The Flood of Hatred: Reflecting on Humanity’s Moral Crisis

This has been a fast-moving, heart-wrenching week. Every headline tells a story of unimaginable loss and sacrifice, and it’s challenging to keep up with the harsh reality Israel faces. Over 35 soldiers have fallen in just days, leaving behind grieving families and countless orphans. Each life lost is a story of courage and sacrifice that deepens our collective pain. Additionally, 16 civilians were killed in October, including seven in the Tel Aviv terror attack just before the 180 missiles sent to Israel by Iran. And while the media, the UN, et al., are filled with condemnation of Israel’s outlawing of UNRWA, concerns about humanitarian aid, or headlines that harshly criticize Israel, there is genuine suffering, anguish, and sacrifice by the people of Israel.

The law passed to outlaw UNRWA in Israel is a moral step in the right direction. For years, UNRWA has been promoting terror, keeping the Palestinians in refugee cities, educating them about hate, and being complicit on October 7th. Similar to the Red Cross and other UN agencies, there are double and false standards when dealing with Israel.

The BBC report quoted, “UN Secretary-General António Guterres said implementing the laws ‘would be detrimental for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and for peace and security in the region as a whole,’ while UNRWA’s chief Philippe Lazzarini said it ‘will only deepen the suffering of Palestinians.’

As reported on Arutz Sheva, ‘Nikki Haley: We stopped giving UNRWA money, and Biden-Harris gave it back. The former US Ambassador to the UN says UNRWA’s anti-Israel activities were known long before October 7: America and Israel will suffer the consequences if Kamala Harris is elected.’

If you are interested in the truth about UNRWA, I refer to this blog and website of long-time UNRWA expert David Bedein.
https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/adopt-a-5-point-unrwa-peace-initiative/
https://israelbehindthenews.com/

Additionally, In this video, Dr. Einat Wilf explains the essence of UNRWA at a briefing to UN delegations at the UN HQ in NYC, hosted by Israel’s Ambassador to the UN. This briefing provides a summary of UNRWA’s history and how it became the ideological backbone of the Palestinian vision of violent “return,” as manifested on October 7th, and how UNRWA has given birth to every terrorist organization from Black September to Hamas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV0ct9pECzQ

Among the heartbreaking incidents this week was a brutal terror attack at Gilolot, where a truck ploughed into a group of pensioners. The incident, which left one dead and many injured, was briefly reported but quickly faded from the news cycle. This imbalance between world headlines and the tangible suffering Israel endures reflects a duality we face: the global narrative versus the lived reality of protecting Israel’s security and ensuring the safe return of citizens to their homes in the north and south.

Not to forget the Israeli retaliation strike on Iran’s military assets. Hundreds of rockets were fired by Hezbollah, sending Israeli civilians to bomb shelters and resulting in the death of an Arab Israeli citizen.

And the threats to our existence continue. As reported by Arutz Sheva, “IRGC commander: Israel will face bitter consequences for its attack on Iran. IRGC commander Hossein Salami: Israel failed to achieve its ominous goals in its attack on Iran.”
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/398259

Meanwhile, calls for humanitarian aid to Gaza continue, alongside negotiations for hostage releases. Yet, moral clarity is missing from the discourse. Rather than addressing Hamas’s responsibility to release hostages unconditionally, critics often fault Israel for not “doing enough” to broker a deal. We must recognize that there is no feasible deal with those who embrace terror and destruction as an ideology.

In this blog, I explore the nature of Hamas, the essence of evil, and how the irrational obsession with blaming Israel detracts from a broader vision of building a just global society. This recurring theme of humanity’s struggle with moral decay is ancient, reflected in the story of Noah. The Great Flood was God’s response to a world overrun by corruption and wickedness, where every inclination of human thought was toward evil. Is there truly anything new under the sun? What lessons can we draw today about confronting such entrenched hatred and fostering a more compassionate world?

Reflections
As we reflect on the anniversary of October 7th, Shabbat Simchat Torah—a day that should celebrate joy and the Torah’s honour—we instead confront a haunting tragedy. What was intended as a day of communal joy and dancing has been overshadowed by the brutal violence and deaths of October 7th. In our history, Jews have often experienced this juxtaposition of celebration and sorrow, from the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War to the Holocaust and now again in the face of modern terror. This recurrence of darkness challenges us: how do we find meaning, joy, and resilience amidst such pain? Rabbi Moshe Taragin’s work, Dark Clouds Above and Faith Below speaks to how we persist in faith and cope with profound suffering and evil. One of the most shocking realities of this attack was not only the violence but also the dehumanisation that accompanied it—the desecration of bodies, acts of rape, and mutilation that strip away any sense of humanity from the perpetrators.

