Israel’s Quandary

A few days ago President Trump had a not just heated, but rather hostile and full of expletives phone conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu where Trump made clear that Israel cannot retaliate against a missile attack conducted by Iran on June 7. The reaction by some media lamented that Trump threw Israel under the bus and that Israel is turning from an ally into a vassal state, an American colony. It was predicted that Netanyahu would become subservient to Trump. Well, Israel defied Trump’s order (and this was not the first time when Israel bombed Beirut after being warned by Trump and Iran not to do so). Whereas Iranian bombs were mostly ineffectual and intercepted, Israel did some damage to military and industrial targets in Iran.

Though a new ceasefire between Israel and Iran was ordered, Israel made it clear that this does not apply to Hezbollah that announced that it would not agree to any ceasefire with Israel. And so the battle is on. Whether Trump likes it or not Israel does not have a choice but to keep fighting Hezbollah, Hamas and perhaps Iran as well (which is logistically more difficult). The irony is that after the downing of US Apache helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz by Iran America started bombing Iranian installations in retaliation.

Why cannot Israel just sit down with its enemies and discuss a path to peace as proposed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He and other European leaders have embedded in their minds that all these “squabbles” have an easy solution – diplomacy, and more diplomacy. Though Starmer and others recognize that it is Hezbollah that initiated hostilities they insist that it is Israel who should be the more rational and reasonable and withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon. These politicians and experts think that all issues are negotiable, except there is one problem – you need a partner, as both Hezbollah and Iran, not to mention Hamas, refuse to negotiate with Israel in good faith or not at all.

It is hard to understand that Starmer and company do not comprehend or at least pretend they do not understand one crucial and basic difference between Israel and its enemies. Israel and Jews in general are life oriented. Real life is here on Earth and where we are here to enjoy it and make the most out of it. Yes, they are difficulties, sometimes seemingly unsurmountable, but our task is to overcome obstacles so we can live and enjoy life. That does not mean to spend our lives in entertainment and parties, but to make a contribution to Jewish life and create something valuable for everybody, not just Jews. We celebrate our families, holidays and achievements. I bet that most Israelis would prefer not to deal with wars that are forced to endure. Unfortunately, terrorist groups, such as Hamas, Hezbollah and others, and terrorist states, such as Iran have a different outlook. They are members of a death club, they see the destruction first of Israel, and then of America as the purpose of their existence and as a religious duty. Martyrdom will bring them and their families happiness. Killing of Jews is a particularly pleasurable activity as it was well documented during the October 7 massacre. They are determined to continue in their attempts to eradicate Israel forever. And this is the main reason why Israel had to and still has to defy pressure from Trump, UN and others to quit fighting.

Our history, before and after foundation of Israel, documents that resistance and defiance work better than reconciliation with fate and submission to it. Efforts to appease antisemites by assimilation led in many cases to poor outcome, as the current withdrawal of support of Israel by Jewish congressional hopefuls and celebrities is leading to even more increasing antisemitism.

Unfortunately, Israel did not always succeed because of its inability to resist external pressure. It was not allowed to convincingly defeat Hamas or Hezbollah in previous “smaller” wars and conflicts, and this enabled these groups to rearm and regroup, especially with plentiful support coming from Iran and Qatar. It happened with UN resolutions, with Netanyahu letting money to flow into Gaza and total disregard/disbelief of transparent Hamas activities in Gaza preceding October 7, 2023 indicating something nefarious was brewing.

I should point out some successes where defiance and courage to resist pressures and threat of consequences paid off. We can start with the foundation of Israel in 1948 when Israel defeated several Arab armies that initiated the War of Independence. Adolf Eichmann, the evil force behind Final Solution was captured by Israeli agents in South America, brought to trial in Israel and executed there in 1962, though there was some mumbling to grant him clemency. Few years later Israel decided to strike preemptively its Arab neighbors who were quite openly involved in preparations in war against Israel. Levi Eshkol, the Israeli Prime Minister at that time, gave orders for the strike and beginning of the Six Day War in June 1967 despite opposition by US President Lyndon B. Johnson. Eshkol’s courage paid off by very decisive victory and peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, though those came much later. Unfortunately, as it is well known Palestinians have been trying to go back to situation before 1967 and reclaim territory without any willingness to any territorial and ideological compromise. My last example deals with bombing Iraqi nuclear reactor Osirak done under the watch of Prime Premier Menachem Begin. This was unanimously denounced around the world, by UN Security Council and General Assembly, many governments, including French as they were building the reactor claimed to be solely for peaceful purposes. However, world opinion has changed when Saddam Hussein turned Iraq into killing fields of his own citizens.

Yes, most Israelis prefer to live in peace more than to engage in seemingly endless wars with Hamas and Hezbollah. But there is a quandary in front of them: they are faced with enemies whose only goals are destruction of Israel, and of the Great Satan – the US, followed by spreading Sharia rules worldwide. They have no other goals in their lives. The really sad, yes tragic part of the story is that their own people, i.e., the Lebanese and the Gazans are desponded and so far unable to shake off their chains even when Israel is offering support in their hopes and struggle for a free and dignified life. There is another, very important, if not the crucial factor – change of the current Islamist regime in Iran into democracy. This presents another dilemma. Israel and the US prepared conditions for a regime change. However; its completion can be accomplished only by the Iranian people who are lacking weapons and remember very well the recent massacre of thousands of unarmed young people. I do not know whether and when this would happen but I can hope.