Do we live in the twilight zone? How is it possible that two of the individuals responsible for much of the world’s terrorism were eliminated, and the world reacts with criticism and concern for “escalation of violence” and the diminishing chance for a ceasefire? You would think that any country whose citizens and sovereignty have been directly or indirectly threatened by Hezbollah or Hamas, would be lining up to pat Israel on the back and declare a hearty “Yasher Koach.” (The US had a 5-million-dollar bounty on the guy Israel took out in Beirut due to the hundreds of American military personnel he was responsible for killing.)
Yet, all we hear is kvetching at best, and outright hostility at worst. What is going on here? We are worried about “escalation of violence?” It seemed pretty escalated to me already. The lives of 12 kids killed this week while playing soccer are worthless? 1,200 victims of Hamas barbarism on Oct. 7 (not to mention the thousands of previous victims of Hamas terror) and the lives of the remaining hostages are meaningless? 300 missiles from Iran in April is a “deescalated violence?”
We are worried about the diminishing chances of a ceasefire so desperately needed for a political gain in the USA and elsewhere? It appears that the conflict is a mere nuisance, a pesky fly, that just needs to go away and stop bothering us so we can get back to other important business, especially with an election looming.
Jonathan Tobin of JNS has a good analysis of this at www.jns.org/in-praise-of-targeted-killings-of-terrorists.
As I think more about it, I am starting to understand the disconnect. Let me explain by way of a parable. A pig and a chicken were passing a diner with a sign in the window that read, “Breakfast special – bacon and eggs.” The pig started to cry. The chicken asked, “Why are you crying? After all, I too am involved, and I am not crying.” To which the pig replies, “For you it is a contribution, for me it is a matter of life and death.”
For Israel, and for Jews around the world that are dialed in, we are not just dealing with another issue to consider; this is a matter of literal survival. Every Jewish life lost in this conflict is one too many. For that matter, every life that we are forced to take in defense of Jewish life, is also one too many. We cannot afford to get this to a “manageable state” and shift it to the back burner. That costs way too many lives. Terrorists, and the regimes that support them, need to be rendered impotent in their capacity to continue their murderous ways. May Hashem protect each and every one of us, and all of the good people around the world!
I encourage you to join an important seminar that we will be presenting this Sunday on this vital issue for the Jewish people and our friends everywhere. How Israel Wins, Sunday August 4. For more info or to register, www.chabadneworleans.com/israel. A fish fry lunch will be served at 12:30, and the multimedia seminar begins at 1:30.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin