Some American legislators have called on Israel to engage in a ceasefire or pause in its efforts to destroy Hamas. Part of their argument is that failure to do so will just turn Hamas civilians into terrorists.  The implication is that if Israel pauses, the citizens of Gaza will suddenly have more positive views of Israel.

History has proved that friends and allies come from strength and not weakness.  After America devastated Germany and Japan following a total war and unconditional surrender, the Germans and Japanese people transformed into allies. That would not have happened had a compromise peace been reached.  It was the total defeat of Germany and Japan that persuaded its citizens to support the victor.

This is even more true in the Middle East. The Abraham Accords resulted from Israel being the dominant military, technological and economic power in the region.  Any show of weakness produces enemies not friends.

The best proof of this reality is that the rise in antisemitism and anti-Israel attitudes throughout the world began immediately after Israel’s weaknesses were exposed on October 7.  The day after 1,400 Israelis were murdered, raped and beheaded, many in the international community and among student groups turned against Israel and against the Jews. They saw weakness and they smelled blood.

Whenever Israel has shown weakness, it has been attacked. Strength is not only the best deterrent against physical attack, but it is also the best way to make friends and influence enemies. The Psalms put it very well when they advised that “God will give the Jewish people strength, and then they will get peace.”  For Israel and for Jews, peace comes only through strength.  The more strength the more peace, the more weakness the less peace.

The opposite is also true. Hamas gains support when it wins against Israel, even if winning involves atrocities. The day after these massacres were exposed – even before Israel responded — Hamas received the support of student groups all over the world. Its prestige on the Arab and Muslim street went up dramatically, and its support within Gaza and the West Bank reached an all-time high. Hamas wins by showing strength. Israel loses by showing weakness. If Israel shows weakness by acceding to the ill-advised demands for a cease fire, the end result will be more civilian deaths in the long run.

The lesson for Israel is clear. The nation state of the Jewish people must not accept the demands of the international community that it show weakness.  It cannot ignore the demands of America, but it must remind our leaders and people that Israel has killed far fewer civilians in its effort to destroy Hamas than American and England did in their combined efforts to destroy ISIS and Al-Qaeda   — threats that were thousands of miles away from our borders, as contrasted to the immediate and proximate threats from Hamas and Hezbollah.

When one group declares war on another, the group declaring war knows that its civilians will suffer. This is part of Hamas’s long-term strategy — kill Israeli civilians knowing that Israel will respond and civilians will die. Next, display these dead babies to television cameras, in the expectation that it will turn world opinion against Israel. This so-called “dead baby strategy” always succeeds and results in Hamas repeating the process over and over again.

Don’t take my word for it, listen to the leaders of Hamas who have already said that what Hamas did to Israel civilians on October 7, will be repeated endlessly.  The only answer to such threats and actions is the destruction of Hamas.

In the end, if Israel is allowed to destroy Hamas without external pressure, the result will be fewer civilian deaths over time and greater likelihood of peace in the region.  Strength begets peace.  Weakness begets war. To paraphrase what an Israeli leader said many years ago, if Hamas were to lay down its arms and end its terrorism, there would be peace. If Israel were to lay down its arms, there would be genocide. Take your pick.  

I know what Israel should do.