Jerusalem of Gold

"A Messianic Jewish Perspective on Media Bias Against Israel."

Written by David Tal during the last Gaza conflict with Israel, 24 July 2014.

"What I know and what you know too.

I’m writing this to you my friends and acquaintances and anybody else that you decide to share this with because we (Israelis) need your help in fighting the war that is taking place on the Media front.

In Israel it is said that every generation has its war and, as most of you know, I have seen combat in many clashes and battles over the years though this time it seems that for the first time, I will be watching this battle from the relative safety of the news channels.

This time it’s my younger brother as a reservist and my nephews who are in the battle zone and my sons who are waiting to be called up if needed and I have to add that it’s much harder to “worry about” then to “be worried about”.

But I have been there more than once, in Gaza and in other clashes and battles and I have an “up close and personal” understanding of what is happening in the streets and alleyways of Gaza as this is being written and I want to share some of my understanding with you.

What I know and you know too. Even if you haven’t really thought this through.

I know Israel did not want this clash and did not initiate this round of fighting but I also know that in the middle east when you get hit and do not hit back you will just be hit harder again. I know that a basic aspect of Middle East mentality is “never show weakness” and if you have followed the news leading up to this conflict you should know this too.

I also know that when people say they want to kill us and stockpile weapons to do so, sooner or later, they are going to try. I know we, Israelis, take the Hamas seriously when they say Israel should be destroyed and so should you.

I also know that rockets tipped with multiple pounds of high explosives fired, indiscriminately, into towns and cities do endanger the lives of everyone I hold dear. I know that Hamas is firing those rockets at Modiin (the name of just one of hundreds of cities and towns targeted by Hamas and important cause that’s where I and my family live) with intent to kill as many people as it possibly can. I know this because they say it explicitly. I know my government and my defense forces will do anything in their power to stop those rockets and, if these rockets were fired into the city where you and your family live, you would want to know that your government was doing the same.

I know that the Israeli military does not bomb Palestinian houses. (No matter what the news channels say). What Israel will do and does is fire on military targets which include places where the Palestinian rockets are manufactured or stored or sites from which the rockets are fired into Israel. Those are the air strikes that where the seen. I also know the Palestinians deliberately make and store the rockets in populated areas and schools (the UN just admitted to two instances where Hamas rockets where stored in UNRWA schools in Gaza) to make them harder to find and to destroy. This also insures that Palestinian noncombatants will be injured or killed if Israel does find and try to destroy the rockets. I know that Israeli forces do their utmost to minimize civilian casualties by warning the people in a house or building, where the rockets are, to evacuate the structure before it is targeted. We even fire a non-lethal charge onto the roof to make the intention clear to all the people in the building and give them time to leave. But first and foremost I know that placing military assets in populated areas so the civilians will be killed if they are found by the enemy is wrong and you know that too.

I know that Israel’s military went into Gaza to stop the threat of rockets falling on my loved ones from the sky and the threat of Hamas warriors (yes, I will call them warriors) popping out of a tunnel inside Israeli towns on a mission to kill as many Israelis as they can before they are sent to the 72 virgins in the sky. I know there is no other reason for Israeli soldiers to be in Gaza when you think about it for a moment, you know that too.

I know that the Israeli army does not target or fire on civilians. This one I know because I have been there in Gaza and in other places over the years and I know what the Israeli Military rules of engagement are and I know how the war is being fought on the ground in the streets and alleys of the Gaza strip. I also know that when fired upon in the course of a battle I can and will fire back at the source of the enemy fire. I know this is both legal and moral and I think you know this too.

I know that Israel does not gain any benefit from Palestinian civilians being hurt during the battle. I also know that there is no military reason to target civilians and there is no moral excuse for doing so which is why I know that myself, personally in the past, and the Israeli Army today makes huge efforts to minimize the amount of people caught in the line of fire and those of you who know me know this to be true. Those of you who don’t will just have to believe those who do.

I also know that Hamas definitely does gain political, military and media advantages from innocent Palestinians being caught in the crossfire and I know that the Hamas intentionally puts Palestinian men, women and children between themselves and the Israeli army. I have personally experienced Hamas warriors firing at me from structures that had innocent people hiding in them, actually standing in the windows of rooms where the civilians were huddled in the back to take cover from the raging battle. He looked me in the eye, turned and ran away, hoping that I would fire back into that room. I have personally witnessed Hamas warriors standing in the midst of noncombatants and firing at the Israeli fighters. I know that this is a Hamas military and media tactic that is being used to maximize the amount of Palestinians causalities in the fight against Israel and though you haven’t been in Gaza yourself if you had, you would know this too.

I know that each Palestinian civilian who is injured or killed in this fight is a deeply regrettable tragedy and I hope and pray that this battle will not take any more lives on either side of the struggle. I know that you agree with this too.

And finally I know that as a father, brother, uncle, friend, as a warrior and as an Israeli it is my duty to defend my country and my people from those who say they want us dead (the Hamas states that in its charter) and will use whatever means they can buy or make to achieve that outcome. I am not ashamed of this and I will not apologize for defending the lives of those I hold dear and I know that if you were under the same threat that you would defend your country and your loved ones too and I know that you know that.

So now - you see - that, as an Israeli, I know a lot about the situation in Gaza but, when you really think about it, you know a lot about the situation too."

Comments: If you meet in a Christian group to pray for Israel, please remember him and those with whom he works.