The conflict in the Gaza Strip between Hamas and Israel is being covered as if Israel is callously killing civilians while Hamas is just trying to protect its population against ruthless Israeli invaders. This is a horrible distortion of the truth and is just the opposite of what is really going on.
For months, Israelis have been subject to Hamas artillery attacks that have threatened the southern third of Israel. Hamas has been trying to kill civilians - it deliberately targets them. In contrast, Israel has targeted Hamas leaders and soldiers to protect itself from attack. Civilians have been killed as a consequence of these counter-attacks, but that is largely because Hamas conducts its "military" operations from civilian areas in order to use civilians as human shields.
Hamas is dedicated to the destruction of Israel. Even after Israel conceded territory to the Palestinians and gave Gaza autonomy, they used this opportunity to increase attacks on Israel instead of build their economy and establish peace with Israel.
No country can be expected to accept constant deadly military attacks and just let the aggressors get a pass. When the United States was attacked by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor, we fought until the Japanese unconditionally surrendered. During this war, the United States killed many civilians as part of its military operations against Japan. Cities were attacked to destroy industrial capacity and to demoralize the Japanese population. Those in our country who condemn Israel for doing much less against civilians are either hypocrites, ignorant, or both.
For those unfortunate Palestinians in Gaza, they have difficult, stark choices. They can allow themselves to be used as human shields by Hamas, they can actively support Hamas, they can move out (maybe), or they can help Israel defeat Hamas. Choosing either of the first two alternatives makes them legitimate targets either as collateral damage by accepting Hamas or as primary targets for supporting Hamas. The latter two alternatives are the only ones that justify Israel actively trying to not attack them.
War is horrible. Getting it over with as quickly as possible with the defeat of evil national leaders such as Hamas is the most important thing to do to minimize overall casualties - particularly over the long run.
Israel should press for unconditional surrender by Hamas and keep killing those in Hamas or supporting Hamas until that occurs. Military action should be ferocious and without mercy. Showing mercy to Hamas now is NOT merciful to those subject to Hamas' artillery attacks or to the human shields they continually surround themselves with. The longer it takes to subdue Hamas, the more human shields they will be using.
Israel will probably not press for victory over Hamas like it should, but aggeressively pursing victory would be the right course of action for Israel and the rest of the civilized world.
For months, Israelis have been subject to Hamas artillery attacks that have threatened the southern third of Israel. Hamas has been trying to kill civilians - it deliberately targets them. In contrast, Israel has targeted Hamas leaders and soldiers to protect itself from attack. Civilians have been killed as a consequence of these counter-attacks, but that is largely because Hamas conducts its "military" operations from civilian areas in order to use civilians as human shields.
Hamas is dedicated to the destruction of Israel. Even after Israel conceded territory to the Palestinians and gave Gaza autonomy, they used this opportunity to increase attacks on Israel instead of build their economy and establish peace with Israel.
No country can be expected to accept constant deadly military attacks and just let the aggressors get a pass. When the United States was attacked by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor, we fought until the Japanese unconditionally surrendered. During this war, the United States killed many civilians as part of its military operations against Japan. Cities were attacked to destroy industrial capacity and to demoralize the Japanese population. Those in our country who condemn Israel for doing much less against civilians are either hypocrites, ignorant, or both.
For those unfortunate Palestinians in Gaza, they have difficult, stark choices. They can allow themselves to be used as human shields by Hamas, they can actively support Hamas, they can move out (maybe), or they can help Israel defeat Hamas. Choosing either of the first two alternatives makes them legitimate targets either as collateral damage by accepting Hamas or as primary targets for supporting Hamas. The latter two alternatives are the only ones that justify Israel actively trying to not attack them.
War is horrible. Getting it over with as quickly as possible with the defeat of evil national leaders such as Hamas is the most important thing to do to minimize overall casualties - particularly over the long run.
Israel should press for unconditional surrender by Hamas and keep killing those in Hamas or supporting Hamas until that occurs. Military action should be ferocious and without mercy. Showing mercy to Hamas now is NOT merciful to those subject to Hamas' artillery attacks or to the human shields they continually surround themselves with. The longer it takes to subdue Hamas, the more human shields they will be using.
Israel will probably not press for victory over Hamas like it should, but aggeressively pursing victory would be the right course of action for Israel and the rest of the civilized world.
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