The editorial board of the Observer chose to publish an opinion piece by Elisheva Simon about the war in Gaza in the September issue.
“While (acknowledging) the Hamas attack on October 7th was horrific”, the author states she has “had a hard time understanding how we can justify the response that Israel has taken since then.”
While the author’s sympathy for the (Palestinian) victims is admirable; her condemnation of Israel is sorely misplaced.
What would she suggest to a country being pummeled from all sides by regimes that seek their total destruction? Unlike the citizens of Gaza, the 100,000 Israeli citizens who have been displaced from their homes have not been warned by Hamas and Hezbollah when they are going to shoot thousands of killer drones and rockets at innocent Israeli civilians. How would she suggest they defend themselves if they do not eliminate the tunnels that serve to transport killers and ammo aimed at wiping out the Israeli population? How does she justify that Hamas killers are seeking refuge in children's bedrooms, schools and hospitals...and hiding Israeli hostages in similar densely populated areas- all at the directive from a maniacal murderous Hamas killer Sinwar who celebrates the fact that the higher number of Palestinian deaths is part of his strategy to make Israel look bad? To imply a moral equivalency between the savages who target civilians with a nation fighting for its very existence causing unintended deaths due to their use as human shields is dishonest.
The author’s assertion that:” …eliminating a terrorist organization through military means is nearly impossible” is false. Eliminating Hamas is not only possible; it is vital to Israel’s survival. According to Vered Weiss of World Israel News: “Defense Minister Yoav Gallant revealed a document on Wednesday written by the now-deceased Hamas military commander in Gaza to Yahya Sinwar describing the “difficult situation” the military wing of the terror group faces. The former commander of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade, Rafa’a Salameh, who was killed with Mohammed Deif in an airstrike in July, wrote to Sinwar, “We have lost 90-95% of our rocket capabilities, and we have lost some 60% of our weapons.” The letter continued, “We have lost at least 65-70% of our anti-tank launchers and rockets, and most importantly, we have lost at least 50% of our fighters between those who are martyred and wounded, and now we are left with 25%.” Salameh added, “The last 25% of our people have reached a situation where the people do not tolerate them anymore, and they are broken on a mental or physical level.”
The author also says: “…destroying a neighbor’s basic infrastructure…sows the seeds for further violence and terrorism in the future.” History has shown it is appeasement that sows the seeds of violence and terrorism. The Jew hatred that has been and continues to be on display did not start with Israel’s response to October 7.
She then recommends…”no further funding be given to Israel until a permanent ceasefire is in place and humanitarian aid is able to be distributed throughout Gaza.” While Israel has agreed in principle to multiple ceasefire proposals, it is Hamas that keeps “moving the goalpost” to delay the process giving them time to re-arm, as well as financing their terror operations.
“Hamas has profited by at least a half billion dollars from humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip, Channel 12 reported on Tuesday. Approximately 200 aid trucks enter the Palestinian enclave daily. “It’s actually become the main oxygen pipeline for the terrorist organization,” reported Channel 12‘s Almog Boker.
Hamas steals the humanitarian aid and sells it to the population. It then uses the money to finance recruitment, Boker said, noting that 3,000 terrorists have been added to Hamas’s payroll in northern Gaza.”
“A newly uncovered Hamas document suggests the terror group’s primary objective in ceasefire negotiations with Israel is to rebuild its military strength, rather than alleviate the hardships faced by Gaza’s civilian population, according to a report published by German newspaper Bild on Friday. The document, dated from the spring of 2024 and reportedly found on a computer belonging to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, details Hamas’s strategy in negotiations with Israel. It focuses on using ceasefire talks to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners and regain military capabilities, with little regard for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. “
The war started on October 7 by Hamas is not about borders or any specific Israeli government policy or leader. Their unambiguous goal is the elimination of the State of Israel.
The Palestinians in Gaza are indeed victims…not of Israel, but of Hamas: the failed leadership they elected.
Joanne Bregman
Michael Dobrin
Harvey Eisen
Roberta Goodman
Sheldon Lutz
Tomer Minuskin
Rich Rubinowicz
Rabbi Mark Schiftan
Jay and Linda Schecter
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Mitch Silberman, co-founder Jewish Republican Alliance (JRA)