Thoughts on Hamas, Hezbollah, and Israel

Israel is in a war for survival, just as in 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973, 1978, 1982, 1987, 1987-1991, 1988, 2000-2005, 2006, 2008, 2012. Israel desires peace, but not the peace of the dead. The anti-Semites are rising around the world. The outcry is against the death of innocent civilians and Israeli aggression. Yet the anti-Semites ignore the savagery being waged by ISIS/ISIL against non-Sunnis in Iraq and Syria. They ignore the eviction of the last Christians from Mosul and the torching of a historic church. They ignore Boko Haram, the kidnapping of young women, and mass acts of terrorism. Their outrage is highly selective. President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry are fit to be tied. They don’t like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and they favor the Palestinians over the Israelis. Yet, they have to support Israel, at least publicly, for political reasons. Thus the President cries out for a ceasefire, decrying the loss of innocent lives. Not a word about the fate of Christians throughout the Mideast. Hamas is a Sunni dictatorship over Gaza. The Palestinians had the chance to build Gaza after the Israelis pulled out in 2005. Instead they fortified Gaza’s 139 square miles and inculcated hatred into the children of the 1.8 million residents. So much for trading land for peace! The President blusters with words, but his oratorical flourish means nothing in the Mideast. Hezbollah is a Shia militant group that effectively controls much of Lebanon. Hamas and Hezbollah have two things in common in spite of their religious difference. First, they are both sworn to the demise of Israel. Second, they were both funded and sponsored by Iran. If either Hamas or Hezbollah prevailed in defeating Israel, the resulting genocide against the 6 million Jews in Israel could exceed that of the Nazis in the Holocaust. Israel built shelters to protect its residents, Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Hamas built rockets to attack Israel. Israel is invading Gaza both to silence the rockets and to destroy the tunnel network, which extends under Israel. Hezbollah with an estimated 110,000 rockets is sitting on the sideline. Israel could win a two-front war against the terrorist organizations, but it would be costly and difficult. Hezbollah proved in the 2006 Lebanon War that it could stand and fight Israel to almost a draw. Israel’s invasion of Lebanon to silence Hezbollah was poorly planned, poorly executed, and less than a victory. The returning soldiers complained about their lack of provisions and munitions. A Hezbollah rocket assault on Israel would be deadly. Yet, Hezbollah stands down. It is studying the tactics used by Hamas and the Israeli Defense Force in preparing for its next battle with Israel. Hezbollah is in the Syrian War with its skilled soldiers fighting for Assad and against the more militant Muslims of ISIS/ISIL. Most Islamic countries have been silent on the conflict. They have not, unlike previous wars, supported Hamas and condemned Israel. Their nations lack the mass anti-Israel demonstrations of past conflicts. No country would tolerate the thousands of rockets unleashed against its people, but Israel is criticized by the anti-Semites for protecting itself. Israel has proven against the Intifada that a fence can work. Israel has shown with the Iron Dome that an anti-missile defense can be effective. President Obama opposes both for the United States. He is facilitating Iran getting the Bomb.