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October 22, 2023
Key takeaways from the third longer-than-usual newsletter in a row:
- A Gaza hospital parking lot that likely had munitions was struck by a misfired rocket shot by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group. We don't know all the details, but as President Biden told the nation on Thursday, we do know that it was not done by Israel.
- Progressives and leftists should join President Biden in unequivocally condemning Hamas and backing Israel in its efforts to defend itself from a terror organization whose cruelty is on par with ISIS. Israel must fight this war. We should demonstrate concern for innocent Palestinians not by preventing Israel from eradicating Hamas but by helping them evacuate and providing humanitarian aid.
- Calls for a cease-fire now, however well-intentioned, are unintended calls for Hamas to remain in place. The time to talk about a cease-fire is after Hamas has been neutralized. War should always be the last option--in this case, it is Israel's only option.
- President Biden has demonstrated tremendous and unequivocal moral clarity and support for Israel. His visit to Israel last week was the first by a sitting U.S. president while Israel was at war, and he asked Congress for an unprecedented $14.3 billion emergency aid package for Israel (annual U.S. aid to Israel is $3.8 billion). Biden vetoed a UN Security Council Resolution on the crisis.
- But Congress cannot appropriate any aid until the Republican Party elects a Speaker. The paralysis in the House has never occurred before and is wholly the GOP's fault. In the Senate, Republicans are holding up hundreds of key Pentagon appointments and playing political games with Jack Lew's confirmation for U.S. Ambassador to Israel. The Republican Party's likely 2024 presidential nominee, Donald Trump, mocked Israel after the Hamas attacks. Most Republicans said nothing and the few who did offered tepid criticism. It's great that Republicans join pro-Israel resolutions. It would be better if their actions matched their words.
Read to the end for corrections, what you may have missed last week, fun stuff, and upcoming events.
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Hi Steve,
Last week, news media incorrectly reported what happened in Gaza. These are the facts as best we understand them: A Gaza hospital parking lot that likely had munitions was struck by a misfired rocket shot by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group. Deaths from the blast were fewer than Hamas claimed, perhaps 10-50, although we don't know the exact number. The U.S. found that Israel was not responsible for the explosion, and President Biden told the nation on Thursday night that the explosion "was not done by the Israelis." For more, read this thread from Malcolm Nance.
I'm generally not a fan of litmus tests (except for determining whether a solution is acidic or basic), but if anyone who spread Hamas's falsehood does not now spread the truth, if anyone who condemned Israel based on Hamas's falsehood does not now condemn Islamic Jihad and Hamas with the same language they used to condemn Israel, then we know that person has an agenda that does not include the truth or moral clarity.
The media got it wrong because they relied on Hamas, a brutal terror organization. Israel did not immediately respond because Israel first wanted to find out what happened. Journalists sold their objectivity for a mess of clicks and reported as truth what Hamas, the terror group that murdered and tortured more than one thousand people days earlier, told them. To my knowledge, no one has lost their job for getting an important story inexcusably wrong.
Israel, like all democracies (including the United States), sometimes provides incorrect information, intentionally or mistakenly. If the choice is Walter Cronkite or any democracy, I'll take Walter Cronkite. But if the choice is any democracy or Hamas, I'll go with any democracy unless proven otherwise. In this case, Israel got it right, and those who breathlessly reported the "news" based solely on information provided by Hamas need to acknowledge that whatever they were doing, it wasn't responsible journalism.
However, even good journalism is limited by space and time and will not always provide sufficient context. That's not bias. We cannot expect every story on every issue to include five paragraphs on how we got here. People watch and read the news to find out what is new, not to get a lecture or a history lesson.
It's our job to speak up and to remind our friends and anyone else who will listen about why Israel is fighting this war: On October 7, on Simchat Torah, Hamas launched a wave of terrorist attacks in more than 30 Israeli communities designed to murder and take hostage as many Jews as possible. Hamas murdered more than 1,400 Jews, the most Jews murdered on any day since the Holocaust. That number includes more than 40 babies and more than 30 Americans. They took more than 210 hostages (Biden secured the release of two American hostages, Natalie and Judith Raanan of Evanston, Illinois, on Friday). And from October 7 to date, Hamas has fired more than 7,500 rockets from Gaza into Israel--and they have not stopped.
