biden’s weak leadership even though 74 million people didn’t vote for Joey.
Rigged elections has consequences.
If Hamas surrenders there will be a ceasefire. Otherwise there is a ceasefire when Hamas is destroyed.
I have long been an admirer of Professor Hanson, whom I consider to be one of the smartest and most knowledgeable people who has ever lived.
Everything in this article is true and factual, but there is more to it which he cannot put in writing because it would never be published. And what is the rest of it? Israel is the proverbial “canary in the coal mine.” What is taking place in Gaza/Israel is not just about Israel and the Jews – it is about all of us. For 1,400 years, Islam has had but a single goal: conquer the world, kill anyone who gets in the way, and turn the survivors into slaves. Nothing has changed. The goal remains as it was, and anyone who thinks what is happening in the Middle East will remain in the Middle East and go no further is delusional. What is happening there will ultimately be coming to your country and your neighborhood. You can count on it.
Excellent article. These sentiments should be coming from our government. Unfortunately the politicians have no moral structure. They blow with the political winds and stand for nothing.
I Stand by Israel 200% They have always reacted to these attacks appropriately. Hamas needs to be dealt with. It is a sad day when this administration turns its back on our Allies. Israel is the stabilizing factor there. Without Israel, there would be total cause there and that would lead to further aggression spreading out. Iran / Hamas will not stop.
Anything where Biden, Blinken and Sullivan stick their noses in turns to sh!t!
The former PLO for as long as i have been alive wanted peace( only under their ) rules. The US as usual fed them billions of dollars to appease them. ( suckers) then they vote in Hamas as their government. So every dollar the US supplied Palestine was disguised as aid went into building weaponry for the sole purpose of killing Jews. So Hamas snd Palestine are both one in the same and it has to end this time! Even a couple so called Hamas left alive will repeat history over again for the next 150 years.
So the idiot Biden screwing Israel for votes in MI!! While making the same mistakes the US has failed again doing the same thing over again Appeasing for political reasons!!!
Personally if Israel is massacred again, Biden will be the modern day, HITLER!
A government (Hamas) that uses it citizens and human shields and spends all of it’s revenue tunneling instead of making life better for it’s people, is flat out evil.
I wonder how the 2006 voters feel today about their decision to vote in Hamas?
Maybe Hamas should show the Ramadan love and release the hostages? Biden mentions American hostages held by Hamas as much as he does the 13 servicemen killed in Afghanistan his actions contributed to: ZERO.
Hamas was Voted in by Gaza residents
All media play for Hamas since 10-7
They should not stop until Hamas is destroyed
This is horrible and the US will pay dearly for their abuse of Isreal. God is judge and jury and the government is stupid for supporting anything to do with Hama’s.
Two points: First FJB has no business trying to force a cease fire in a non U.S. territory.If Israel asks for assistance now that’s different.Second: AMAC, preaching to the chorus doesn’t change the minds of the other 51% of Americans.You have to hire professional psychologist to reverse the brainwashed left. What kind of people can’t see, think or hear when FJB and his administration are trying to destroy the greatest country in the world?If you had told me, that after living thru the Carter administration , that I would see an idiot win the white house worse than Carter ever was? Well I’ve seen it!An Idiot! Hiding in his basement, too frail to campaign. So his party steals a Presidential election for him!Despite all of this, he is still allowed to keep the presidency.God help the U.S.A.!Thank you
These Islamists are brilliant.
They kill and maim wantonly, they steal humanitarian aid and then cry that no one cares when starvation of their own people results. They call them refugees for several generations when that is never true of any other people.
They use the most anti human measures to kill, rape and humiliate, film what they are doing and use the phones of their victims to send families and friends movies of all of the fun they are having doing all of these horrors. And instead of making the world shocked at their atrocities, they earn much of the world’s support.
There is not one Jew in Gaza yet they cry about the “occupation”. They steal from us when we provide them materials to build hospitals, schools, and libraries and use what they steal to build miles and miles of underground tunnels. And those who provided all of this money and material, instead of being angry at them, are angry at Israel.
Without Israel many Gazans would have been without water and electricity and jobs. So instead of being grateful, they aggress against Israel so their own people can be denied and then they cry about how awful Israel is. And the world feels sympathy for them!
How brilliant are these people?
Or is it that those who want to believe them are not brilliant?
Mr Shipway’s diatribe resembles a classic example of Stockholm syndrome. If I can borrow the “prison break” scenario for a moment, why didn’t they escape into Egypt? Answer: because the Egyptians would have either confined them to true concentration camps or more likely turned machine guns on they. No one welcomes “Palestinians” into their countries. Hmm, I wonder why? Why is the proportion of faiths relevant to the discussion? Israel is a functioning democracy with a published set of laws and a functioning judiciary. Gaza is a terrorist cleptocracy masquerading a nation state.
Good article telling the truth about the situation. Israel has the right to defend itself against her enemies. America and biden should stay out of it. Because of all the lies from Palestinians who are very vocal, some believe all the lies. The lack of US response and turning against Israel has been foretold. Because of the UN, Israel has no friends in governments, only individuals to support her. Hamas steals all the food from Gaziantep and uses them as human shields why don’t they wise up! Many quietly still support Israel. In the end, GOD will have the last say. Thank you
Cut all the foreign “aid” to palestinians and let them care for the multitude of kids they’ve begat Stop the arms supplies and force the peace on them but then the profitable business would stop and that will not do
Until the Moslem crazies say Jews
They need separate nations With a DMZ between them. Minefields in the DMZ.
Flood the tunnels in Gaza with sea water from the Mediterranean.
