If you’ve been following news these past 10 days, Israel has been suffering barrage after barrage of rocket attacks by Palestinian Arab terrorists in Gaza. As of this writing, some 5,000 rockets have been fired at Israeli communities to inflict the greatest death, damage, fear, and suffering possible. Millions of Israelis have been under fire, in dozens of major cities from the Negev to the Galilee, and the hills of Jerusalem.
Reports in Israel today are that a ceasefire may be imminent. It surely doesn’t feel that way. Even if it’s true, it’s likely that things will get worse before they get better. The terrorists have been pummeled and need a “win” in order to save face. But that comes at a high price to all of Israel. Foreign governments should not pressure Israel to cave to the terrorists. Rather, they should send their leaders to Jerusalem in solidarity with the Israeli people and send their support. The Biden administration’s public expectation of Israel to cease violence is misplaced, misguided, and mistaken, not to mention one sided and ineffective.
I have been wondering, who really cares about a cease fire. Don’t get me wrong, cessation of terror aimed at Israel is a good thing. A very good thing. But we have to acknowledge that a cease fire with terrorists is not peace. It’s no more than kicking the can down the road. And when terrorists “negotiate” a cease fire, they always do so with the threat of escalation of more terror if they don’t extort everything they want.
Friends have been writing from all over the world. How are you? What can I do?
The truth is that even with a cease fire, millions of Israelis have been traumatized. Hundreds have been hurt physically. More than a dozen have been killed, including Israeli Arabs and Jews, and foreign workers living among us. Countless property has been lost and damaged. There are so many trying to pick up the pieces of lives that have been shattered. While it could have been much worse, the damage is done. Does a cease fire comfort them?
Millions of Israelis are also asking if our security is good enough. The army has operated at a high level of tactical precision, to protect Israelis and target only the terrorists on the other side, trying to avoid inflicting unnecessary casualties and suffering there. But it’s lost on no one that the terrorists hide behind the civilians on whose behalf they claim to protect, while Israel invests dearly to protect its own citizens. For instance, Israel’s Iron Dome is nothing short of a miraculous extension of the Hand of God protecting us all, Jews and Arabs alike. Those who blame Israel for having the Iron Dome, and bomb shelters on all residential and public buildings, are dishonest liars.
But with its 90 percent success rate, that means when dozens of rockets are fired at one time, some get through the Iron Dome’s fingers. Is it a comfort to most of us that we are able to destroy the 90 percent, but for the 10 percent, and those who have lost everything, there’s little comfort today. (You can see this video of the Iron Dome in operation filmed by my children from our bedroom window in the Judean mountains, miles away just to get a sense of what’s been happening all day going on two weeks, and imagine being nearby and only having 20-30 seconds to run for cover.)
Israelis are asking if our emergency medical abilities are good enough as terrorists always come up with new, “innovative” ways to try to harm and kill us.
Parents of soldiers, like me, have slept restlessly not knowing what would be with their children who have been waiting on the border to “go in.” We’re all relieved that this hasn’t happened yet. Our soldiers haven’t slept any better, living with rockets fired and Iron Dome counter measures over their heads, literally all day and night.
As all this is happening, Hezbollah and Iran are watching from the depths of their bunkers, analyzing, calculating, licking their chops, and waiting until they decide to unleash the estimated 150,000 rockets they have, making the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror these weeks look like kindergarten. We wonder rhetorically if we are ready.
What can people do who care? First, pray. We covet and need your prayers. While we have faith, that doesn’t make this time any less fearful, or the threats any less real. And if you're moved to donate, there are foundations helping in various ways during this time of need.
As I write, the rockets continue. The Red Alert on my phone sounds like a row of slot machines, dinging almost without a break. The difference is that these are not the sounds of joy and winning, but of terror and fear.
Finally, if you’d like a much greater understanding of the situation militarily and diplomatically, please watch the emergency security briefing I hosted yesterday. It was very informative, and very important. The issues discussed are all still relevant.
The Islamic terrorists that Israel faces are the epitome of evil. I have heard other Moslems say that the terrorists are not real Moslems. Thank you to those who care. It’s not that Israel needs that, but it is encouraging and appreciated.
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