Confronting Western-Inspired Antisemitic Rhetoric

Israeli Defense of  Israel: Introduction

Israeli Defense of Israel in response to the monstrous massacre of 1,200 young adults on October 7, 2023, exposed the ceaseless threat of terrorism against Israel. Non-governmental terror organizations, particularly Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah from Syria and Lebanon, have long sought to destroy Israel and annihilate its people. Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza and Syria represent not aggression but survival, aimed at dismantling the infrastructure of terror threatening its citizens. The aggressor this time was Hamas and it shocked the world.

An extraordinary documentary “We Will Dance Again” documenting the events of the attack and the venue in which it was executed is difficult to watch albeit informative. My question to the reader is, what would your response be if the attack was outside, Chicago or Dallas, or San Francisco? We all know what America did after the Airplanes flew deliberately into the Twin Towers in Manhattan…SHOCK AND AWE.

In this post, I am asking why, when Islamic terrorists attacked the United States the Western world did not cry foul and blame the US for committing war crimes. Yet, that was the first thing the Western world did when Israel finally had enough and unleashed its powerful military against the perpetrators of this shocking and immoral attack on unarmed civilians within the State of Israel.

Cries of the response being disproportional makes me laugh. Should Israel have rounded up 1200 Gazans and shot them all dead? That is a proportional response. The Israeli response was a proportional one, for Hamas and the “ordinary” Gazan citizens supporting Hamas are, it seems to me, fair game.

The Persistence of Antisemitism and its Modern Manifestations

Antisemitism has persisted across Europe for over two millennia, culminating in the Holocaust, which murdered six million Jews. This history of hatred continues to inform Jewish skepticism toward international critiques of Israeli policies. Today, antisemitic rhetoric masquerades as opposition to Israel’s self-defense. Critics condemn the Jewish state’s actions while downplaying or ignoring the terrorism driving them. For Israelis, these critiques echo historical calls for defenselessness that led to tragedy.

Specific Attacks by Hamas and Hezbollah: A Legacy of Terror

Since its establishment in 1948, Israel has faced unrelenting attacks. Hamas, founded in 1987, and Hezbollah, established in 1985, have each orchestrated numerous deadly assaults. The 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish center in Buenos Aires, linked to Hezbollah, killed 85 people, demonstrating its global reach. During the 2006 Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah launched over 4,000 rockets into northern Israel, displacing hundreds of thousands and killing 44 civilians.

Hamas, governing Gaza since 2007, has launched tens of thousands of rockets into Israel. The 2014 conflict saw Hamas fire over 4,500 projectiles, targeting major cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. In 2021, Hamas escalated tensions again, launching over 4,300 rockets in an 11-day conflict. These indiscriminate attacks injured and killed civilians while traumatizing children living under the constant threat of sirens and bomb shelters.

The October 7, 2023, massacre ranks among the most heinous. Hamas operatives infiltrated Israeli communities, murdering families in their homes, kidnapping civilians, and executing young adults at a music festival. This unprecedented brutality reinforced the existential threat Hamas poses to Israel. Israeli Defense of Israel is Israel’s existential duty.

The Necessity of Jewish Self-Defense: Israeli Defense of Israel

Israelis Defending Israel must not be a reason to raise the ugly stain of antisemitism once again. Yet the kneejerk response of Western nations is precisely that. The October 7 massacre shattered illusions of peace with groups like Hamas. Hamas’s ideology, codified in its charter, explicitly calls for Israel’s destruction. Similarly, Hezbollah’s arsenal and support from Iran amplify threats to Israel’s borders. Western critiques of Israel’s self-defense often ignore this existential reality. Calls for restraint risk undermining Israel’s ability to protect its citizens, leaving them vulnerable to future attacks.

The history of Jewish persecution underscores the need for self-reliance. Jews in Israel and the diaspora must remain vigilant against narratives that dismiss their right to security. While international law supports Israel’s right to self-defense, political rhetoric frequently erodes this principle, undermining Israel’s legitimacy. Why, I ask you, do we not hear the same cries of overkill aimed at Russia and her invasion of Ukraine? We don’t because Russia and Ukraine are both Christianized Western Nations.