All progressives should listen to these progressives and condemn Hamas: "Hamas is a theocratic and repressive organization that vehemently opposes the attempt to promote peace and equality in the Middle East. Its core commitments are fundamentally inconsistent with progressive principles, and thus the inclination of certain leftists to react affirmatively to its actions is utterly absurd. Moreover, there is no justification for shooting civilians in their homes; no rationalization for the murder of children in front of their parents; no reasoning for the persecution and execution of partygoers. Legitimizing or excusing these actions amounts to a betrayal of the fundamental principles of left-wing politics." Sasha Abramsky describes the catastrophic moral failing of those who won’t condemn Hamas.
Hamas is not all Palestinians. There is no inconsistency between advocating for the destruction of Hamas and advocating for a two-state solution, the only solution that will allow Jews and Palestinians to realize their national aspirations. As President Biden said on Thursday, Hamas's "stated purpose for existing is the destruction of the State of Israel and the murder of Jewish people. Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people. Hamas uses Palestinian civilians as human shields, and innocent Palestinian families are suffering greatly because of them."
A cease-fire is appropriate only after Israel has accomplished its objectives. Hamas is similar to ISIS and the Taliban. Israel cannot be expected to live with Hamas on its border and has no choice but to eliminate the threat from Hamas. All Palestinians are not evil. Hamas is. Calling for a cease-fire while Hamas holds more than 210 hostages and retains the capacity to strike Israel is calling for Hamas to win.
This newsletter rejects the notion that we have no right to criticize the Israeli government. I am no fan of Prime Minister Netanyahu. I have argued that we can and should stand with the protesters against the judicial overhaul, oppose settler violence, and advocate for a two-state solution. This crisis changes none of that. Israelis remain furious at Netanyahu. But Israel's actions in Gaza are not about Netanyahu or those policies.
After the worst terrorist attack in Israel's history, the equivalent of roughly 15 9/11s, and with the terrorists still at large, still firing missiles into Israel, still holding hostages, it is for Israel to decide when to hold its fire and whether to risk its soldiers in a ground invasion to protect its citizens--and innocent Palestinians--from a barbaric adversary.
I see no contradiction between supporting humanitarian aid for innocent Palestinians and supporting Israel in its efforts to eradicate Hamas. I want my tax dollars to do both. Wars fought in accordance with international law can result in civilian casualties. By risking its soldiers in a ground invasion instead of relying solely on airstrikes, Israel will reduce but not eliminate Palestinian casualties. The blame lies with Hamas, not Israel, and not Palestinian children and other innocent victims in Gaza.
Yehuda Kurtzer writes that "to argue for the moral necessity of war right now is not a betrayal of our core commitments. Instead, it makes our commitments coherent in an imperfect world...'just wars' are not just because they are easy or victimless. Just wars are just because they are morally necessary, because pacifism in the face of an unfettered evil is an untenable moral position." If this troubles you; if your natural reaction, like mine, is to oppose war and urge an immediate cessation of violence, you owe it to yourself to read Kurtzer's article.
The least bad solution to the growing humanitarian crisis is to facilitate the evacuation of Palestinians from northern Gaza into southern Gaza or out of Gaza via the Rafah Crossing and temporarily into Egypt and Jordan. Aid would be needed to take care of them for the duration of the war and to rebuild their homes after the war.
Israel cannot allow Hamas to threaten it. This war will cost innocent Palestinians their lives. No child deserves to die. Would you let your child die so that someone else's child could live? That's the choice Hamas has forced Israel to make, and Israel is opting to protect its children. A cease-fire is not a viable solution, and the blame lies with Hamas. No country would put its civilians at risk to protect another country's civilians. But Israel is willing to risk its soldiers to prevent Palestinian civilian deaths. We should fully support Israel and, as Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) said on October 18, "we can talk about a ceasefire after Hamas is neutralized."
War should be the last option. In this case, Israel has no better option. This war will not solve the conflict. But it is a necessary war, and we must allow Israel to achieve its objectives--or decide that they cannot be achieved--before calling for a cease-fire.
On October 14, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), who strongly supports President Biden’s pledge to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Israel in combating Hamas in a just war of self-defense undertaken pursuant to the requirements of international law, outlined the laws of war governing the conduct of the Israeli response and the safety of Palestinians.
