The War in Gaza
It is difficult to write about this topic because it is so complicated. It is important, however, to have a general view because it is one of the most important events today.
Saying it started on Oct. 7, 2023 is true but incomplete. It is true because on the morning of that day an unconfirmed number of Palestinians crossed the border into Israel and killed over 1,200 Israelis, often in the most brutal way.
Many of the murders of whole families, including babies and children, were streamed in real-time with GoPro cameras. 251 Israelis were then taken hostage back to the Gaza Strip. These acts were some of the most horrific in modern history. It was the most deadly day in Israeli history and the worst act against the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
Background
After WWII, the newly formed United Nations tried to set up two areas that were eventually to become fully recognized states, one Jewish and one Muslim or Palestinian (there were Palestinian Christians, too). The next year, 1948, the Jewish leaders declared their state to be independent and immediately the surrounding Arab countries declared war.
The war ended in 1949 with borders that lasted until the next war in 1967. From 1949 to the Six Day War in 1967, Egypt held the Gaza Strip. After that, it was under the control of Israel.
Lots of other things happened and the conflict, in various forms, continued. But in 2005 Israel decided to hand control of this 25 mile long strip of land, which is only about seven miles wide at its widest point, to the Palestinians. To do so, it had to forcibly remove its own Jewish citizens from their homes in the region, often at gunpoint.
This did not end the conflict. The people of the region elected a terrorist organization called Hamas to lead them. Needless to say, attacks on Israelis continued, but not so many as to incite much of a response. Neither side was really happy with this low level conflict, but it seemed to be sustainable. That changed on Oct. 7.
After Oct. 7
Details of the attacks are too gruesome to record, but the Israeli response can be divided into two aims.
On the one hand, they wanted to punish Hamas and make sure it could never do anything like this again. Remember, the response to the Holocaust was “Never again.” After Oct. 7, many Israelis said, “Never again is now.”
The other aim was to get the hostages back, which is a normal human instinct, but has a special place in Jewish religious law. Redeeming their hostages is a requirement of the law, according to Jewish scholars, and a religious duty. It is also a duty to recover any remains of the dead and give them a proper burial.
Unfortunately, attacking Hamas and recovering the hostages or the dead were two aims in direct conflict. Hamas had built over 350 miles (no one knows for sure) of tunnels under Gaza. These tunnels were designed to move military equipment and soldiers, provide shelter for soldiers, and provide points from which they could attack an invading army. They also became places in which to hide, hold, and presumably bury hostages.
Israeli society has been divided between those who think the war on Hamas is the most important thing they can do and those who think they must get the hostages and the bodies back. No one has found a way to do both.
What Is Happening Today?
The Israeli government (I won’t go into the complexities of how their government works) has decided to take out Hamas even, it would seem, at the expense of the hostages. They have chosen one aim over the other. As a result, they are telling civilians to leave Gaza City and they are starting a major invasion of the area.
This military incursion comes just a week after Israeli jets bombed what was supposed to have been a Hamas meeting in Doha, Qatar. That, itself, was an extreme and unusual action, bombing another country. But Qatar had allowed Hamas leaders to live in its country for many years, so relations between it and Israel have not been easy. Nevertheless, this was big.
What Are the Implications?
If Israel succeeds in destroying Hamas, it might also kill its hostages and never recover their bodies. The religious implications are significant, as are the political implications when such a large part of the nation wants them returned above anything else, even above defeating Hamas.
Given the widespread support of Palestinians in Western nations, support that is usually related to the size of their Muslim populations, Israel could find itself cut off from a number of countries. Europe does not have many resources to export to Israel, so that is not important. But it is a major economic region, at least for the moment, and Israel would like to sell its products there. Moreover, there are still many Jews in Europe, and popular dislike of Israel often spills over into abuse of Jewish citizens in the countries of Europe.
The only benefit Israel could gain from this invasion of Gaza–and it could be a big win if it pays off–would be the destruction of Hamas. Can any country long survive with a hostile and brutal opponent on its border? The safety of Israel and by implication the whole Jewish people could depend on the success of this war.
Israel has demonstrated its military power and the joint bombing of Iran with the USA has shown that American forces would aid it. This means any large-scale invasion of Israel by surrounding countries is highly unlikely. The real danger is economic and diplomatic isolation.
Their prime minister admitted his decision could lead to isolation in a recent speech where he said the country would have to become a new Sparta. Even though a lot of teams are named after the Lacedaemonians, the prospect of adopting their austere and militaristic culture is not really attractive to most Israelis. But what else can they do?
I am not trying to take sides in this description of events in Israel. I am trying to give an account of what is happening and why, not who is right. I have strong opinions on this matter. Nevertheless, I have to acknowledge that this is one of the most intractable matters in world politics. Many people on both sides feel very strongly, and they have very good reasons to do so.
“Pray ye for the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem: and abundance for them that love thee.” [Psalms 121:6]