By Sen. Steve Daines
Copyright dailycaller
I travelled to Israel this past weekend, and with the two-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 atrocities approaching, it’s important to remember what happened, reflect on where the conflict stands, and offer suggestions for where we go from here.
Where We’ve Been
Oct. 7 was the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust. Thousands of Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and murdered 1,200 people from 41 countries, including 39 Americans. They raped women, beheaded men, burned babies alive in ovens and took 255 people hostage, including 12 Americans.
Hamas is funded by the political leadership of Iran, the world’s largest state sponsor of terror. Iran’s top priority is to annihilate Israel.
Survivors of the Holocaust and students of history recognize the objectives of these actions are not much different from the Nazi’s in the 1930’s and 1940’s. In short, this is a battle between freedom and terror. To characterize it as anything less is to forfeit all moral clarity.
It’s important to recount these facts because many in the media and the enemies of Israel are trying to whitewash history. In fact, Iran is advancing and financing a propaganda campaign to do just that. (RELATED: MARTIN OLINER: The Goodness Of Charlie Kirk’s Legacy)
They wish to make people forget that at its core this is a struggle between good and evil.
Where We Are
The soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces have been a model for bravery and courage as they defend their homeland and freedom. It’s important to note that the IDF has soldiers of every faith and political persuasion. Conservatives and liberals, Jews, Christians, Druze, and Muslims fight shoulder to shoulder.
This is the way of the Israelis. And unlike their enemies, they do not target innocent civilians or use hospitals for military headquarters.
To date, Israel has recovered 135 hostages, many in daring raids. It has destroyed the leadership structure of the Hezbollah network, an Iranian proxy, and used explosives in pagers and walkie-talkies to kill Hezbollah fighters. Rooting out the source of extremism and violence, they have killed other enemies in Tehran, Damascus, and Beirut.
In a short amount of time, through unique skill and strength, Israel has neutralized many threats to peace in the Near East.
Meanwhile, the world’s oldest form of hatred, antisemitism, continues to push its way into mainstream thought. Universities have failed to protect Jewish students. Employees at the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. were murdered earlier this year. In June, a man used a flamethrower to attack a peaceful rally in support of returning the hostages held in Gaza. It’s no wonder a recent study indicated a majority of American Jews have altered their behavior because of their fear of antisemitism.
Where We Go
All of this leads to the question of where we go from here. Along those lines, a few thoughts:
The United States and the West must stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel as they fight against those who would destroy them. Terror must be met with unity, solidarity, and the relentless pursuit of justice. All the hostages must be returned. Holding humans as bargaining chips is inhumane and unlawful. Antisemitism leads to violence and barbarism, not civilization. We must therefore continue to fight it and grind it down until it no longer exists. The Trump administration is holding universities accountable, and the encampments have dwindled but we must not let up. There must be real consequences for antisemitic actions and behavior for our nation’s institutions and individuals alike. We must hold the U.N. and International Criminal Court accountable for their anti-Israel bias. President Trump rightly removed the U.S. from membership in many of these international organizations but Congress can continue to cut funding, including contributions to the U.N. peacekeeping system wherever it is shielding terrorists. I’m proud of President Trump and Secretary Rubio for doing so in southern Lebanon.
America must continue to stand with its staunchest and oldest ally in the Middle East. If we don’t, we give evil a chance to triumph.
Steve Daines is the senior U.S. Senator from Montana and is a member of the Foreign Relations Committee.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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