The ONLY ceasefire that Israel should be considering is when the Hamas totally surrenders. That is a ceasefire that will work. Until then, let’s stop talking about an Israeli ceasefire.
Gazan’s voted in Hamas to rule them. We “voted” in Biden and the communists to “rule” us. See the connection? Good vs evil. Simple.
Victor Davis Hanson always cuts straight to the heart of the issue and this article is a perfect example.He is brilliant and this is not an option article, he is stating facts that are very inconvenient for the Biden administration and anti semites in this country, the Democratic party being the leading organization in that regard.
The goal of Hamas and the people of Gaza is to destroy Israel and every Jew living there and on planet earth that is what their mission statement says and that is what they are proclaiming when they repeat over and over for the world to here, “from the river to the sea”.
Israel on the other hand wants to live in peace and has every right to protect themselves when they are attacked. They also have an obligation to their citizens to make sure another attack like the one from 10/7 never happens again. There was a cease fire in place that Hamas broke when they attacked innocent unarmed civilians on 10/7.
Israel called for an evacuation of Gaza before hostilities began so no innocent’s would be hurt but Hamas wouldn’t let them leave and continues to use its citizens as human shields. No other Arab nations want the refugees either because they are radical trouble makers wherever they live. Have you seen the wall Egypt built to keep them out?
The people of Gaza elected Hamas as their leaders and it is now a dictatorship. If Israel is able to eliminate Hamas the people of Gaza should be grateful to them as this will give them a chance to start over, but my guess is they will continue to put into power groups with the same mission. Kill all Jews in any way possible.
Remember they first go after the Saturday people, the Sunday people are next.
Foolish, foolish non Muslim Americans mostly naive college students in this country think they are so self righteous protesting for Hama. It sounds and looks so cool to be anti establishment and woke. What they don’t understand is Hamas looks at all non Muslims the same way they do Jews, we are infidels and will meet the same fate as the Jews whether you have a pro Palestinian flag flying outside your house will not matter one bit. Your only options if given any, will be to die, convert or pay the tax. They have become useful idiots and their cause, whether they know it or not, is their own destruction. All Muslim terrorists call the US the “Great Satan” so obviously the elimination of our country is #2 on their list.
The only reason Joe Biden is trying to call off Israel when they are so close to victory is to try and salvage Michigan and any other antisemite votes he can save. Stop accepting the lies and the gaslighting before it is too late.
As General George Patton said, “War is hell”, if Hamas/Palestinians were so concerned about their citizens they wouldn’t have broken the ceasefire and attacked Israel in the first place. Obviously that was not the case. They also would allow them to leave instead of hiding behind them in hospitals, schools, residential neighborhoods etc. But that is also not the case since they are by all standards cowards of the highest order.
I pray that when they meet their maker that the ultimate justice is given to them and they spend eternity paying for their crimes against humanity.
this article is spot on but then you say at the end that amac may not have the same views.how can that be .support Israel.
Good article.
Truthful article but the real truth is that Arab’s enjoy killing and are nasty thugs/ terrorists/ murders.
Biden is a sellout traitor to anyone or anything that will put money in his pocket and destroy America.
As for Arab-Americas there is no such thing! They are Americans of Arab decent just like every other ethic group.
It’s only the Totalitarian Communist Democrat Party that seeks to sow divisions among American’s to divide us as a Nation and a people.
It’s ridiculous to think the people of Gaza who overwhelmingly voted for Hamas to enter their country, didn’t know exactly what Hamas stood for. Does anybody think they didn’t know those tunnels weren’t being built??? The massive amounts of excavation and material to complete them had the Gazan’s thinking what, “nothing to see here”??
O biden is helping the wrong side the one they chose
Right now the US government controlled by Obama & Biden is just as bad as Hamas, all of the Biden /Obama regime needs to be wiped off the face of the planet, they are evil and need to be destroyed otherwise America is finished and we will be slaves to a Chinese puppet regime run by the far left filth.
How many Hamas killers have Biden alood to come in our country? We will find out
one day. Biden is a rat…
ANYBODY that supports Hamasaki is a sick puppy!
Absolutely right! Clearly stated- this should go viral so all these “nay-sayers” can read/hear the truth of this situation in Israel. I pray every day for Israel, for the peace of Jerusalem and for Mr. Netanyahu to ignore the bad advice and keep going to win this war and completely wipe out Hamas. That is the ONLY way there will be even a chance for peace. Further, God established Israel’s borders after they left Egypt and got to the Promised Land. Israel needs to occupy ALL the territory their ancestors fought and conquered, per God’s orders.
Israel has been supported by the american taxpayer for decades – american soldiers have bled and died by the thousands in wars to protect israel – its time for us to mind our own business and let israel take care of themselves – they couldn’t care less for america – we are their “ally” because it benefits THEM !! they are just as bloodthirsty as hamas ! to hell with both of them !
“Hamas began the Israel-Hamas war by deliberately targeting civilians.” This statement is misleading, if not outright false. Hama’s Oct. attack is merely a continuation of the war that began shortly after World War II (some would place the start shortly after World War I) when Jews poured into Palestine and started driving Palestinians from their homeland.
Since the US acted like a savage by incinerating German and Japanese cities with disproportionate force and deliberately killing noncombatants, so now Israel is justified to act like a salvage and to lower itself to the level of Hamas.
The Palestinians should have their own country. Then when they attack Israel, she can retaliate by invading, conquering, and OCCUPYING!
A long way around the barn to justify the indiscriminate killing of civilians either by bombs or starvation.
Many commentators to this website have complained that Putin has committed war crimes against civilians during his offensive in Ukraine. Just because our ally is employing some of the same tactics doesn’t make those tactics any less onerous.