Why Do I Always Support Israel?

Why I always support Israel is not because of my Christian faith but because of what Israel faces. It’s about how fundamentalist Arab Muslims behave toward Israel. They hate Israel.

We all know that most Muslims around the world want to remove Israel from the world map. Israel has no option but to protect itself by fighting, and that’s what Israel has been doing since the day it was born.

Those who understand what fundamentalist Muslims are like will agree with my statement. But, those who are not familiar with Muslim fundamentalism may find my statement stereotypical.

Do you know Mosab Hassan Yousef?

He is widely known as the “Son of Hamas.” Many people find his comments about Hamas and other Muslim fundamentalists stereotypical, too. But the truth is, he knows much more about Muslims than we do.

I’m telling you this because I also know about Muslim fundamentalism. I grew up in Bangladesh, where 99% of the population is Muslim. I have over 50 years of experience with Muslim fundamentalism.

Let me show you some examples:

Where do you live?

In the UK? Germany? France? India?

You may lack real experience. Live in Bangladesh as part of a minority community (Chakma, Marma, Tripura, etc), in Pakistan or Afghanistan as a Hindu, or in Israel as a Jew or Christian. You will understand what it’s like.

I’m from the Chittagong Hill Tracts, a region in Bangladesh known for its Indigenous population. In 1947, during the partition, 97% of the population was Indigenous. Now, in 2024, 60% of the population is Muslim.

Can you imagine how Indigenous people are being oppressed here? How did Muslims become the majority in the hills?

Just yesterday (September 19, 2024), Muslim settlers attacked Indigenous people in Khagrachari. Khagrachari is one of the three hill districts in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Many were killed and injured. Later, the settlers, with the help of the military, set fire to Indigenous people’s shops, houses, and villages in Diginala, which is 20 kilometers from the Khagrachari district town.

The settlers also planned to attack the Khagrachari district town. However, Indigenous people guarded their homes and villages, preventing the attack. Their plan failed. Sensing that the plan was going to fail, around 10:30 p.m., the army came and opened fire on the Indigenous people. Many Indigenous people were killed (the exact number is not confirmed yet), many were injured and are fighting for their lives in the hospital, and many are still missing. Some bodies still remain in the rice fields.

This is the reality, and this is what Muslim fundamentalism looks like. Fundamentalist Muslims don’t want non-Muslims to live in Muslim-majority countries. They aim to eliminate all non-Muslims.

Of course, I’m not saying all Muslims support this idea of Muslim fundamentalism. Sadly, there are very few who oppose it, and cities like London and Paris are prime examples.

In London and Paris, all Muslims come out and say, “Oh, we support Hamas.” “We want Muslim rule in London.” In London, I have never seen any Muslim opposing those who support Hamas.

The reality in the Chittagong Hill Tracts mirrors what’s happening in Israel. Just as surrounding Arab countries aim to eliminate Israel and don’t want it to exist, the majority Muslim population in the Hill Tracts seeks to take over all Indigenous lands. Both situations are driven by a desire to dominate, leaving little room for the survival of those who are different in culture, faith, or heritage.

Look at what happened on October 7. Hamas took hostages, and Israel wanted to bring them back. Hamas refused. Israel had no option but to invade Gaza.

When Israel invaded, Houthis, Hezbollah, and finally Iran attacked Israel. Why? Israel didn’t invade their countries. This is how Muslim fundamentalism operates.

London may not understand the suffering of Israelis, and Washington may criticize what Israel is doing, but as someone who has lived as a minority in Bangladesh, I know what Israel’s suffering is like. That’s why I always support Israel.

Israel must fight to survive, and other countries must support Israel in its fight against Muslim fundamentalism.