Israel’s enemies had a long-range plan

Thank you for “Setting the Record Straight” by Allan Chernoff in the January 31 issue of this paper. Mr. Chernoff makes excellent points, distinguishing between civilian casualties and crimes with the “intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” He also correctly recognizes that Hamas achieved a great victory by manipulating public opinion to equate the civilian casualties with Israel engaging in genocide. I would add to that manipulation the large numbers of people who Hamas used as human shields, and that the Hamas terrorists who were killed in active combat are included in the body count

Mr. Chernoff focuses on the Gaza war, but I believe it is part of a much larger picture, involving a long-range plan that Israel’s enemies developed starting 50 years ago. After losing three wars to Israel, in 1948, 1967, and 1973, Israel’s enemies recognized that they could not defeat Israel militarily, particularly with the strong support of the United States. As a result, I believe they developed a long-range plan focusing on two objectives —to undermine the moral imperative supporting the creation of a Jewish state after the Holocaust, and to undermine U.S. support of Israel in the future.

Initially, the criticism of Israel was that it was a European colonial outpost, created by seizing Arab lands that belonged to Palestinians. October 7 created a new opportunity to trivialize that moral imperative by equating the civilian casualties in Gaza with the extermination of 6,000,000 Jews in the Holocaust, calling the deaths in Gaza genocide, just like the deaths in the Shoah.

The focus of this plan has been the elite U.S. college and university campuses that generally produce many of the future leaders of our country. A well-funded infrastructure was created under the banner of Students for Justice in Palestine, which established chapters on major campuses. Coincidentally, freedom of speech on these campuses was steadily eroded by the practice of shouting down anyone with contrary views. Administrators who were either sympathetic or intimidated contributed to the erosion by allowed this conduct to continue and grow. It became significantly apparent during the Gaza war.

Get New Jersey Jewish News's Newsletter by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

For example, it has been reported that within days after October 7, the SJP chapters received instructions telling them to call Hamas freedom fighters, and to say that the loss of civilian life was a  genocide perpetrated by Israel. The protests focused entirely on Israel, ignoring Hamas using civilians as human shields, refusing to provide safe shelter in its 471 miles of underground tunnels, or even sharing its stores of food supplies when food became scarce.

Most notably, Hamas continuing the war had a singular purpose, the destruction of the State of Israel.  Its written mission statement calls for genocide against any Jews remaining after Israel is destroyed. So, ironically, the student protesters were persuaded to accuse Israel of genocide, ignoring the written manifesto of Hamas calling for a genocide in Israel.

And another simple fact has been missing from the debate.  If Hamas lays down its arms and ends its terrorist war against Israel — a war that has no legitimate purpose — it will end the harm that might befall any of its civilians. But this will not happen, because the body count is the fuel that runs the anti-Israel propaganda machine. As the casualties in Gaza have been used successfully to turn world opinion against Israel, Hamas and its sponsor, Iran, have every reason to continue it, unless world opinion starts to turn against them. That may happen, if the focus is upon the return of all the hostages.

The truth that there can be no freedom of speech without open debate is missing from the campus debates. Campus administrations must be called upon to hold such open debates where all sides can be heard, and students are educated rather  than being being inflamed by biased rhetoric. As things stand now, anti-Israel sentiment has grown among college students and young adults, including Jews. This can be reversed or counteracted only by having open debate, with the true facts presented to hopefully open minds.

Israel and world Jewry have a hard job ahead to change public opinion, but it can be accomplished by promoting the truth. Leaders must be able to present the truth that of the 9 million Palestinians in the Middle East, only the 2.2 million who are Israeli citizens enjoy freedom of speech, freedom of the press, educational and economic opportunities for men and women alike and gender equality. Hopefully, the internal politics of Israel does not undermine these facts.

Leon Sokol of Tenafly is a partner in the law firm of Cullen and Dykman LLP; his office is in Hackensack. He has served as a board member and chairman of several Jewish organizations.