Israel-Hamas War:
We are better than this

Every day this war continues, Israel is creating future terrorists

By Irwin Rapoport

August 23, 2024

It is clear that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not want to seriously negotiate an authentic ceasefire to end the war in Gaza and free the remaining 100 plus hostages that were taken by Hamas during the terrible October 7 attack on Israel last year that led to the deaths of 1,139 Israelis and visitors to the country and the capture of 251 hostages. There was no excuse whatsoever for this large-scale raid into Israel and, of course, Israel had every right to respond and rescue the hostages.

Before I continue, let me state that I am Jewish and that I support Israel and its right to exist and defend itself, however, my support is not based on the maxim of “my country, right or wrong.” Those who know me are very aware of my criticism of the country’s actions, especially during the tenure of Netanyahu.

A ceasefire is needed now to stop the deliberate killing and wounding of people living in Gaza, where sources say that more than 40,000 Gazans have been killed via bombing, missile strikes, shelling, and by IDF soldiers during ground operations. Many of the over 90,000 wounded have lost limbs and have experienced psychological problems from which they may never heal. It is also the case for Israelis who survived the October 7 attack, those held hostage, their families and those of the dead. It is a tragedy for everyone, and the sooner the war ends, the sooner people can begin to heal.

… I support Israel and its right to exist and defend itself, however, my support is not based on the maxim of “my country, right or wrong.

I assert that Netanyahu does not desire a ceasefire because while talks are ongoing in Qatar and other places, the Israeli government continues to kill residents of Gaza. On August 27 and 28, the IDF launched a massive raid into the West Bank that has killed 10 Palestinians so far.

Like many in Israel and elsewhere, I believe that Netanyahu is prepared to carry on the fighting to avoid facing a general election and the real risk of going to jail for corruption. We are not dealing with a responsible leader – he ignored warnings of the October 7 attack and pulled troops from the Gaza border to defend settlers in the West Bank.

I must stress that many Israelis object to the war, which has expanded beyond Gaza with Hezbollah and Israel attacking each other in Northern Israel and Southern Lebanon, Iran launching hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel – many of which were shot down by American and British warships – and Israel assassinating a top Hamas leader in Iran. Many fear a major retaliation by Iran that could lead to a regional war and the economic, political, and military implications are too easily imagined. The situation in the Middle East is a powder keg waiting to explode.

‘I believe that Netanyahu is prepared to carry on the fighting to avoid facing a general election and the real risk of going to jail for corruption.’

I fear that Israel’s indiscriminate attacks on civilians in Gaza and the West Bank will lead to a situation where individuals and certain groups will take revenge and break the established rules of engagement that the key players follow. My great worry is that anger will translate into chemical and biological weapons canisters finding their way into Israel and being opened in cities such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Ashkelon, Eilat, and others, leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of people – Jewish and Muslim. Many Israelis fear this nightmare, and should something like this happen, it could end with Israel firing missiles armed with nuclear weapons at every major country in the Middle East. Nobody wants this to occur.

We must recognize that Hamas as an organization has deliberately placed Gazan’s lives at risk and does not care about casualties. That is reason enough for the citizens of Gaza to get rid of Hamas. In the Gaza Strip, with a population of just over two million and close to half being under 18 years old, the attack by Hamas was not launched under the name of the people. There has not been an election in Gaza since 2007 – Hamas rules the area as a dictatorship.

‘Barely enough food, water, and medicine are getting inside Gaza, and the threat of starvation, malnutrition, disease and viruses taking many lives and spreading into Israel and Egypt is a reality.’

Since the conflict started, Israel has cut off power, water, and the delivery of food and medical supplies. Barely enough food, water, and medicine are getting inside Gaza, and the threat of starvation, malnutrition, disease and viruses taking many lives and spreading into Israel and Egypt is a reality. We now know that Gazan children are not receiving crucial vaccinations. This is dangerous and vile and not worthy of Israel.

Via its ongoing campaign, Israel is not only killing people. IDF attacks are destroying infrastructure essential to maintaining life – power and electricity, water and sewage systems, hospitals, government buildings, roads, and other key elements, as well as whole residential neighbourhoods from large towers to small houses. The environmental impact of the attacks will take decades to clean up, and we have no idea how many bombs and shells did not explode. Who will fix these problems, and how will they rebuild? Who is going to fund this multi-billion dollar enterprise?

‘The values that Jews across the globe cherish are being put at risk by the prolonged war in which a military giant is bombing Gaza back into the Stone Age.’

Sadly, since the war started, we have had many leading Israeli politicians, including Netanyahu cabinet ministers, dehumanizing Gazans, with some calling them animals and several calling for the people to be deported and for Israel to take over the territory. These words and actions harm Israel, which was created due to the experience of the Holocaust. The values that Jews across the globe cherish are being put at risk by the prolonged war in which a military giant is bombing Gaza back into the Stone Age.

It not only threatens the way Israeli Jews are thought of but also Jews in many countries because, whether they like it or not, those in the diaspora are regarded as Israelis by multitudes of people. We are witnessing an increase in anti-Semitism in far too many countries. Will that lead to terrorist actions against synagogues, schools, and businesses owned by Jews in revenge for attacks on Gaza and the West Bank, Iran, and Lebanon? And will Americans, Brits, Canadians, Australians, and citizens of other nations that support Israel be targeted by terrorism?

‘We need a two-state solution, and we need Israel to curb the illegal actions of Israeli settlers who are terrorizing Palestinian communities to secure new sites for settlements.’

Many critics of Israel have labelled Gaza as an “open-air prison.” Egypt does not let Gazans enter their country, and Israel maintains a land, sea, and air blockade of Gaza. The people have nowhere to go. Once again, I must stress that Hamas launched the October 7 attack, not the people. The war will eventually end, but who will Israel speak with to secure a long-term peace treaty so that the people of Israel and Gaza can co-exist in peace and prosperity?

I can go on, but I will conclude with these thoughts. The conflict in Gaza must end, and the remaining hostages must be released. We need a two-state solution, and we need Israel to curb the illegal actions of Israeli settlers who are terrorizing Palestinian communities to secure new sites for settlements. Palestinians have been killed and displaced under the watchful eye of Israeli soldiers – no doubt ordered not to intervene by Netanyahu’s government.

And we need to see an end to terrorism on the Arab side. Every day this war continues, Israel is creating future terrorists in Gaza, the West Bank and the rest of the Arab and Muslim world.

‘Every day this war continues, Israel is creating future terrorists in Gaza, the West Bank and the rest of the Arab and Muslim world.’

For the sake of the world, the war in Gaza must end, and tensions in the Middle East must simmer down. We are playing with fire, and global intervention is needed to end the bloodshed and tragedy. Such actions must take place not only in Gaza but in many other conflict zones and situations where governments are slaughtering people and committing genocide.

We are watching people die from the sidelines, similar to what happened during the War in Vietnam. We are better than this.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WestmountMag.ca or its publishers.

Feature image: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

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Irwin Rapoport is a freelance journalist with Bachelor’s degrees in History and Political Science from Concordia University.