My fear is that the rage we see in the protesters marching in the streets is far more profound and dangerous than we would like to believe. There are a great many people in the world who
even after Auschwitz just can't bear the Jewish state having the same rights they so readily grant to other nations. These voices insist Israel must take risks they would never dare ask of any other nation-state - risks that threaten its very survival - because they don't believe Israel should exist in the first place. - Marvin Hier, The Wall Street Journal, January 9, 2009.
Imagine something that might be unfathomable. Imagine there was a terrorist group in Tijuana, Mexico, that controlled the region. Now imagine those same terrorists sent more than 3,000 rockets and mortars in one calendar year. And imagine if those bombs were being sent into Southern California. Imagine if eight Americans living in Southern California died from these rockets. Imagine if hundreds more Americans were wounded from the attacks by the organization in Tijuana. Imagine if 500,000 Americans living in Southern California were in danger daily, living in constant fear, knowing that at any moment they may be struck and killed by a rocket sent over by an elected terrorist organization.
Would there still be a Tijuana? Would there still be a Mexico? My guess is the destruction to Tijuana would be cataclysmic, and Mexican casualties would be rising at an uncountable rate. When the United States counter-attacked, I can assure you, they would have the full support of the international community. Israel recently agreed to a one-week cease-fire with Hamas, but how can you ever trust a group whose charter states that they want to kill Jews, and destroy the state of Israel, as Hamas' charter does? When it comes to Israel, hypocrisy is always on full display. Is Israel just supposed to allow Hamas to send rockets over at will and not defend herself?
When individuals and organizations criticize Israel, they often point out the killing of innocent civilians. I cannot condone killing innocent women and children, but when Hamas uses them as human shields, and stores weapons and missiles in schools and public buildings, the blame does not lie with Israel. The blame lies with Hamas, the terrorist organization responsible for this war.
The reported statistics are completely biased as well, with the stats and figures coming out of Gaza being released by Hamas. When they say civilians were killed, they may be lying, and even if they aren't, there is no way to tell who is a terrorist and who isn't. It's not as if Hamas members carry ID cards identifying them as terrorists. While I wish there would be peace in Israel and a compromise could be reached, it is not attainable until Hamas recognizes the State of Israel, stops sending rockets and is taken out of power.
In the month or so since this war began, anti-Semitism has been more and more prevalent around the world. Synagogues in Great Britain, Belgium and France have been severely vandalized, Jewish men were shot in Denmark, a kosher restaurant and synagogue were burned in Paris, community centers have been attacked, and protesters from Florida to Australia have been demonstrating against Israel by using Nazi imagery and shouting to Send the Jews back to the gas chamber. For centuries, people have always found reasons to ostracize and despise the Jewish people, and the condemning of Israel is just another long example on the ever-growing list of anti-Semitism.
Brett Zelman is a senior studying marketing and international business and a member of Bobcats for Israel on campus.
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Opinion
Letter to the Editor
