OPINION:
JERUSALEM — On the war against Hamas, Israel has been steadfast: The terrorists must die. President Biden, meanwhile, has been all over the map. And this back-and-forth, frenetic and unclear messaging from the White House is having the disastrous effect of emboldening Israel’s enemies — of actually providing assistance to the terrorists.
America must stop this wavering and get on board the bus of clarity when it comes to taking out mass murderers, rapists, abductors. It’s about saving a friend and ally called Israel — yes. But more than that, it’s about saving a world from those who would rampantly kill in the name of their god. It’s about saving civilization for the civilized by eradicating the savage beasts who seek only to destroy.
What’s controversial about that?
Unfortunately, under this current Biden administration, the indisputable has been put into dispute. Perhaps it’s politics; perhaps it’s moral lapsing; perhaps — no, probably — it’s a bit of both.
But the fact that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now feels the need to hold virtual meetings with Biden to seek support for an IDF mission to enter Rafah, where the terrorists have dug in, shows: a) America, under this White House, is sort of sticking its nose into the sovereign affairs of a key global ally; and b) America, under this White House, is peddling a line of logic that frankly, if followed, would lead to the further destruction of the Jewish people.
On Point A, breaking sovereign boundaries only suits when the breakage comes from a place of total support — which Team Biden does not. On Point B, you can’t strike diplomatic deals with people who only want to erase you from the face of the earth. Where’s the compromise in that? ‘We’ll release hostages if you allow us to bomb half your people? No? OK, a quarter then.’
When America failed to vote on the U.N. Security Council cease-fire resolution to Israel, thereby allowing the resolution to go forward, the message to the world was this White House was waffling on support for Israel.
When Sen. Charles E. Schumer, the first Jewish politician in America to serve as a Senate leader, used his considerable and very public platform in Congress to call out Netanyahu as a “major obstacle” to peace and to then demand a new prime minister in Israel, the message to the world was that this Democratic Party was waffling on support for Israel.
When Vice President Kamala Harris told ABC News that the Biden administration has been clear that “any major military operation” in Rafah would be “a huge mistake” and that the White House would consider consequences on Israel should the IDF pursue the strategy — again, the message to the world was their supposed and historic No. 1 defender was turning its back.
Iran cheered. Hezbollah fighters rubbed their hands in glee. Hamas laughed and coalesced in Rafah, hiding behind their human shields and preparing to unleash a wave of images of pitiful civilians dying at the hands of those evil IDF soldiers — the better to win the War of Media, dontcha know.
The thing is — this: “Poll: Hamas Remains Popular Among Palestinians,” according to a March 24 headline from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
The study from the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research goes on to find that support among Palestinians for Hamas in Judea, Samaria and Gaza has grown since Oct. 7 and simultaneously fallen for the Palestinian Authority and P.A. President Mahmoud Abbas. In other words, the Palestinian civilians the leftists, the media, the leftists in media and their leftists in politics are oh so concerned about have actually grown more radically anti-Israel since the Oct. 7 terror attacks against Israelis.
“Only 5 percent of Palestinians think Hamas’s massacre on October 7 constitutes a war crime,” FDD wrote.
“Seventy-one percent of all Palestinians supported Hamas’s decision to attack Israel on October 7 — up 14 points among Gazans … compared to three months ago,” FDD wrote.
Truth matters.
And the truth in this Israeli campaign to root out and kill Hamas terrorists is that what’s good for Israel is good for the civilized world. America ought to stop hindering Israel with rhetoric and political action that seem to suggest diplomacy with terrorists is a workable solution.
On Israel’s war against Hamas, the lines couldn’t be any clearer: It’s terror, or it’s civility. Even the Biden administration should be able to see that.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “Lockdown: The Socialist Plan To Take Away Your Freedom,” is available by clicking HERE or clicking HERE or CLICKING HERE.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.