Hamas executes six Israeli hostages and the world explodes. But not in the way that one of a righteous mindset would expect. There were protests in Israel demanding the government end the hostilities with Hamas and appease them. There were world leaders, including those in Britain, the US and the United Nations challenging the Israeli government to give in to Hamas. There were protests in places like New York City where pro-terrorist demonstrators demanded an end to American aid to Israel, and even worse, the annihilation of Israel and all Jews. So what is going on? People are murdered by an organized bunch of inhuman thugs, and the world wants to encourage more of the same through appeasement?
Israelis want the hostages returned. The families of the hostages want them returned. This is totally understandable. However, returned at what cost? And what guarantee does anyone have that the hostages are still alive? Truth is that Israel has agreed to a ceasefire. Hamas refuses to agree. At the crux of the matter is Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s insistence that the Israeli army maintains a substantive presence on the Egypt-Gaza border, in an area known as the Philadelphi corridor. Hamas has frustrated the deal with shifting demands and wants the Israeli troops removed. The corridor is the strategic area Hamas uses to smuggle weapons into Gaza. Netanyahu wants it cut off permanently. Remember that Hamas wants Jews and Israel exterminated, a people think that giving into Hamas will end its quest?
This is where politics, human emotion and practicality collide. Politically speaking, Israelis just want peace. They want their loved ones returned. The human emotion side of things comes to play that Israelis are tired of the situation and angry. The anger is aimed at both Hamas and the Israeli government, primarily Netanyahu. They believe, as Joe Biden does, that Netanyahu should do more to end the conflict. Netanyahu is holding onto the idea that if he gives in to Hamas, the well-funded terrorist group will reestablish its strategic positions and relentlessly come after Israeli citizens again. Practicality is that Hamas must be eliminated otherwise the terror will continue in perpetuity. Netanyahu is looking at this from the perspective that he wants to do what is right for Israel and its citizens for the long term.
Appeasement never works. Netanyahu knows this. Deep down, the Israeli people know it, but they are tired of the fight. Every time in history when Israel gives in to the politics or emotion, rather than the practicality of standing against its enemies, the outcome is bad. Case in point, when George Bush pressured Ariel Sharon into giving up Gaza in 2005. There was no peace then. There was never any peace as rocket fire on Israeli civilians continued most every day from Gaza. While the families of the hostages deserve infinite respect, sympathy and empathy—no one can fathom the depth of hurt they are experiencing—appeasing these “elected” Hamas barbarians is the worst thing to do. As is written in Jeremiah 6:14, “They dress the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all.”
