After the mega-quake in Nepal that has claimed more than 6,000 lives, many nations got busy bringing relief to the devastated cities and towns.

One of the first countries to respond to Nepal’s humanitarian needs was Israel. Israel has a great reputation for bringing relief directly after disaster hits. It was one of the first to build a medical facility after the Haitian earthquake in 2010; in 2011 Israel responded to the Fukushima nuclear disaster after the tsunami that hit the coast of Japan; and in 2013 Israel sent a humanitarian relief team to aid the Philippines after a massive typhoon practically swallowed up coastal towns. And as I’m talking to you now, Israel is active in providing aid to those in Nepal.

It’s really astonishing how quickly this little country acts in providing aid to countries that are thousands of miles away.

Yet, in a recent article published by Haaretz, Asher Schechter came out questioning Israel’s moral equivalency in providing humanitarian relief for countries all around the world, but neglecting the needs of those Gazans next door. Schechter writes, “For a country of Israel’s size and limited military presence around the world, this kind of mobilization is extraordinary. Israel’s effectiveness and empathy wins it new fans from all quarters. But not if the disaster strikes 70 kilometers down the coast from Tel Aviv, and if Israel is its direct cause.”

Schechter bobs and weaves throughout his piece, first defending some of Israel’s actions and then in the same paragraph scolding them for their apathy. For instance, Schechter mentions how Israel isn’t all to blame for the lack of rebuilding in Gaza after last summer’s war, but it is mostly Israel’s fault because they were active in placing restrictions on building supplies entering into the Gaza Strip, glancing over the reason Israel placed the restrictions in the first place. Remember, Hamas in Gaza used building supplies that were financed by international donors to build tunnels into Israel to use for terror, which Schechter seems to shrug off as a non sequitur.

So is it true, is Israel’s compassion limited, or as Schechter says, does Israel’s compassion begin––and end––thousands of miles away in far away countries?

I don’t think so.

To begin with, since Israel left Gaza in 2005 they have seen more than 11,000 rockets shower down on nearby towns and, in some instances, close to major cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem almost every month. Yet, in almost 10 years time Israel has only responded with force three times: That in and of itself is compassion. I don’t think any country would allow terrorists to fire rockets on its towns for months, even years, without any military response.

During wartime Israel phoned and dropped Arab-language leaflets warning the Palestinians in Gaza to leave certain areas because that area was about to see military action, quite possibly the most humane act of war ever recorded in human history. Who does that? Who phones a potential terrorist to tell him he has a chance to save his own life by leaving the premises? That sounds extremely humane.

As Israel was at war with Hamas in Gaza, Egypt closed its border crossing, preventing humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza. Israel on the other hand, during war, kept the Kerem Shalom crossing open for humanitarian aid into the Gaza to provide water, food, and medical supplies during wartime. Almost 1,000 tons of medical supplies and medicine, plus 5,000 trucks of goods were able to go through the Kerem Shalom crossing during Operation Protective Edge. Does that not count as compassion and mercy for the people who attack you?

Israel also opened an Israeli army field hospital near the border of Gaza to provide medical assistance to wounded Palestinians, and to alleviate the stress of the hospitals in Gaza. Yet somehow, that isn’t considered compassionate.

Israel, even during wartime, demonstrates acts of compassion for its enemies. So is it really any surprise that Israel shows compassion to those who are in desperate need elsewhere?

 

 

I’ve noticed recently that certain politicians, professors, and journalists are giving Israel and Hamas equal footing, treating their political aspirations the same.

By doing this they give legitimacy to each side’s claim. For instance, many are writing that Israel has the right to defend itself against the onslaught of rocket attacks coming from the Gaza Strip, which I agree with completely. However, many are also writing Hamas is launching rockets into Israel because of the blockade Israel has established since 2007, giving some sort of legitimacy to Hamas’ horrific actions.

So what is the blockade Hamas is talking about and, will removing the blockade finally bring peace and stability between Israel and Gaza?

First, the blockade includes restriction of construction materials, certain goods, and right of passage from Gaza. Israel imposed the blockade to prevent materials for building rockets to get into the Gaza. Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip was established in 2007 after Hamas won the Palestinian legislative election. Remember, Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by many Western and non-Western countries.

Before Hamas took power in the Gaza, the government of Israel was working with the Palestinian Authority on the 2005 Agreement of Movement and Access which provided Palestinians freedom of movement between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as well as movement of goods between the borders. This was Israel’s way of helping the Palestinians establish peace and economic stability between Israel and Gaza. Also, Israel was willing to train the Palestinians in Gaza on how to manage the billion-dollar horticulture business Israelis established when they lived in the Gaza Strip.

All of that was squandered when the Gazan citizens democratically elected Hamas to control Gaza. Israel, the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, and Russia all placed sanctions on the Palestinian Authority. The UN, EU, U.S., and Russia lifted their sanctions on the Palestinians in 2007, but Israel’s sanctions “blockade” remained. Also, Israel is not the only country enforcing a blockade on Gaza. Egypt has also enacted a strict blockade on Gaza in the south preventing the movement of goods and persons through the Rafah gate.

Israel sees the blockade as sanctions, a peaceful, non-violent way of protecting its citizens and protesting the current government that controls the Gazan citizens. The blockade is designed to prevent the transfer of any goods that could be used to build mortars or rockets. The blockade of certain goods is justified to protect Israel’s citizens from harm and to send a message to Hamas.

So if Israel removes the blockade would there be peace?

Sadly no. Rockets were being launched from Gaza into Israel long before the blockade was established. The first rocket launched from Gaza was in 2001. Between 2002 and 2007 more than 6,000 rockets were launched into Israel from Gaza.

The governments of the world should stop calling for Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza, and instead, urge the leadership of Hamas to step down to allow a more moderate Palestinian government in Gaza that recognizes the existence of the State of Israel and truly seeks to make real steps toward peace.

CJK