Knowing When to Stop
Israel has been in an existential battle for nearly two years. Its enemies, Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria and Iran, for the most part have been beaten militarily. Nevertheless, Israel remains determined to eliminate Hamas in Gaza. This battle continues because Hamas refuses to release the 48 remaining hostages and to surrender its power over the Gazan Palestinians.
There have been many commentaries relating to the continuing military actions of the IDF in Gaza and on the Northern borders. Committed Zionistic rabbis have questioned the tactics used by our military leaders and criticized Israel for the humanitarian debacle that exists in the Strip. Counter arguments have defended the government and chastised its critics as being naïve, ignorant and subversive to the war effort. “Jews who live in the diaspora should not give Israel advice”. The harshest voices against these denigrators question their ethics, morality and loyalty to the Jewish people. They are labelled as shameful and worse.
This is not new. Throughout the centuries Jews going counter to leadership were called appeasers, traitors and self-hating. Lashing out against our co-religionists is not helpful. It weakens us both physically and spiritually. After 3000 years as a people, we should learn that honest, sincere criticism needs to be heard, analyzed and, when necessary, used as a basis for growth. When Yermiyahu criticized King Zedekaiah and the priests he was mistreated, thrown into a cistern and imprisoned. Sometimes our strongest critics may have a point. The greatest of our prophets were critical of the paths taken by the political leaders of the time.
It is hard to argue the fact that a clear consequence of the continuing war in Gaza is a sharp increase in anti-Israeli rhetoric and a diminishment of support from many allies. The UK, France, Belgium and Australia now plan to recognize a Palestinian State this Fall. Even in the United States popular support for the War in Gaza is rapidly declining.
The present status quo, there is never a status quo in the Middle East, is that those in the World who have been our historic supporters, except for the US led by the Trump administration, are walking away from Israel. Democratic countries are cutting their investments in our innovative companies, they are refusing entry to our ministers, they are allowing our scientists, artists and athletes to be discriminated against. Israelis who go abroad are harassed, sometimes violently. Synagogues and Jewish Centers are defaced and burnt. Thomas Friedman believes Israel is on the road to becoming a Pariah State.
The response of our leaders has been to attack these countries for rewarding terrorism. “We are leading the fight for the free world and the survival of Western civilization against Islamic terrorism”. This counterattack has not fallen on sympathetic ears. Why are our putative friends turning against our quest to finish off HAMAS? Pictures of the level of destruction in the Gaza strip, and the growing references to famine, starvation and dying children, whether true or not, undermine Israel and weaken our international image. The present government has not found a way to make Israel look good. This is a worrisome fact.
The questions facing Israel are complex. Ultimately it comes down to whether we have done enough. Put another way, how much is too much. Having several grandsons who served in Gaza, I am loath to criticize anything the IDF, or its governmental overseers want to do to Hamas. However, as the war drags on one starts to scrutinize the path we are taking. Miluimniks who served more than 450 days may be asked to return to battle. How many days are too many? We are told that Hamas must be destroyed. Is it unreasonable to question whether the philosophy of Hamas and fundamental Islamists can be eradicated from the Gaza strip and the world by military means?
Characteristic to all champions is that they rarely know when their time is up. This was true of nearly every heavyweight boxing champion, each of whom fought one fight too many. It was true of almost every King of Israel, who rarely died peacefully in their beds and who by the end of their dominion were no longer faithful to the G-d who had anointed them. It was true of the great and wise King Solomon and of the righteous King Hezekiah who reigned for 40 and 29 years, respectfully. Initially, these majestic men were praised by the sages for doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. After many years of authority, however, they became haughty and self-righteous, brought idols into G-d’s house and formed forbidden alliances with Israel’s debased enemies.
The atmosphere in Israel is anything but ebullient. For weeks Israel has been preparing to complete the total military conquest of the strip. Shortly after announcement of this decision Hamas committed to a proposal that included release of 10 more live hostages and 18 hostage bodies for a 60 day cease fire. Israel has refused to settle for less than all the remaining hostages dead or alive. Is a temporary cease fire too much to lobby for, if it saves the lives of ten of our brothers? A sizeable cohort of Israelis argue that protesting continued military actions helps our enemies and that the price of the release of the hostages is too high. They will accept nothing less than Hamas’s unconditional surrender. In the interim, the families of the hostages live with the images of our brothers, their children, starving in Gaza tunnels. For them continuing the war at this point is too much!!
