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Editorial
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,
I
below-grade to restore a maze of tunnels to
smuggle weapons and move terrorists.
he ceremonial brick laid to mark
the so-called start of Gaza
mer's
Hamas remains
recon
driven to eradicate
more
struction in the wake of last
sum
It's
between Hamas and Israel
signi
Strip is
war
improve the lot of its citizens,
Israel than
fies
deception at its finest, not a commit
ment by leaders of the coastal strip's ruling
terrorist organization to the families whose
homes were destroyed or damaged.
Palestinians.
many
distraught
over
the
effects of
destroyed in the war, which
provoked by Hamas' pummeling of
site of a home
By all accounts, Hamas remains more
driven to eradicate Israel than improve the
war's
lot of its citizens, many distraught over the
effects of war. Ordinary Gazans have been
plight,
responsible
Hamas' devious elected
charter to
Despite
being
by
wipe out the Jewish state, Israel, because of
sworn
somewhat eased border restrictions, con
tinues to be a source of food, fuel, building
materials, energy and medicine and
medical
care
for 1.8 million
even
people under
Hamas' dictatorial rule.
The
southern Israel with rocket fire. The home
was
in
Shejaiya, near Gaza City,
major
one
of the
battlefronts.
"The march toward real reconstruction
of the Gaza
Strip has begun, and nothing
Backdrop
July 22, the Palestinian housing minis
ter, Mufid al- Hasayneh, laid a brick at the
On
itself with
short-range rockets capable of
eluding Israel's Iron Dome missile defense
system as well as striving to upgrade its
fighting forces rather than earmark the
billions of dollars it draws from the U.S.,
the European Union and the Arab League
to
rebuild homes, schools,
hospitals
and
infrastructure.
front in the
of 2,200 Palestinians and 73 Israelis. It
We will rebuild
coming days.
destroyed by Israel:'
The bricklaying was intended to kick off
official government reconstruction efforts.
What an affront to reality!
Reconstruction
only
now
is
of Hamas
ons
diverting cement and other provided con
struction materials to tunnel development
to reassert its ability to secretly enter Israel
to kidnap, maim, pillage and destroy.
striving to
re-arm
war
claimed the lives
A Sunni Muslim
more
stave
faction,
off political
extreme
Hamas is
try
challenges from
Palestinian sects thanks
itself isolated
by neighboring
finding
anti-Islamist
Egypt's
government;
Sympathizers of Islamic State (aka
to
•
securing Gaza (and its 33-mile-long border
Israel) via an expanding web of Sharia
18,000 homes, many a byproduct
using them as shields for weap
law-incited takeover incursions.
Israel, meanwhile, has felt compelled to
limit
access
fear
some
to Gaza for Israeli
Although no Gaza homes have been rebuilt,
Hamas has sought headlines to announce it
is repairing war-zone homes that were only
partially damaged. The tactic has enabled
Hamas to create the illusion it's working
up to the next phase of reconstruction:
rebuilt homes. Instead, Hamas is working
Arabs out of
could be
swayed against their
by
loyalists.
Bricks are meant to help build community
in a positive way. The bricklaying ceremo
home state
Rel9nS
it
•
ing to
with
stashes and hideouts for terrorists.
isa
bubbling
up because Hamas is facing international
pressure. Hamas presumably has been
Hamas also has been
Last summer's
destroyed
Bank;
ISIS); a Sunni Muslim terrorist group, eye
will stop it:' Hasayneh said. "We will see
a lot of movement on the reconstruction
all homes
City.
Hamas
Hamas is at
supposed peace partner governing
Palestinian-controlled sectors of the West
was
leaders in Gaza
fighting IsraeL Consider:
political war with Fatah,
Hamas isn't just
war._
•
2007, thousands of Gazans are
still homeless, living in tents, schools and
other types of makeshift housing.
not
understatement to say the Gaza
chaotic enclave jeopardizing
its
to power in
for their
a
potential peace between Israel and the
Eleven months after last summer's
50-day war, Israel's third and fiercest with
Hamas since the organization's violent rise
brainwashed to believe Israel is
an
Hamas
ny last week points up the extent to which
Hamas, a sometimes-proxy of Shiite Iran,
will go to use a brick to mask its delusion
of being a caring and strong, but embattled
ambassador for
ordinary Gazans. D
Analysis
•
Sho Id Rabbi
I
I
"North American rabbis have to
I
Sean
between
Savage
JNS.org
navigate carefully
Israel and their positions
the U.S.
[in order to] take a stand
cal issues," Rabbi Joshua
Congress debates
whether or not to support the
s
defending
as
Americans
politi-
Weinberg,
on
at?
n
his views about
political questions
Rabbi Barry Gelman, the leader
of United Orthodox Synagogues of
president of the Association of Reform
Houston (UOS), said it is
Zionists of America (ARZA), an organi
zation that works to enhance Reform
that rabbis comment
on
"in terms of
as
Judaism's connection to Israel, told
ers." But he said rabbis should be
try, where
many Jews will inevitably
look to their congregational rabbis for
JNS.org.
careful when
guidance on how they should view an
agreement that many are criticizing
for endangering the security of their
rabbi at
topics like the
brethren in Israel.
factors such
Iran nuclear deal, the
discussion is
taking place
same
in local
Jewish communities around the
But
coun
pulpit rabbis are not members
of Congress, and synagogues are not
political advocacy organizations. So
how and when is it appropriate for
them to comment publicly on the Iran
issue?
40 July
Rabbi Daniel Berman, a Conservative
Temple Reyim in Newton,
Mass., believes that addressing difficult
Iran deal
as
the
depends on
"particular com
munity's interests and level of engage
ment with political or policy questions,
and the comfort level and strength
of the rabbi in offering sermons that
touch these issues."
While Berman is open to
30
•
2015
expressing
in
certain situations, he said he prefers
fostering communal conversation.
our
role
important
the Iran deal
spiritual lead
considering wading into
sensitive political debates such as this
one.
At the
time, the Iran deal
during the past decade.
As such, many
use the $150
Israelis fear that Iran will
billion of sanctions relief it secured in
the deal to
provide financial and mili
tary support to those terror groups.
"Rabbis should use the pulpit to
sensitize their congregants to these
realities, affirm our support for the
State of Israel and urge our govern
ment to be diligent in thwarting terror
ists' threats," Gelman said.
ARZA's Weinberg also feels rabbis
have
a
significant ramifications for
Israelis and Jews beyond the politi
tions
on
cal fallout in America. Iran is
state who should be "well-read
same
has
the
one
of
role in
guiding their congrega
topic of Israel. He called
rabbis "go-to" sources on the Jewish
the
on
the
state sponsors of terror
ism in the Middle East, supporting
issues"
groups such as Hamas, Islamic Jihad
and Hezbollah, together which have
not nuclear scientists and have noth
engaged in several
rabbis. D
largest
wars
with Israel
"I
ing
affecting it.
don't buy the excuse
to say,"
that
they're
Weinberg said of pulpit