A war begun by Hamas on October 7th can end without more Palestinian deaths

Let‘s be clear; this is a war between Israel and Hamas, not Israel and the Palestinian people. It is a war Hamas started with the stated intention of drawing Israel into armed combat; and they have succeeded in this goal. Now hopefully Israel can end this war soon.

I write this column as Jew who defends the right of Israel to exist. As a Jew who never met his father’s parents because they were killed in Auschwitz. But I also write as a Jew who believes the Palestinian people have a right to live in freedom, and in peace. I fervently believe there should be a two-state solution. That both an Israeli child, and a Palestinian child, have the right to grow up healthy, in safety, and to be anything they want to be; in a world that recognizes the value of both, equally.

The deaths of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza are tragic. But the world must be clear about this: by starting this war, Hamas must take some of the responsibility for the deaths of those Palestinians, thousands of innocent children, who have died in Gaza since October 7th when they started this war. They knew this would happen when they attacked Israel. When they brutally murdered men; murdered, and raped women; and killed children in cold blood. When they then took over 200 hostages; old men, old women, and children. They took the injured and the innocent. The world knows these terrorists, Hamas, hide behind civilians in tunnels they build below Gaza connected to hospitals, under schools, and housing. These networks of tunnels built for one purpose, their stated purpose, to prepare to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. They are not bomb shelters to help protect the Palestinian people. They are places to plan war, hide weapons, and hold hostages. Israel cannot accept that, and shouldn’t be expected too.

But it is clear at this point, while not giving up their goal of eliminating Hamas, Israel should declare a pause in the fighting. Let the world see how Hamas will respond. Will they then release the more than 100 hostages they still hold? Will Hamas immediately let the Red Cross in to see if those hostages are still alive? Will Hamas stop the shelling of Israel, and will they tell their followers around the world to stop killing Jews? If those things don’t happen, Israel will again be more clearly able to demonstrate to the world why they are continuing to fight.

During the pause in fighting Israel must be willing to let unlimited food and medicines flow into Gaza. They must be willing to let the rest of the world into Gaza to help rebuild medical facilities to care for the Palestinian people, the Palestinian children. But clearly, this should not stop Israel from planning to target the tunnels they have uncovered, and strategically destroying them to keep Hamas from ever again doing what they did on October 7th. The phrase ‘Never Again’ was used after the holocaust; it is appropriately used here.

Then the United Nations, or some other coalition, must come up with a plan to govern Gaza, and rebuild it, without Hamas. This coalition must be willing to demonstrate to the people of Israel how they will not let Hamas rebuild their terrorist organization in Gaza, because that is what the world must recognize Hamas is. There has to be a way to get the Palestinian people to understand, without Hamas, they actually have a chance for a better life for themselves and their children.

Then I would urge the Israeli people to finally rid themselves of Netanyahu, and his right-wing government. If the Palestinian people need to reject Hamas, the Israeli people need to reject Netanyahu, and his government. They need to stop the settlements with the understanding that land will be part of a Palestinian state, if one can be created. The Jewish settlers who attack Palestinians in the West Bank, must face severe repercussions, and be brought to justice in Israel. They should not be able to escape punishment for their crimes.

Will any of these things happen; I don’t have a crystal ball. But it is my hope, and prayer, wiser heads will prevail, and that a way forward to peace for both Israel, and the Palestinian people, can be found.