More than a week into the Israel-Hamas war, the focus of the world is on Gaza, where 199 civilians are being held hostage by Hamas. It has been the target of Israeli air strikes in recent days, and it is set to be the site of intense fighting in the coming days, with an Israeli ground invasion believed to be imminent.
Today in The Free Press, we offer two perspectives on Gaza. One comes from Jacob Katz, an American who guarded the border with Gaza when he served in the IDF—and who has returned to Israel this week. The other is from Amjad Abukwaik, a Palestinian-American who grew up in Gaza and now lives in New Jersey—and who lost nine family members last week. These are their stories.
For more coverage of the Israel-Hamas war, read Douglas J. Feith, former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy under George W. Bush, on Hamas’s macabre strategy to maximize Palestinian deaths.
And for more on the reality of life in Gaza before this war, we recommend the Center for Peace Communications’ “Whispered in Gaza” series, which was published earlier this year.
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Even moderate Palestinians don't think Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state:
Daniel Gordis, who's penned articles for TFP, was interviewing an Arab student at the college he works at, back in 2021 during the last flare up. He didn't ask her if she thought Israel had the right to exist as a Jewish state, when I asked him why, he responded (paraphrased) "there's no sense in asking to which I already know the answer," and this was clearly a moderate Pali woman, living in Judea.
Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Sudan, Morocco all have peace with Israel, so clearly it can be done with willing participants. What percentage of Gazan Palis think Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state? 0.001? I'd be amazed if it's more than 1/1000. "From the River, to the sea" = they want Jews dead and gone from Israel, bar none.
One side refuses to try and live in peace, even though their leaders were offered almost everything they wanted. The world has poured literally billions into the place and it’s a waste dump filled with blame for others and not themselves. Women only good for serving uneducated men and life filled with no hope or opportunity. No Middle East country welcomes the people.
The other side just wants to live and continue to prosper and make their country fit to live in. Contributing to the world in technology and other areas. Women are integrated into everything and have opportunities for a life they want. Productive and prosperous people, policies, and education with successful results.
There are your two sides!