This harkens back to the Talmudic tractate, Ethics of the Fathers. also known as the Pirkei Avot, attributed to Rabbi Hillel the Elder. “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” Think of the other before oneself and if you are a narcissist shame on you, and the time to act is RIGHT NOW! This is an important ethical concept in Judaism and it is precisely how Israel responded to the terror of October 7.

Antisemitism’s Historical Roots and Modern Parallels

Antisemitism took institutional form in medieval Europe, where Jews faced expulsions, forced conversions, and massacres during the Crusades. In modern times, the Dreyfus Affair in France and discriminatory laws across Europe reflected deep-rooted hatred. The Holocaust exposed these attitudes’ devastating results, yet post-war Europe offered little respite. Thinly veiled antisemitic rhetoric resurged through the guise of anti-Zionism, denying Jews the right to self-determination.

When Israel defends its citizens, European critics often frame its actions as disproportionate. This double standard disregards the daily threat Israelis face. Critics rarely condemn Hamas for embedding military operations within civilian areas, a war crime under international law. Instead, they focus disproportionately on Israel’s responses, ignoring its efforts to minimize civilian casualties.

A Global Jewish Perspective on Antisemitism (Israeli Defense of Israel)

The modern rise of antisemitism extends beyond Europe. In the United States, antisemitic incidents reached record highs in 2023, fueled by conspiracy theories and extremist ideologies. For Jews worldwide, Israel represents not only a homeland but a safeguard against history repeating itself. Critiques of Israel that ignore the context of terrorism perpetuate dangerous biases.

The Way Forward for Israel is Ensconced in Past Broken Promises: Israeli Defense of Israel

Israel will continue its campaign to neutralize threats from Hamas and Hezbollah. This defense is not merely a military endeavor but a moral imperative to protect its citizens and the Jewish people’s future. History demands skepticism of European and Western critiques, as these often stem from ingrained biases rather than genuine concern for peace.

This analysis reinforces the need for unwavering support for Israel’s self-defense while integrating specific examples of terror to highlight the ongoing threats faced by its citizens. Furthermore, by briefly exploring Western Antisemitism, is there any wonder why Jews across the globe reject this biased rhetoric?

Sources Cited

International Criminal Law. (2022). War crimes and the protection of civilians in conflict zones.

Jewish Virtual Library. (2023). The Hamas charter and its implications.

Yad Vashem. (2023). The Holocaust and the persistence of antisemitism.

United Nations. (2023). Reports on civilian casualties in Gaza.

Suggestions for Further Reading

Goldhagen, D. J. (1996). Hitler’s Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust. Explores the roots of antisemitism in Europe.

Stern, K. (2020). Antisemitism Today: How It Affects Us All. Analyzes modern manifestations of antisemitism globally.

Bard, M. (2022). Myths and Facts: A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict. Offers a factual perspective on Israel’s challenges.

Ettinger, Y. (2018). The Case for Israel. A defense of Israel’s right to exist and defend itself.

Kemp, R. (2020). Why Israel? The Case for Defending the Jewish State. Examines Israel’s security needs.

Lipstadt, D. E. (2016). Antisemitism: Here and Now. A modern guide to understanding antisemitism.

Shavit, A. (2014). My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel. A personal reflection on Israel’s history.

Weiss, B. (2019). How to Fight Antisemitism. A call to action against rising global antisemitism.

Gelvin, J. L. (2021). The Israel-Palestine Conflict: One Hundred Years of War. Contextualizes the regional conflict.

DISCLAIMER: The images on this page, and across the whole blog are created using AI imaging and are intended to illustrate the argument in the post. They are NOT representing real people or events directly, rather the images enhance the argument and nothing more. We do not intend any offense, nor do we wish to single out individuals in any way by the images themselves.