FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK:

As I sat down to write this opinion, I realized that there are four things really bugging me.

Number one. I have not read one single article that puts the blame on Hamas for the inhumane conditions in Gaza — food and water shortages, destroyed homes with refugees everywhere, etc. Hamas was elected by the people in Gaza to be their governing body. All the money sent to Gaza since 2007 has not been used to build a prosperous area that, I’m told, could have been like Dubai or Singapore. Hamas used the money to build tunnels and stockpile weapons. Hamas is supposed to be responsible for its citizens. The world decries Israel for going into Gaza. Israel is blamed for killing civilians in a war that began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 – viciously, savagely, inhumanely, murdering innocent Israelis in the early morning hours without any warning. Hamas still has Israeli hostages and Sinwar, the coward, is hiding among them. Hamas has broken all the Geneva Convention laws, which state “Civilians in areas of armed conflict and occupied territories are protected by the 159 articles of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Civilians are to be protected from murder, torture or brutality, and from discrimination on the basis of race, nationality, religion or political opinion.”

They have not treated the hostages humanely. They use their own people as shields. We know all this, yet they seem to get off scot free.

Israel is providing shelter for hundreds of Gazans in a refugee camp because Hamas refuses to let the Gazans go to Egypt. Israel is facilitating massive amounts of humanitarian assistance to Gaza — including food, water, medicine, fuel, and shelter supplies. What is Hamas doing? Hiding, shooting weapons into Israel. Aye yi yi, I shake my head in disgust and frustration.

Number 2. The areas under the Palestinian Authority are no better. The people have limited water and electricity and live in poor conditions. Is that Israel’s fault? No. It is the responsibility of the PA and Fatah to oversee their people.

I look at the Israelis who have moved into Judea and Samaria and made the land prosper with their hard work. Friends who live on Arugot Farms in the Judean Hills had no running water or electricity when they bought their piece of land. They had an outdoor compost portable toilet and were happy. They have developed the land, built a retreat on the hilltop, raise sheep and are so happy to be there. Makes me think of the book “The Haj” by Leon Uris, published in 1985. It should be mandatory college reading material.

Two other friends live beyond the “Green Line” in Judea, and still other friends live in Samaria. Israel protects them and helps them. The “poor Palestinians” have no one to help them. Is that Israel’s fault? No.

Number 3. Last week, I received an email from someone asking where can they give money to help the Jewish college students? Is there any organized group that is raising money to help fight these riots? Ed Borowsky hit the nail on the head, and on the thumb too, in writing the op-ed on page 4. People don’t know what to do at this point. They want to, but how? Voting? I don’t have much faith in the voting system after the last election. Biden is playing right down the middle — he wants the support of Muslims and Jews. He is grossly misled if he believes Muslims outnumber Jews — not when Jews have the Christian Zionists standing with them. 

He refuses to send in the National Guard to the colleges. Many states and colleges refuse police on campus. 

During graduation ceremonies at the University of Toledo, a Palestinian student speaker used her speech to lambaste Israel’s war against Hamas. Israel’s war? There would not be a war if Hamas had not attacked Israel on Oct. 7!

Israel has the IDF, who rush to help their fellow Israelis. Their attitude is “You hit me, I’ll hit you harder.” What or who do we have that will come to our aid?

Number 4. I was reading something in Wikipedia concerning Palestine and this “encyclopedia” I have always relied on has twisted history! The article said that Israel expelled Arabs from the new state. Israel did not expel them! They left of their own accord because the other Arab countries were so confident that they would annihilate the new country, they told the Arabs in Israel to flee and that they could come back to their homes after it was over. The new Israeli government told them to stay and they would be protected. But that is not how Wikipedia now tells it. It makes it look like Israel did displace the Arabs. Wikipedia even calls it the “State of Palestine.” The Arabs were offered a state but they refused, believing they could defeat Israel and have it all. In fact, they have been offered their own state over and over again. They thumb their noses at the offers like spoiled brats – if they can’t have it all, they want nothing. Well, they have nothing.

It’s not just the fighting on campuses now, it is fighting to keep history correct.

But despite all this, my hope is in the God of Israel. And Him alone. That’s not to say we shouldn’t make our stand clear, pray constantly, have a gun or donate money to help, but for our peace of mind, strength, courage — look to God. From the beginning to the end, God loves Israel.  Woe to those who touch the apple of God’s eye.

On Yom Hashoah and Yom Hazikron we say “Never Again,” and God says “I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them.” (Amos 9:15)