During this last major conflict between Hamas and Israel, most of us would
agree that it was tragic in many ways, especially given the loss of innocent
lives and destruction of property. Hamas indiscriminately fired over 4000
rockets from Arab residential neighborhoods into civilian areas of Israel.
Fortunately, Israel had anti-rocket defense systems that destroyed most of
those missiles with minimal loss of life and property. Even though Israel, in
retaliation, gave advance warning prior to targeting Hamas weapons and
leadership with precision air attacks, many Gazans who lived next to the
Hamas rocket batteries were killed in the process.

Left-wing and right-wing extremists have stoked anti-Semitism using Israeli
behavior as justification for their political views. Often Jews are the targets of
their criticism, and not Israeli policy (about which they might disagree). While
they come from different perspectives, they attack Israel and Jews without
acknowledging the history or the real causes of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict.

Israel was legally established as a Jewish state after World War II, along with
several other middle eastern countries during the same period. However,
from day one, neighboring Arab states attacked Israel and called for its
destruction. Pre-Israel Palestine was never a country but rather a geographic
area populated by Jews, Arabs and Christians. The territory was controlled by
the Ottomans (Turks) and Great Britain before Israel and other nation states in
the area were formed. Never was there or is there currently a state called Palestine.

When Israel won the six-day war in 1967, it took over Gaza and parts of Egypt
which it later returned. The United States has consistently advocated for a
peaceful resolution of the conflict and the establishment of a Palestinian
state. Israel on several occasions has offered to give up land for the peaceful
establishment of a Palestinian state. It has been rejected by the Palestinian
Authority. Hamas continues to call for the complete destruction of Israel.

Those who currently are called Palestinians live in two distinct regions, Gaza
to the southwest of Israel and the West Bank in areas between Israel and the
Jordan River. Gaza is ruled by Hamas, an internationally designated terrorist
group. The West Bank is ruled by the Palestinian Authority, formerly known as
the Palestine Liberation Organization.

There have been attempts to unite the two regions under one set of
Palestinian leadership. However, the Palestinian Authority has not allowed
elections in fear that Hamas will win. Elections are supposed to occur every 6
years but have been delayed since 2013 by Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian
Authority leader.

Both groups profess anti-Israel and antisemitic ideologies and have been
responsible over the years for attacks on Israel. The latest conflict was
triggered in large part by the inter-Palestinian conflict between Hamas and
the Palestinian Authority. Hamas wants elections because they feel they
would win. Abbas has continued to rule and delay elections in order to keep
his faction in power.

Israel and the U.S. are stymied with efforts to resolve the conflict given the
rocket attacks initiated by Hamas and the history of corruption within the
Palestinian Authority.

Israel now has established good relationships with many of the Arab states. It
has peace treaties with several Arab countries. It wants peace with
Palestinians and is looking for Palestinian leadership who can deliver on
proposed peace agreements.

There is more to this situation than meets the eye. Those who are trying to
find moral equivalency based on which side has more casualties, are not
understanding the facts on the ground and the history of the conflict. Hamas
lost the battle but won the support of Palestinians for being the aggressor
while the Palestinian Authority stood on the sidelines militarily.

The ones who are most affected (the Palestinian and Israeli people), continue
to live in harm’s way and are the ultimate victims of the conflict.