Learning from Ghandi’s Error
As Israel presses forward in operation Rising Lion, we again hear calls for restraint and concern about the consequences of war on the region. As usual, there is very little concern about inaction and the threat of Iran who has been destabilizing the region for decades. Only when Israel acts against this global threat are there frowning headlines and calls for restraint. Let us be students of history for a moment and consider the threat of Nazi Germany through the lens of very similar exhortations from Ghandi at that time.
In June of 1940 Ghandi wrote an open letter[1] to every British person laying out his beliefs about a proper response to Hitler. Ghandi called for non-violence. He believed that war was immoral by definition and should be avoided at all costs even if it meant the slaughter of your own people.
“I appeal for the cessation of hostilities, not because you are too exhausted to fight, but because war is bad in essence. You want to kill Nazism. You will never kill it by its indifferent adoption. Your soldiers are doing the same work of destruction as the Germans… No cause, however just, can warrant the indiscriminate slaughter that is going on minute by minute. I suggest that a cause that demands the inhumanities that are being perpetrated today cannot be called just.”
How similar does this sound to so many in the media, on Tik Tok and even government leaders. They say, “let’s not stir up trouble”, “this will only cause more destruction”, “this war violates international law.” But, of course, it does not. The entire idea of international law is to come up with guidelines that all countries agree to adhere to even at times of conflict. No country in history has done more than Israel to protect the innocent while still eliminating threats.
But what do those who condemn Israel suggest that they do about enemies who are bent on their complete destruction? How should Israel respond to targeted attacks on civilians and promises to continue to rape, pillage, murder and terrorize every man, woman and child in Israel by Iran’s proxies? We don’t hear too much about this, except for the word “restraint” that continues to be bandied about over the last 18 months. Let’s look and see what Ghandi suggested.
“You will invite Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini to take what they want of the countries you call your possessions. Let them take possession of your beautiful islands with your many beautiful buildings. You will give all these but neither you souls, nor your minds. If these gentlemen choose to occupy your homes, you will vacate them. If they do not give you free passage out, you will allow yourself man, woman and child, to be slaughtered, but you will refuse to owe allegiance to them.”
Imagine this threat was against your own country. Is Ghandi’s advice something you would consider? I wish that the paid protesters and those confused enough to attend pro-Hamas rallies without being paid would consider this question. Let’s be honest. Ghandi’s depiction of what non-violence would look like as a reaction to Hitler is exactly what would happen if Israel exercises restraint and stands down as they are pressured to do so often: A nation that stands aside and allows slaughter of its own people. Can anyone blame Israel for not wanting to capitulate to evil and sow the seeds of its own destruction?
But this call to inaction is more common than one would think. Unfortunately, the entire world stood by while the evil regime of Iran moved slowly towards true weapons of mass destruction. There was no help when Iran slowly armed, funded and trained terrorist groups in other Middle East countries with the express purpose of exterminating the Jewish people and destroying the Jewish state. And now again, who was willing to stand up to Iran’s unwillingness to slow their nuclear program or commit to external monitoring? The world stood by until the situation was so dire it called for immediate action.
In dismantling the nuclear threat of Iran, Israel acted in the best interests of the world, fulfilling our missive as a light unto the nations. Although there is only muted condemnation of Israel (since the world likely secretly applauds the move against this threat to democracy and freedom) I hear no one bravery applauding what most countries know was absolutely necessary. What if we would have followed Ghandi’s advice in the 1940’s, laid down arms and let Hitler and Mousselini continue their takeover. What would the world look like now? Do we risk failing to act now, undoing our previous success? What will be the consequences of pushing for inaction? What if Israel did not act? If Iran did achieve nuclear weapon capacity and G-d forbid dropped their first bomb on Israel, who would be next? And what then? Could anyone honestly think that Israel’s actions now are more likely to destabilize the region than Iran having a nuclear bomb?
Furthermore, we have the benefit of history when we examine Ghandi’s concerns that fighting would never succeed in setting Germany on a better path. This too was an oft repeated comment when Gaza was the in focus: What is the end game? Can we possibly hope to really change things when the Palestinians continue to indoctrinate their children with hate-fueled propaganda? Once again we have the benefit of hindsight. We now know that over time Germany was successfully brought back from the abyss of propaganda and the banality of evil to sit among other nations as a world power. If the world would be more willing to help this process in Gaza and other radical Islamic bastions perhaps the road forward would be easier to see.
Israel has risen up in the aptly named operation Rising Lion and taken action boldly when so many others continued the failed strategy of inaction. Let us learn from Ghandi’s error and support Israel’s lion-like courage in the face of evil.
[1] He published the letter in Harijan on July 6, 1940 and it was reprinted in Non-Violence in Peace and War (Vol 1 p.318) published the same year.
