Even though I vividly recall being called antisemitic names in youth sports and the swastikas that vandalized my Jewish primary school, you do not make the leap to a gunman who would massacre Jews in a synagogue simply for being Jewish.
Hamas, at the time of this writing, had so far freed only four hostages, an American mother and daughter and two Israeli women, ages 79 and 85, all for what the group called humanitarian grounds. Its begrudging benevolence is a start; but it is not nearly enough. All of the hostages must be immediately released.
The spectre of Iran continues to loom over the Hamas attack on Israel. Being the de facto bank for armed militias and terrorists throughout the Middle East has been part of Iran's stock-in-trade for decades. Written by Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, Director of AJC Europe
Israel is a small country. At its widest, it is only 60 miles. Missiles can easily blanket the country. Millions of Israelis are sadly accustomed to going into the safe rooms of their homes to weather missile attacks. The weekend assaults, however, introduce a new level of danger. Israel will feel compelled to act and protect its people, but also its future.
Now is the time for moral clarity. Hamas is a terrorist organization. It is not a defense force. Its overarching goal and its very reason for existence, has always been the annihilation of Israel. Like other Middle East terror groups — Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi militants in Yemen — it is funded, trained, armed, and supported by Iran.