Nine Days that Changed My Worldview

During a very recent 9 day period, I met with several leading Members of Congress and diplomats and ministers throughout the world. I have three main observations, as follows:

1. Israel and Western Civilization have many enemies. This aim of this article is to shift our thinking to create alignment on what it truly takes to fight the evil these enemies represent before it is too late.
2. Israel’s supporters fall into two buckets: unwavering and wishy-washy. The wishy-washy worldview is permeated with wishful thinking.  This poses a real danger to Israel and the civilized world. Instead of being fully aligned in the fight against the enemies of Israel and Western Civilization, they are working in both directions.
3. American Leadership (or lack thereof) matters tremendously. America’s slow and steady retreat from the world stage is a grave mistake. For America to truly be first, which it must be, we need to project our power throughout the world. Retreat is a losing strategy.   This projection of power cannot be faked. It needs to be real. Strong rhetoric without substantive action is empty and dangerous.  Our friends and allies need us desperately.

I will delve into these themes below.

Israel’s Unwavering Supporters

Israel unwavering supporters understand that Israel was attacked by a ruthless terrorist organization funded, supported and enabled by both Iran’s Islamic extremist government and the naïve well-meaning international community.  Both sectors pose very dangerous threats to the security and prosperity of the Middle East, including, threats to the very Palestinians they claim to care about.  Israel’s unwavering supporters understand the threat both pose, they call it out, and they back up their words with tangible action.  For Jews like me, the unwavering supporters in Congress are the last line of defense between a safe and secure world for Jews and all of us, and the madness of an upside-down world in which the genocidal terrorists are protected, and the victims are attacked and hamstrung in fighting back. I am deeply grateful for Israel’s unwavering supporters in Congress, a number of whom are willing to stand firm notwithstanding the intense political pressure to become wishy-washy.

Israel’s Wishy-Washy Supporters & Why Calls for a Ceasefire are Wrong

Many of us are upset and fed-up with wishy-washy support for Israel.  We appreciate your strong support but believe there is too much unfair criticism of Israel’s conduct of the war; and specifically, language which to many of us borders or crosses the border into outrageous defamation.

Calls for ceasefire are unfair and counterproductive to Israel’s right to not only defend itself in the present moment but to take the necessary proactive steps to eradicate the likelihood of future terroristic attacks.  No nation in the world would be asked to tolerate neighbors with clear genocidal goals, especially, where, as here, significant steps to that end have been taken with horrific results.  Israel must be given the right to take all steps necessary to eradicate the sources of this terror.  Without this, true peace is simply impossible. Calls for Israel to stop short of this goal is a call for this conflict to continue to perpetuate for yet another 100 years.   Too many Members of Congress and World Leaders are quick to call for Ukraine’s complete victory over Russia, but only restraint and the right to defend when it comes to Israel’s war against terror.  Israel needs and deserves victory. This is the only way forward for everyone in the region, including the Palestinians.

Also calls for a ceasefire are wrong because it emboldens Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. Every time a prominent leader says, “We need a ceasefire now, with security for Israel and dignity for the Palestinians, including a two-state solution” they send the message that an attack like Oct 7 will be rewarded. Thus, calls for a ceasefire make an actual ceasefire/peace in the region far less likely.  Unless and until Hamas releases the hostages, agrees to no longer rule Gaza, and a leadership is put in place that recognizes Israel’s right to exist, there will be no end to the conflict.

The Wishful Thinkers

Underlying the calls for a ceasefire and the two-state solution is a flawed foundational belief of wishful thinking that there is a consensus among Palestinians (both the civilians and their leaders) that Israel truly has a right to exist in peace, side-by-side with a future Palestinian State or that such a reality can be created at this time.  Given the genocidal beliefs held by Palestinian leadership and those they serve, asking Israel to unilaterally agree to a two-state solution is asking Israel to commit suicide.   If you truly want peace, start working on the many years’ task of reeducating the Palestinian populace to embrace the concept of co-existence and prosperity for two peoples living side-by-side.

Iran, the Head of the Snake

There can be no dispute that at Iran is the head of the monster-snake that seeks the eradication of Israel and Jews (and likely you too) from the world.  Many of us believe that the USA has failed to truly confront Iran in a meaningful way (e.g. in a way that actually stops Iran’s malevolent activities).

Polarization Is Our Enemy and Deep Connection Creates Friendship

Most people I know are deeply polarized over the Harris v Trump choice. The Harris supporters cannot fathom how it is possible that seemingly normal rational people are voting for Trump.  Trump supporters feel the exact same way about the Harris supporters. Each side demonizes the other.  Emotions are extraordinarily high, and this is not healthy for us or society.  If you want to make a real impact, understand that you are not likely to convince one single person who is not already aligned with you.  Instead, start thinking outside of your mental bubble and truly understand (which does not mean agree) as so how the other side sees things.  When I started doing this over these past nine days, I felt a deep human connection with those who I had previously demonized, and vice versa.  When there is a deep human connection, we discover that despite the differences, we have many similarities and from here we can build true friendship.  We can strongly disagree and yet love the other at the same time.

Beyond the 2024 Election

I have come to understand with certainty two realities. First, that my opinion (and yours) on who should be the next President is irrelevant and our rantings and ravings are a waste of time and energy.  Second, on January 20, 2025, less than 4 months away, we will have a new President that we will need to work with to help shape America’s values, priorities and actions in ways that align with our highest values.  With that in mind, I have many questions for each Harris and Trump. Below are just a few core ones as it relates to Israel.

Questions

Would each have the determination to shut off Iran’s spread of terrorism through sanctions and other means that work?

What exactly are the Harris and Trump plans for advancing a 2-state solution given the reality of how most Palestinians view Jews, Israelis, and Israel as reviled?

What pressure will each Harris and Trump place on Israel to compromise in ways that would jeopardize Israel’s right to not only defend itself but to ensure that it has a peaceful neighbor from which no defense is necessary?

Would each Harris and Trump give Israel the military assets it needs to remove the nuclear threat from Iran?

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author only.