President Biden continues to demonstrate moral clarity. Last week, Biden became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Israel during a war and delivered a speech in Israel that cannot be summarized--you have to read it. His condemnation of Hamas and his support for Israel was unequivocal. On Thursday night, speaking from the Oval Office, Biden said to America what he said to Israel.
On October 18, the Biden administration vetoed a UN Security Resolution on the crisis because the "resolution made no mention of Israel’s right of self-defense." U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Council that "every Member State should condemn Hamas’ terrorism and cruelty. And every Member State should call on Hamas to cease its endless barrage of rockets against Israel. This is not complicated. It’s not controversial. This is the bare minimum." That's good advice for every member of Congress and every political organization too.
On Friday, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), the most senior Jewish Member of Congress, Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) were joined by every Democratic Jewish member and 107 other Democrats in Congress to express unified support for President Biden’s strong and principled leadership in addressing conflict in the Middle East. If your member of Congress signed the letter, please thank them.
On Friday, President Biden asked Congress to approve an aid package that includes $14.3 billion for Israel. Biden announced on Wednesday $100 million in humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians. This request cannot be approved by Congress until the Republicans elect a Speaker--this paralysis is unprecedented. When Democrats controlled the House, it took two days for the House to approve President Biden's $1 billion emergency Iron Dome supplement for Israel but it took six months to reach the president's desk because Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) blocked it the Senate. Democrats are with us, but so much depends on the GOP getting its act together.
The entire Democratic leadership team and nearly all Democrats in Congress are united in their support for Israel. The few outliers have no influence on Democratic policy toward Israel, but if you'd like to know why Republicans would rather we focus on the outliers instead of President Biden, Democratic leadership, and the vast majority of congressional Democrats, read on.
Republican dysfunction and obstruction are threatening Israel's security--and ours. On Thursday, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution strongly and unequivocally supporting Israel in its war against Hamas. A similar resolution is sitting in the House with 425 cosponsors but it cannot pass until the Republicans get their act together and elect a Speaker. The aid to Israel that Biden requested is on hold until House Republicans start to govern.
Hardly any Republicans have criticized the leader of their party, Donald Trump, for his mockery of Israel in the wake of Hamas's terror attacks. He's not one out of more than 200 Republican members of Congress. He is leading in the polls for the GOP presidential nomination. Who would you rather have in the White House right now, Donald Trump or Joe Biden? Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthy (D-IL) writes that Trump's comments were worse than insulting to a major ally during a crisis; they represent a national security risk.
Republicans have not ended their Senate block on 300 senior-level Pentagon appointments that are crucial to our security and Israel's. High-level communication with Israel is essential, but Republicans are ratcheting up their false attacks on Jack Lew; they should join Democrats in quickly confirming Jack Lew as U.S. Ambassador to Israel.
Republicans should stop playing political games with Israel, as they did last month when they drafted, introduced, and voted for a bill that would have cut aid to Israel by 30%.
We need bipartisan support for Israel not only in word but in deed. Right now we are seeing that only from the Democratic Party, and if you are concerned about Israel's safety and security, you can't ignore this reality.
In solidarity. Am Yisrael Chai.
Corrections. I'm entitled to my own opinions but not to my own facts, so I appreciate it when readers bring errors to my attention. No one brought any mistakes to my attention last week, so it looks like last week's newsletter was perfect.
In Case You Missed It:
- Following the despicable murder in suburban Chicago of Wadea al-Fayoume, a six-year-old child, by a man influenced by conservative talk radio who reportedly espoused anti-Muslim hate, over 100 Jewish organizations issued a statement rejecting Islamophobia, anti-Arab hate, antisemitism, and all forms of bigotry.
- Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL) led a letter expressing grave concern about Hamas's use of crypto to raise money and evade sanctions. Read this Reuters report for background.
More Tweets of the Week than Usual. Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL), Andrea Junker, David Collier, Daniella Davis, and Modern Talmud.
Nikki Haley Mockery of the Week. Bob Gieger.
Facebook Posts of the Week. Ori Hanan Weisberg and if you are in the mood for something different, legendary music producer Tony Visconti.
Video Clips of the Week. Just watch this. If you are in the mood to laugh, watch this.
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My most popular Times of Israel posts are How Not To Define Antisemitism and Pro-Israel Or Pro-Bibi? I periodically update my Medium posts on why Democrats are better than Republicans on Israel and antisemitism. You can read my most recent effort to define "pro-Israel" here (it's a work in progress, as am I).
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