Editorial

Cool heads and cowardice

March 13, 2008

Aljazeera.net referred to last week’s massacre of eight yeshiva students as a “shoot out,” as if the slaughter was a military exchange between combatants. But there is no disguising the cowardice of the act — the cold-blooded murder of young people engaged in the peaceful study of Torah. Many of Israel’s critics also preferred to recast the terrorist attack as an act of frustration, or a justifiable response to Israel’s incursion into Gaza, or a “tactical” assault on a redoubt of religious Zionism.

But the inability to see the attack for what it was points to the inability to understand what Israel faces. Israel moves into Gaza not because it has designs on its land, but in order to stop the rocket fire that Hamas chooses — chooses — to rain on Sderot, Ashkelon, and, any day now, Tel Aviv. Civilians die in these incursions because Hamas chooses — chooses — to shelter its fighters among women, children, and other noncombatants. Israel throws up a cordon of security because it understands the choices its enemy will make if it doesn’t.

Now Israel has choices, few of them good. Should the rocket fire continue, they can invade Gaza and perhaps reoccupy it — a choice few would prefer. Or they can press for a cease-fire with Hamas (even as they know Hamas will use such a lull to rearm and regroup).

What separates Israel from its enemies is that despite the attacks on its people, it manages to keep a cool head and consider the alternatives to military action. Despite the unending provocations, Israel’s leaders still hear the call from a majority of their people to find ways to sustain a dialogue with the Palestinians. (According to the latest Ha’aretz poll, 64 percent favor direct negotiations with Hamas.)

The role of American Jews is clear: Demand that the media tell the story truthfully. Remind the world of the dangers Israel faces. And support Israel as it makes the difficult choices it must in order to find a way to stop the killing.