Much of the criticism of Israel we hear these days from activists, media, politicians, colleagues, friends and family is antisemitic. It often crosses the line that was clearly defined by the international community: the 3 D’s. As soon as the criticism Demonizes Israel, or measures it with a Double standard, or Delegitimizes its existence, it is considered Jew hatred. Grotesque accusations of ‘Genocide’, ‘Ethnic cleansing’, ‘Apartheid’, and ‘Child murder’ are examples of Demonization. Condemning Israel for transgressing human rights of Palestinians but letting Hamas and the Palestinian Authority get away with oppression and torture of their own population is a Double standard. And insinuating Jews have no right to a Jewish State in their ancestral homeland is Delegitimization.

I suggest adding a 4th D: accusing Israel of a ‘Disproportionate response’ to the thousands of rockets fired from Gaza on Israel’s civilian population. Israeli children are traumatized by the ongoing sirens and explosions. Women with their newborn babies and elderly people had to run in a panic to the bomb shelters each day and night. Several Israeli’s were wounded or killed. For what?? To resolve a rental dispute between some Arabs and Jews in East Jerusalem?

Hamas is a fundamentalist, Islamist organization that states clearly in its original charter it wants to destroy the Jewish State and kill Jews wherever they are, based on texts in the Koran and Hadith. It is a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. It has the same end goal as its sponsor Iran: wipe Israel off the map, kill the Jews and Christians and unbelievers and then there will be peace on earth, when Islam will rule the world, for God. If you don’t believe me read this for yourself.

Hamas’ ‘Sword of Jerusalem’ campaign was Jihad. By provoking Israeli police raids at the Al Aqsa Mosque at the beginning of Ramadan, Hamas mobilized many Israeli Arabs, who are otherwise peaceful, into ‘defensive Jihad’. Many Muslims around the globe joined, in accordance with the rules of Islam. Synagogues targeted by arsons, innocent Jews harassed in Europe’s cities, and now harassment is also occurring in New York and LA. The Hadith about the massacre of Jews by the Prophet, “O Jews, the army of Mohammed is returning” was chanted from Karachi to London (including in Amsterdam of course).

Hamas sees itself as the vanguard of holy warriors who will liberate “all of Palestine”, meaning the total destruction of the Jewish State. Every rocket not destroyed by Israel’s response will be used later, possibly equipped with Iranian nuclear warheads.

Every child educated in Hamas’ schools will be brainwashed to help destroy the Jewish State.

Monitoring group: UNRWA textbooks glorify terror, deny Israel’s existence | The Times of Israel

An enemy with a doctrine like Hamas cannot be appeased. It can only be deterred or destructed. Israel has the means to destroy Hamas in Gaza but it didn’t. It would have created a massacre of innocent Gazans. Instead Israel chose to deter Hamas for the coming few years by taking out Hamas’ military leadership, blowing up its tunnels and destroying many of its rockets. As we know Hamas often hides these in civilian buildings, schools, even in hospitals. The IDF tried to avoid collateral damage as much as possible, using precision tactics and sometimes skipping strategic targets if children would be hurt.

Some critics call Israel’s response ‘Disproportionate’ because Israel has a stronger military than Hamas and made more casualties than Hamas did.
Let me ask you this: if Hamas would at all care about casualties in its own population, why did it provoke the much stronger IDF in the first place? Hundreds of Gazans, including dozens of children who died, would still be alive if Hamas would not have launched rockets on Israel, which forced Israel to retaliate. By deliberately starting this war Hamas committed a war crime against its own people.

Israel used the minimal option to stop Hamas and deter it for the coming few years. Calling that ‘Disproportionate’ is expecting of Israel to let itself be slaughtered. That is an old familiar expectation towards the Jewish people. And therefore, labelling Israel’s response as ‘Disproportionate’ is as antisemitic as the 3 D’s, Demonizing, measuring with a Double standard and Delegitimizing the Jewish State.

On Memorial Day we commemorate all American veterans who gave their lives for their country. And for the freedom of so many others. My family could not have been liberated from the Nazi’s without them. I will always be grateful to them.

Today the Jewish people have their own state where they can finally defend themselves. That right may never be taken away from them.

Watch my documentary ‘Never Again Is Now’ about America liberating my family from the Holocaust and about today’s resurgent antisemitism. https://youtu.be/BZWnlshOXWs

Evelyn Markus

Author Evelyn Markus

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