If
what follows upsets you, feel free to leave now. (Please do not think
this is directed at any one person. This is a culmination of my thoughts
over the past few weeks and the response I have seen from a variety of
sources.)
After more than 24 days of
conflict in Gaza, I am saddened that so many have fallen victim to the
lies and half-truths put out by the "pro-Palestinian"
propagandists. Where is the outrage for the atrocities in Syria or ISIS
in Iraq? Why the leveling of such anger on Israel? The Hamas charter
(look it up, read it) clearly states that their purpose is almost
single-fold, to kill Jews. Their children's TV programming teaches
children to hate and want to kill Jews (google search, there are many
videos documenting this). Their leaders have come right out and said
they want to kill Jews (youtube).
The Palestinians in Gaza had
every opportunity to make their state and succeed in 2005 when Israel
pulled out (taking every Jew out with them). Gaza was Jew free. The
Israelis left behind greenhouses and infrastructure that could have been
used to advance the Gazans. Hundreds of millions in aid has poured into
Gaza. What have they done with it? Squandered it to build terror
tunnels and buy rockets.
They want to scream about a wall (much
like between the US and Mexico) that was only erected after numerous
suicide bombers and terrorists came into Israel to kill civilians, Jews.
If crazy Canadians were coming across the border and blowing up buses
in the US would we just sit back and take it? Or would we do something
to protect our civilians, like build a wall? Heck, we built a wall along
parts of Mexico's border to keep out people who mean us no harm! (Ok,
drugs and drug dealers too) Still far less extreme than suicide bombers
and terrorists. We, in the US, would do no less than what Israel has
done, do what it can and has to do to protect its citizens.
But, back on point, now Hamas has been firing rockets into Israel, using
tunnels to commit acts of terror against a civilian population and
capture hostages, and everyone is all up in arms against Israel for
fighting back?!?! Hamas has broken EVERY ceasefire these past weeks.
Hamas has forced civilians to protect its fighters and weapons (aka,
human shields). Israel has CALLED OFF attacks when they have seen
civilians present. It is a war started by Hamas, continued by Hamas and
I, for one, will not be swayed by the sudden influx of concern for the
"poor Palestinians" who elected a terrorist organization as their
government.
Do I feel for the people in Gaza? ABSOLUTELY. I
feel sorry that they elected Hamas as their government, knowing that
Hamas would do what they have done. I feel sorry that Hamas is now using
those people as human shields to keep Israel from fighting back against
the terror attacks. I feel sorry that anyone has died (though the
numbers that have been coming in are showing fewer women and children
and more men within the age range of fighters - and can be listed as
"civilians" because they aren't in military garb - yeah, "none" of them
are fighting the Israelis, right? (please note my sarcasm)). I want to
Free Gaza as well. I want to free Gaza from Hamas. I want to free Gaza
so the people there can actually use the aid they receive to build a
better life instead of terror tunnels and rockets. I want to free Gazans
from being used as human shields by a government intent on their
destruction and death for the purposes of a photo op.
It is
inhumane to call for peace in this conflict while not saying a word
against other atrocities currently going on in the middle east (Syria
and Iraq to name just 2, but do a google search, there are many more,
every single day). The numbers of those dead in Gaza is far less than
those in Syria. (I won't even go into the history of Hamas to
fraudulently inflate the numbers of civilians living in Gaza, the
numbers of those who have died in conflicts - again, google!)
And, to top it off, NO ONE is perfect. Everyone can point to that 1
person who did this or that which was wrong. We all have those stories.
Israel is no different. So many are trying to place Israel in a position
of having to be absolutely perfect and any deviation from that is
reflected on the whole. One IDF soldier does something stupid and
boneheaded and that is broadcast and put on the heads of every IDF
soldier. Did we do that? I seem to recall some pictures of Muslims in
Gitmo wearing dog collars and being used as props in pictures. Did we,
as citizens, then place that image on the head of every single one of
our American soldiers? No, we did not. Yes, every army has its "bed
seeds" who are dealt with accordingly. But let us not hold another army
to a higher standard simply because they are not us. Do not condemn
another's entire army for the actions of a few.
The same goes
for the civilians. Are there Israeli's calling for the death of all
those in Gaza? Yes, I am sad to say their are. Are there Gazans calling
for the death of every Jew is Israel? Yes, there are. Should we then put
that on the heads of every Israeli or Gazan? No. Not every Israeli or
Gazan feels that way.
Do we want this fighting to cease? YES!
Enough people have died. But as long as one side (Hamas) continues to
call for the death of all Jews and continues to fight, Israel has every
right, and duty, to defend itself against the attacks of the terrorists.
AGAIN, Please do not think this is directed at any one person. This is a
culmination of my thoughts over the past few weeks and the response I
have seen from a variety of sources.
You now
know my thoughts and views. Do not be surprised by what appears on my
wall. I will defend Israel as long as she needs to be defended and in
this regard, in this conflict, Israel is not the bad guy. Israel is
doing what needs to be done to prevent further attacks on its civilians.
I could go on for days. If you made it to the end,
congratulations. (I apologize if this is muddled and not coherent, I am
working on about 4 hours of sleep last night and about the same the
night before)
