Israel’s Right to Exist Faces New War

By Douglas V. Gibbs; Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host

If you look up “Israel’s Right to Exist” online, even through alleged “conservative” search engines, a whole list of articles will appear claiming that Israel has no right to exist, or its claim that it has a right to exist is a myth.  Without going deep into the woods about the different types of Jewish groups and the battle within that Israel experiences that is no different than the ones the rest of the world are also in the midst of enduring, the answer is, “If ever there was a country that has the right to exist, Israel is it.”

With the recent war launched against Israel by Hamas, and Hezbollah, with Iranian backing and worldwide Islamic approval, the question regarding Israel’s right to exist has been raised again; and the truth of the matter is, while Israel may have a “right” to exist, it’s ability to endure as a Jewish state will only continue if it can be defended.  

The question over the legitimacy of a Jewish state spans eons and includes more factors than religion.  Those who denies Israel’s right to exist views Israel as simply an expression of Judaism, with no right to national self-expression.  And the number of people who repudiates Israel’s right to exist has increased over my lifetime, arguing that unless Israel sheds its distinctive Jewish character, there is no justification to its existence.

Unfortunately, there are even many Jews, including among those in Israel, who agree with the view that stands against Israel’s existence.  Like those who oppose Israel’s existence, those people fail to understand the broad reality of Israel’s historical and godly roots.  The establishment of Israel in modern times was not some minor creation of a new country.  It was the restoration of an ancient civilization promised to exist at that location by God.  Preserving the Jewish character of the State is necessary because of the original nature of Israel’s existence thousands of years ago.  The Jewish right to a state flows from Israel’s faith, history, and relationship with God.

Since the land was given by God, and Israel’s existence was established by the Almighty, the long exile of Jews from the land, nor the fact that other peoples settled in the areas where the Jewish kingdom was originally laid out, does not legitimately undermine the Jewish claim of statehood.  Israel’s right to exist from a Biblical standpoint is absolute and unquestionable.

Some of those who argue against the justification of a Jewish state claim they don’t need to abide by any arguments I might be making because they do not believe in the same God, or share the same religious beliefs as Jews and Christians; therefore, why should they be required to recognize a godly imperative as justification for Israel’s existence?  Others might also claim that the “sins” of Zionists committed to bring about a Jewish empire of sorts, or that Israel is allegedly run by Jews who are not committed to biblical principles or the original teachings of Mosaic Law nullifies any biblically based claims or the right to claim the lands based on claims of historical ownership.  Each of those arguments, to be honest, fall on deaf ears for those of us who recognize the legitimacy of the existence of Israel. 

Regardless of justification, or lack thereof, Israel exists and the future of Israel, or the future of any country, should be upheld.  Allowing a group of countries or people to overthrow or destroy the existence of a country is unacceptable.  The world rallied around an effort to stop the Axis Powers after they conquered targets and killed groups they believed to stand against them, so why would allowing any group, much less one based on a violent ideology such as Islam, to destroy Israel be acceptable in any way, shape, or form?  

The argument is not even valid.  They claim Israel should not exist because it has a Jewish nature to it.  Really?  The truth is, Israel’s language is Hebrew.  It’s day of rest is Saturday.  Its public holidays are Jewish religious festivals.  While not a theocracy, Israel’s culture and very nature is Jewish, and therefore the truth is that Israel is indeed a Jewish State.  Should its neighbors be justified to attack and seek to destroy it for simply that reason?  Would America be justified if it decided to wipe out the Muslim countries in the Middle East for the sole reason that they were Islamic?  To destroy any country for the reason of its ethnic or religious identity would be wrong in any other case, therefore, Israel’s right to exist and right to self-determination must stand.

Israel’s entire modern history is made up of the tiny Jewish state constantly needing to defend itself against assaults against it by its Islamic neighbors.  Upon the creation of the modern state of Israel many of the countries surrounding Israel attacked.  In 1949 a set of agreements were signed to end the initial war against the creation of Israel.  then, beginning in the 1950s, surrounding peoples calling themselves “Palestinians” began carrying out attacks and terrorist operations, and the Israel Defense Force responded in kind.  Syria, Egypt, and Jordan infiltrated Israel and carried out Arab guerrilla attacks within Israel’s borders.  In October of 1956 the Suez Crisis, which followed Egypt’s decision to take full control of the Suez Canal, led to an Israeli invasion of the Sinai Peninsula.  In June of 1967 Israel was attacked by Egypt, Jordan and Syria, with assistance from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Algeria and other Islamic countries.  The “Six Day War” was won by Israel, and as a result the West Bank (which includes East Jerusalem), the Golan Heights, Gaza, and the Sinai were all added to Israel’s sphere of influence.  The War of Attrition immediately followed, pitting the Israeli military against forces representing Egypt, the Soviet Union, Jordan, Syria and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).  The conflict was initiated by the Egyptians seeking to recapture the Sinai.  In October 1973 a coalition of Islamic states led by Egypt and Syria launched another surprise attack against Israel, claiming the purpose was to regain the territories lost in the Six Day War.  That war became known as the Yom Kippur War since it was launched on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur.  Israel again defeated the aggressors, but this time there were no significant territorial changes.  The PLO relocated to South Lebanon from Jordan, and then began to stage terrorist attacks between 1971 to 1982.  In 1982 the conflict escalated to a full scale “Lebanon War,” with the invasion of southern Lebanon by Israeli forces.  Throughout the 80s and 90s warfare between Israel and its Lebanese Christian allies against Lebanese Muslim forces and Iranian-backed Hezbollah continued.  In 2006 Hezbollah abducted Israeli reserve soldiers and in response Israel launched a military operation that eventually expanded into a full-blown war.  The war resulted in a stalemate, and ended as the result of a United Nations-brokered ceasefire.  A conflict between Israel and Hamas, launched in 2008 by rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip ended in 2009 after an intense response by Israel.  Gaza continued to be a staging ground for terror attacks by Hamas in 2012, and 2014.  Iran and Israel battled as a part of the Syrian Civil War, becoming a direct confrontation in 2021, during which time Palestinian uprisings also intensified.  Hamas, during the conflict, also sent numerous military rockets into Israel, with the “Iron Dome” intercepting most of the incoming rockets.  Now, in October of 2023, a new attack has been launched against Israel by Hamas, with Hezbollah joining in, and with Iran’s hand behind the whole ordeal.  A number of Muslim countries have shown restraint during this latest challenge against Israel’s right to exist only as a result of President Trump’s Abraham Accords (and other agreements) which were signed between Israel and a number of neighboring Muslim countries in 2020.

