Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023 | 2 a.m.
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My friend, Rabbi Marvin Hier, is the founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. This past week he wrote the following column, which I believe provides some history and needed context for those who may be challenged by a moral dilemma surrounding the Oct. 7 massacre of innocent Israelis by the terrorists of Hamas. It was first published in the Jerusalem Post, and with his permission I am reprinting it for Las Vegas Sun readers. We can all have an opinion about the extent of Israel’s reaction to the brutal attack, but none of us should be confused about its morality and necessity. I hope Rabbi Hier’s words help during this difficult time for all people of good will.
— Brian Greenspun
To see Jews beaten on the streets of New York, Boston, Los Angeles, London, Paris, on university campuses and major cities throughout the world — for what reason? Because they are condemning the murderers, Hezbollah and Hamas, who dismembered and raped women, children and the elderly, and decapitated and burned babies alive.
Hamas took hundreds of captives, committing the worst crimes against humanity that the world has witnessed since Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich. Rather than condemning the perpetrators, we see students on so many college campuses blaming Israel by protesting and attacking Jews on the streets. What hypocrisy! Dishonoring their own country and standing with the Hamas terrorists.
Now Israel is being criticized for the killing of innocent civilians while Hamas deliberately uses mosques and hospitals as shields. Let us not forget that in the last months of World War II, Nazi Germany was subjected to enormous bombing attacks by the Allied countries.
Berlin was bombed 363 times by the United States, England, France, Russia and Canada. The bombings included destroying the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the French Luisenstadt Church, St. James Church, Jerusalem’s Church, St. Michael’s Church, St. Simeon Church, Marcher Protestant Consistory and the People’s Court. These churches were used by the perpetrators in the same way that Hamas now uses mosques and hospitals. The Berlin raids, conducted by the Royal Air Force Bomber Command, the United States Army air forces, the Canadian, French and Soviet air forces, destroyed the Berlin railway system and rendered 450,000 Berliners homeless and tens of thousands dead. These raids caused immense destruction and devastation. The Allies had to do that to defeat the government headed by a monster whose purpose would have been the destruction of mankind.
The state of Israel is doing what every democracy would do to protect her citizens from terrorists and inhuman mass murderers. Many people are demanding a cease-fire, but Israel, like the World War II Allies, will never stand down in attacking her terrorist enemies!
If democratic nations do not stand up firmly to preserve freedom and democracy, then planet Earth will join the thousands of other silent planets of our universe.
As Simon Wiesenthal reminded all of us, “Freedom is not a gift from Heaven; you have to fight for it each and every day!”
Israel is doing just that!
The writer is the co-chair of the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem and the founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles.
