(American Greatness)—On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas launched a brutal assault on Israel. As 5,000 rockets slammed into civilian targets, terrorists massacred at least 1,200 Israelis, wounded about 3,500, and took 251 hostages. They raped, eviscerated, mutilated, beheaded, tortured, and incinerated their victims. At least 75 hostages have died, and about 20 remain in captivity.
Prior to the attack, 137 UN member countries recognized Palestinian statehood. Apparently unbothered by Hamas’ savagery and distressed by Israel’s aggressive military response, 10 additional nations recognized Palestine after the attack. In the last month, Australia, Britain, Canada, and France provisionally joined them. Led by France, the European Union and 18 countries signed declarations criticizing Israel for defending itself and signaled that they too are poised to recognize Palestine. The United States is the last permanent member of the UN Security Council refusing to go along.
International support for a two-state solution obstructs ceasefire talks and “encourages and rewards” terrorism, Secretary of State Marco Rubio responded, while senior Hamas political bureau member Ghazi Hamad observed that Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack brought the Palestinian cause to the forefront, and “is why all the countries are starting to recognize a Palestinian state.” Israel’s chutzpah in defending itself is the other reason.
John Spence, the world-renowned chair of urban warfare at West Point, observes that no military fighting force has ever done more to avoid civilian casualties than Israel. Savvy Hamas propagandists falsely claim that Israel bombed the Al-Ahli hospital (struck by a Hamas rocket), killed Palestinians lining up for food (denied by aid groups, and disproved by video of terrorists firing on their own people), and starved Palestinians (tragically advanced by exploiting a genetically frail child).
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