In 2022 President Donald Trump criticized the Biden Administration, and warned American Jews, as tensions began to rise again with the United States failing to stand behind Israel.  Biden’s White House attacked Trump for his comments, calling them “antisemitic and insulting.”  Nonetheless, Israel successfully destroyed an Iranian air defense system in transit in northern Syria, halting attacks deployed from Syria and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror group for the time being.  Israel stopped a similar deployment of an Iranian air defense system in Syria four years earlier, as well.

Earlier this year Israel was having their own internal difficulties when former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak promoted a strategy for bringing down the Netanyahu government in the Jewish state.  He claimed that in any system the persistent and tenacious protesting by 3.5% of the population, or roughly 8% of the adult population, has proven to successfully historically take down governments.  Last April, Iran claimed they didn’t need persistent protests to bring down Israel.  Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi claimed “any tiny action” could lead to the destruction of Israeli cities.

Enemies of Israel in America have been calling for “intifada,” a demise of Israel, and the “murder of all Jews.”  One such protest occurred at the University of Michigan in mid-January of this year.  Protesters called for a violent overthrow of the Jewish state, with one marcher chanting, “There is only one solution” as she held a sign with the same words on it; words that echoed the NAZI call for the annihilation of Jews with his “final solution”.  Senator Ted Cruz called the news of the protest, “Terrifying.”  

Now, in October of 2023, Hamas has launched a new war against Israel, launching thousands of rockets into Israel, and infiltrating Israel with Hamas militants at several locations near the Gaza border in southern Israel.  Netanyahu’s government has formally declared war, with an immediate goal of restoring security and quiet to the communities affected.  This is the first time Israel has formally declared war since 1973.  A massive ground invasion as a response by Israel is expected.  A report from Israel National News indicated a few days ago that at least 1,200 had been killed and over 2,000 injured, at the time, with over a hundred soldiers and civilians held in Gaza.  An update indicated nearly 5,000 rockets had been launched, with Israel striking 2,329 targets in Gaza in response.  Hezbollah said in a statement it has also been attacking from the north, “using large numbers of rockets and shells” in solidarity with the “Palestinian resistance.”

In related news, it has been reported that paragliders have been used by the attackers to target large crowds such as in one case, a large group of concert-goers at a music festival, and in Egypt policemen have gunned down two Israeli tourists in cold blood.  The Taliban has sent out a message to all Muslim countries in the Middle East to launch attacks against Israel.

There is no doubt Iran’s fingerprints are all over the attacks against Israel, and Iran is not only behind the attacks, but helped plan it for weeks.  Muslims from all over the Islamic world have been celebrating the slaughter of Israeli women and children.  Government sources have also indicated Americans have been killed during the early days of this newest war, and the Biden administration has been content with abandoning Americans behind enemy lines.  Another report has revealed the beheading of babies by Muslim attackers.

Only a week ago the Democrats claimed the Middle East is more stable than it has been in a long time.  The Biden administration is under fire by conservatives, who claim the attacks are a direct result of his policies (or lack, thereof), and that Biden’s administration has been directly working with those behind the attacks.   Those policies have made the world a much more dangerous place than it was under President Trump.  While some observers have not only shown support for Israel, but claim the only way to stop the madness is a complete eradication of Hamas, the reality is that the U.S. has become a prime target for Muslim terror as well, thanks to Biden’s “open border” policies.

Democrat politicians, like “The Squad,” have been responding to the Muslim murder spree against Israel in a supportive manner, with Ihan Omar warning against any actions by the United States in support of Israel.  Anti-war groups like Code Pink have been endorsing Hamas’ actions against Israel.  In Sydney, hundreds of pro-Muslim protestors chanted “gas the Jews.”  Pro-Israel and Pro-Hamas protesters clashed in Washington.  Hamas has declared it plans to execute hostages live on television.

Some reports have indicated that Israel’s intelligence had been warned something big like the recent Hamas attacks might be on the horizon, but it is claimed Israel ignored the warnings.  Despite any warnings that might have been present, the fact is Islam has launched a full-scale war against Israel, and this kind of conflict not only did not happen during Trump’s watch, but President Trump actually brokered temporary peace in the region during his presidency.  Speaking in Iowa, Trump indicated that the attacks against Israel are a direct result of Biden’s policies, and the former President criticized the Biden administration for its lack of support for Israel, and stated the current administration has “betrayed Israel.”

— Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary