Israel's war with Hamas is a battle to save human civilization

DAN ILLOUZ

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As we stand on the precipice of a ground invasion into Gaza, a decision burdened with the gravity of imminent human cost, we as Israelis, and indeed, I as a member of the Knesset from Likud, feel the weight of responsibility far greater than the defense of our nation’s borders. We are, at this very moment, at the forefront of a war that threatens not just our own survival, but the survival of the values that underpin Western civilization itself.

The horrifying acts of aggression perpetrated by Hamas are not simply attacks on Israeli citizens; they are assaults on the very ideals of democracy, freedom, and basic human decency that form the foundations of civilized societies everywhere. With its recent unspeakable violence, Hamas has torn away the façade, revealing an ideology that mirrors the abhorrent dogmas that fueled the ISIS caliphate’s reign of terror and the Nazis’ genocidal fury.

The world must understand that Hamas, restrained until now only by its limited capabilities, harbors ambitions soaked in the bloodthirsty fanaticism we’ve witnessed in our darkest adversaries. Their goal transcends the destruction of Israel; it’s an affront to humanity, a cancerous ideology that despises life and venerates death, seeking to spread its malignant hatred far beyond our region.

Israel’s Defense Forces, though yet to set foot in Gaza, are preparing for a battle that we cannot shirk. For this is not aggression – this is a response necessitated by the defense of life itself. Our soldiers are the barrier standing between the ruthless fanaticism of Hamas and the vulnerable heart of human civilization. They carry on their shoulders the daunting task of upholding the principles that separate order from chaos, freedom from tyranny, and life from senseless death.

Israel-Hamas war is a battle to protect humanity

In the face of this existential threat, it is imperative that we, as Israelis, hold fast to our resolve. But, we do not stand alone. We are the guardians on the walls, yes, but the city we defend is humanity itself. This is not hyperbole. If Hamas’s despicable ideology is allowed to survive, or worse, to triumph, it will signify a catastrophic defeat for moral clarity in the world. It would be an irreversible step backward into the shadows from which we’ve painstakingly emerged.

IDF reserve Infantry and Merkava Tank soldiers train in a military exercise in the Golan Heights on October 23, 2023. 

Therefore, it is a moral imperative for freedom-loving people everywhere to unite in solidarity with Israel. Our cause is not one of territorial gain or political triumph; it is a fight for the survival of the decency inherent in civilized societies. Our soldiers, our citizens, are the current bearers of a torch that has been carried by defenders of liberty throughout history.

As we brace for the challenges ahead, we call on the free world to stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel. We fight not for conquest, but for our right to live – without fear, without terror, without mourning our children. And we fight not just for Israel, but for all who cherish freedom, democracy, and the sanctity of life.

History is watching us, recording the resolve with which we face this darkness. Let it be said that when the annals of our time are written, we, the people of Israel, along with our allies who share our sacred values, stood firm against the tide of fanaticism. We fought not just for our homeland, but for the very soul of the world. In our resolve, may future generations find the inspiration to continue the eternal struggle between barbarity and civilization. And may we, with faith and fortitude, emerge victorious.