I am an Israeli scientist. I normally only publish science. But, here, I turn to my friends and colleagues around the world and ask them to stop, look at the facts, and to speak up. First and foremost, about the horrific massacre that Hamas perpetrated in Israel. But also, to understand the broader context in which this happened.
1. Listen (to what they say)
Ignoring what perpetrators openly say, is the biggest danger. When their narratives are not challenged – that’s a green light for despicable acts. Hitler clearly stated his intentions to wipe out the Jewish people and published antisemitic rhetoric in Mein Kampf. Yet, Neville Chamberlain claimed “Peace for our time”. The world simply chose to ignore Hitler’s stated intentions. Complacency enabled the Holocaust.
Hamas’s stated goal is to wipe out the State of Israel. There is terrible shock in Israel from the Hamas massacre. But if we are shocked about the barbarity of Hamas, we have not been listening. For years, their entire platform has been based on murdering innocent people, bombings, and missiles targeted at civilians.
And not just against Jews – they torture and murder their own people who oppose them, to instill fear, and to radicalize their children. The only difference now, is the magnitude of the devastation, loss, and pain, not in their purpose or methods.
Listen to their words. And more importantly, listen to the words of their supporters around the world. Even after Hamas massacred, raped, and slaughtered children and parents in front of each other, and took children, families, and elderly hostage – groups of Hamas sympathizers gathered. With kneejerk reactions, they blamed Israel, denying the facts… even justifying them. Even in the western world – America, Europe, etc. – this happened.
After the massacre, Palestinian supporters gathered at the Sydney Opera house and chanted “gas the Jews!” Listen to the words. They have meaning. Words lead to genocide. Ignoring them, paves the way.
2. Context
The brazenness of this brutal Hamas attack happened in the context of record-high levels of antisemitism around the world. Not just in Iran. In America, the FBI Report found that Jewish people were the target of more than 60% of all religious hate crimes. Jews make up 2% of the American population. And America is still the safest country for Jews, outside of Israel.
3. Morality
In the words of Col. Richard Kemp, former British commander in Afghanistan: “No army in the world acts with as much discretion as the IDF.” The IDF’s ratio of civilian to military casualties is far superior to those of the UK, USA, and other western forces. While Hamas aims to maximize civilian casualties, the IDF aims to minimize theirs.
And Hamas takes tactical advantage of this – shooting from schools and placing their command center under the Shifa Hospital. Israel routinely warns Gazan civilians to leave before attacking Hamas, foregoing the element of surprise, at the cost of our own soldiers’ safety. Israel just gave such a warning by airdropping leaflets over Gaza. Hamas ordered their civilians to stay. Hamas hides behind their own civilians. If you care about the Palestinians, save them from Hamas.
4. Democracy
While we may argue over its nuances, Israel is the only true democracy in the Middle East. Many people who badmouth Israel don’t know that one fifth of our population is Arab. Israeli Arabs have equal rights and representation in the Knesset. Our universities have large Arab student bodies. And I ask you – can I walk around just as freely in Arab or Muslim countries? In Europe?
Even in Israel, there are many places I can’t go, as a Jew. Israel offers much-needed employment to Palestinians. But when terror increases, this freedom of movement is reduced. Who is to blame? Israel security forces? Or the Hamas leadership that chooses terror over prosperity?
5. Ideology
The largest obstacle to peace is Hamas’s ideology, which is much broader than Hamas itself. It predates Hamas, and even predates the State of Israel. Lies that Jews are desecrating al-Aqsa, have been spread by Arab leaders dating back to the British mandate to instigate pogroms. Eradicating Hamas, the terror organization, militarily is not enough.
We need to eradicate their anti-Jewish lies and propaganda. Jews have been living in the land of Israel, in Jerusalem and across the country for thousands of years. Israel is the one and only Jewish country in the world, among tens of Muslim countries. And we are tiny. Despite its small size, and constant threat, Israel contributes disproportionately to science, technology, health, and world advancement. We desperately want peace.
In 1947, the UN proposed a two state solution – the Jews accepted the offer, the Palestinians rejected it, and every offer since. As long as the Palestinian leadership denies Israel’s right to exist, teaches antisemitic material in their schools, continues to call for Jihad and the murder of Jews, there is no hope for peace. No matter what Israel does.
But this threat is not limited to Israel. Let me remind you of celebrations in the West Bank and Gaza after the 9/11 terror attacks. This battle is much bigger than us. Don’t sit on the fence. Take a vocal stand against Hamas’s heinous acts, ideology, and propaganda. Call out fake news and antisemitism. And teach those around you to form opinions based on the facts, not the other way around.
The writer heads the Multisensory Processing Lab at Bar-Ilan University’s Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center.