Israel’s aggressive defense

First, there was a calm, as if before a storm.

Now, we appear to be back at that tense yet quiet stalemate in the Middle East.

What happened in between were the defining moments in the Israel-Gaza conflict.Earlier this month, Israelis executed an airstrike in Gaza, killing at least 10 people, most notably the leader of the military wing of Hamas.

Within hours of the attack, Hamas released a statement spewing hatred against Israel’s government and claiming it had “opened the gates of hell.”

They didn’t know just how right they were.

Since its 1947 conception, Israel has been through hell and a half. In just 65 years, the country has experienced several wars with essentially every nation surrounding it, attempting peace with many and succeeding with only some.

It is Gaza’s turn to dish it.

But very little of the intended attacking power actually made contact. The Israeli “Iron Dome” shot down almost every attack that was launched, protecting its citizens and allowing the Israeli government to focus on opportunities either for counter-offensives or peace agreements.

That peace now looks to be open for discussion. A ceasefire has emerged, more to protect the insurgence from insult, no doubt.

If this is what hell looks like, snowballs just might have a chance.

Hamas is not a nation. Hamas is not a governing body working toward a goal of peace and happiness. Bluntly, Hamas is a terrorist organization.

As much as it might defend hope for eliminating its idea of evil from the world, the simple truth is that Hamas employs fear and terror as tactics to manipulate the world.

It is the bullies of the world, and it is about time someone put an end to it.

For the Israeli government to attack a high leader in Hamas’ military unit is no grounds for any type of backlash from the global community.

In fact, that is exactly what this man was asking for. A man who dedicates his life to destroying the lives of others does not have any right to start a global rebellion with his death.

It most likely is no surprise to the organization that their military leader was killed. They are not unleashing hell because of this incident.

This is just the perfect excuse to do what they had been intending either way. Hamas will now use this opportunity to attempt to sway the world against the Israelis, citing its agitation and hate as reason to fight against the small nation.

Here’s to hoping the world isn’t ignorant enough to buy that.

For far too long Israel has looked to be an aggressor, a trigger-happy country ready to leap at the chance to cause death and destruction.

It is about time the global community sees what is really going on.

This was an opportunity to take the life of one man intent on killing many. This was not a man committed to finding peace. This was a man committed to creating war.

It is an example of Israeli diplomacy that they have even agreed to a ceasefire because they have every right to blot out those who threaten their existence.

Hamas, in attempting to prove Israel’s aggression, has proved almost exactly the opposite.

Just as Israel defended itself in 1947, 1967, 1973 and every day in between, the nation will once again do what it takes to stand resolute. As long as the peace continues, Hamas has yet another chance to stay active in a political conversation it really has no business participating in.

Hamas had better not forget who it is dealing with because if it does, there will most literally be hell to pay.

­— azoot@indiana.edu