In Defense of Israel

 InDefense of Israel By Hal Lindsey Here are some truths that seem self-evident: Number 1 — It is the job of government to protect its people from armies of terror. Number 2 — If, in an obvious act of war, a terrorist army attacks a country by intentionally murdering, raping, mutilating, burning, terrorizing, and kidnapping its citizens, then the government of the attacked country is morallyobligated to do all in its power to stop the attack, and to prevent future attacks. Number 3 — If an army of terror takes civilian hostages during an attack on what we will call Country-A, it compels the government of Country-A to find and rescue the hostages. When the kidnapped hostages are hidden away ininhumane conditions — with many being raped, most being tortured, and some being murdered — it should be understood and accepted that the government of Country-A will use force to find and rescue those hostages. Number 4 — If a terrorist entity over a period of decades has attacked Country-A at every opportunity, and if the terror group continues to show from its actions and/or words that it intends to keep on attacking the citizensof Country-A, then Country-A’s government must use force to end the invaders’ ability to wage war on its citizens. Number 5 — If a terrorist entity has shown that it will not keep its side of any bargain struck, and that it negotiates only as a stalling tactic, never negotiating in good faith, then it increases the likelihood that forcewill become necessary because negotiation without truth is futile. Number 6 — If the terrorists say and believe it is their religious duty to destroy Country-A and kill its citizens, it is unlikely such deeply held beliefs will quickly change. This endangers civilians on all sides. Becausethey see their violent assaults as a religious obligation, stopping such terrorists will almost certainly require force. Number 7 — If leaders of a terrorist entity declare to the world that their organization will not stop its attacks on Country-A until it is destroyed and its citizens killed, it would be immoral for Country-A to do anythingless than try to destroy the terrorist entity. Number 8 — If the terrorist entity starts a war, and then retreats into civilian areas, using civilians as human shields, the nations should understand that no matter how hard Country-A tries not to harm civilians in its warresponse, sadly but inevitably, civilians will be killed and injured. Number 9 — In its war response, Country-A must try to protect civilians on both sides, but war is neither clean nor easy. It is messy and ugly. Things are destroyed and people killed. Responsibility for the destruction andharm falls on those who started the war. Number 10 — These self-evident truths apply to Israel and Hamas as they would to other countries and other terrorist organizations.