Human Dignity in the Face of Dehumanization
Judaism places the utmost importance on the sanctity of life and dignity, even in death. The atrocities we witnessed—dehumanization, desecration, and unspeakable violence—stand in stark contrast to these values. Even amid the horror, the Jewish people strive to honor and recover their fallen, underscoring a dedication to human dignity. In contrast, violent extremism by groups like Hamas reflects a complete disregard for human sanctity, exploiting distorted interpretations of faith that fuel cycles of brutality.

The Evolution of Antisemitism
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, of blessed memory, wrote on the evolving forms of antisemitism, noting that while the language has changed, the underlying hatred persists. Attacks on Jews have shifted from religious and racial justifications to accusations against Israel itself, often framed within the discourse of human rights.

We see this especially in the way Israel and Jews are accused of the most grievous sins against humanity—racism, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, genocide, and crimes against humanity. As Rabbi Sacks noted, Jews cannot defeat antisemitism alone. It is not merely a Jewish problem but a problem of the societies that give rise to it.

Yet, the stark double standard is clear: while Israel is scrutinized, genuine tyrannies—those that oppress, terrorize, and enslave—go largely unchallenged. This moral inversion, where antisemitism hides behind the veil of human rights, highlights a tragic reality of our times.

What is especially insidious today is how antisemitism is often cloaked in the language of human rights while real tyrants and oppressive regimes—those who enslave, terrorize, and oppress their own people—are ignored or even supported. This moral inversion is a tragic reflection of a world that has lost its way. Rabbi Sacks warns us against internalizing this victimhood. To fight antisemitism, we must tell the stories not only of the persecuted but also of the persecutors. Tyrants have always used Jews as scapegoats to distract from their internal failures. Whether it’s in totalitarian regimes or corrupt democracies, antisemitism is a tool to divert attention from the real issues of poverty, unemployment, and lack of human rights.

Global Misalignment and the Lessons of the Flood
Today, powerful nations like Russia, China, and Iran align to challenge Western influence, often converging in ideological blocs such as BRICS. Israel, uniquely positioned, stands as a reminder of humanity’s dual legacies—faith and conflict. The ancient stories of Noah and the Tower of Babel resonate anew as the world faces a similar crisis: irrational hatred, especially toward Israel, draws international focus while existential global issues go unaddressed. Much like the Tower of Babel, humanity’s misguided ambitions risk spiraling into broader chaos.

Hamas and the Biblical Meaning of “Hamas”
The word “Hamas” takes on layered significance today. In Arabic, it names the militant group dedicated to Israel’s destruction; in the Bible, the Hebrew word “חָמָס” (violence) encapsulates moral corruption and injustice, as seen in the story of Noah: “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with hamas (violence)” (Genesis 6:11). Today, Hamas, the organization, embodies this same violence, its agenda marked by destruction over dialogue, prioritizing terror at the expense of the very people it claims to protect.

Barnea Levi Selavan recently highlighted how this reality manifests on the ground: Gaza’s infrastructure is weaponized—schools, hospitals, homes, even mosques are used for arms, with civilians deliberately left vulnerable. The actions of Hamas echo the Bible’s depiction of societal corruption: resources meant for life and growth are diverted into an obsession with war.

A Flood of Hatred: Humanity’s Misguided Focus
This modern wave of hatred isn’t confined to one conflict. As I wrote in my recent Substack blog, World Food Day, COP16, COP29, and the Flood of Hatred: Humanity’s Misguided Focus and Failure to Act, society often misses what truly matters. Despite the billions suffering from poverty and hunger, global attention is directed to political conflicts and sensationalized issues, often with an undue focus on Israel. The result is a tragic failure to address real existential threats like hunger, climate collapse, and poverty—issues that ultimately determine humanity’s survival.

Link to the blog: https://upgradingesg.substack.com/p/world-food-day-cop16-cop29-and-the

A Global Call for Moral Clarity
Much like the time of Noah, when humanity’s unchecked violence led to its downfall, today’s “flood” is one of hatred, extremism, and misplaced priorities. The modern-day Hamas—an embodiment of ideological violence—reflects humanity’s moral crisis. We risk repeating history’s mistakes if we ignore pressing global crises in favor of narrow conflicts and hatred.

Humanity must refocus to honor the true lessons of the past. Only by rejecting the cycle of hate, prioritizing dignity and peace, and addressing global crises head-on can we hope to create a just and peaceful world for all.

Featured Video – Dr. Phil, a Moral Voice in Our Times
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-doZUiDLGU