In defense of Israel

Israel unilaterally decided to declare a ceasefire in Gaza. No international story dominated the headlines over our holiday break more than the Israel-Gaza conflict. The terror and destruction of warfare was on full display and we were reminded of the horrors that conflict can bring. It is also important to remember that while warfare is tragic, it is also-many times-tragically necessary.

It is important to establish one fact: Hamas is a terrorist organization. They have been designated as such by the U.S. State Department, and in the past, they have been responsible for the deaths of Israeli and Palestinian civilians. They do not recognize Israel's right to exist as a nation. Their intent is to drive the Jewish people out of Palestinian territory. This group is irreconcilable, and unlike Fatah, the last party in power in Palestine, refuses to negotiate at the peace table.

Hamas has, for a long time, been firing rockets into southern Israel. These rockets may not be very sophisticated but they are still deadly. Rockets have fallen into Israeli neighborhoods and elementary schools killing innocent civilians. In my opinion, a military offensive to destroy Hamas-or at least destroy their capacity to operate effectively was long overdue.

It's true that there has been collateral damage, but this is an unfortunate byproduct of warfare and should not downplay Israel's efforts in Gaza. My greatest fear is that this ceasefire is premature. In 2006, Israel's invasion of southern Lebanon (an effort to rid the area of Hezbollah's rocket-firing capabilities) was cut short because of international pressure and the operation was largely unsuccessful. Every time a Hamas rocket is fired into Israel, their sovereignty is violated. This environment is unacceptable for the Israeli people.

What has been puzzling to me is the outcry against Israel. As we have already established, Hamas is a terrorist group. Many couch Hamas' anti-Israeli stance as being in "solidarity" with Palestinian's. This is also problematic. Hamas is a threat to future Palestinian security and prosperity. They do not support a two-state solution and they continue to provoke Israel and cause further bloodshed.

The international community has also been positively anti-Semitic in their response as well. As Michael Oren and Yossi Halevi point out in a Dec. 29 Wall Street Journal editorial, the hypocrisy of the United Nations is breathtaking. They refuse to express outrage at Hamas' attacks, yet their indignation is on full display when Israel's military operations begin.

I am neither Jewish nor Palestinian. I am an American, yet ideologically I stand with Israel. That piece of land is the Jewish homeland, and it must be protected.

The Jewish people have been persecuted, murdered and oppressed for centuries. Israel is a place where Jews can create a Jewish nation and live in peace. Since Israel's founding, the United States has been a steadfast ally. Hopefully, this will continue to be the case. During the past conflict, I was proud of our government when we were the sole nation on the UN Security Council to block a premature and blatantly anti-Israeli ceasefire call. In an area rife with authoritarianism, Israel is a bastion of democracy and Western values and a natural ally to the United States.

Israel is not perfect. There are many legitimate grievances that the Palestinians have. It is important, though, to stand with our ally in this critical time. Hopefully, the new administration will follow a path that is respectful of Israel's rights to self-defense as they seek to make peace in this vital region.

This writer can be contacted at opinion@theeastcarolinian.com.