A Day of Truth will unmask Hamas and its Day of Terror

The terrorist actions of Hamas against Israel, and social media postings of that violence, have revealed the true face of Hamas. These terrorists are cowards and the face of evil in this world. On a Jewish holiday, they turned joy into devastation, invading Israel in a premeditated and unprovoked fashion. They turned the southern communities of Israel along the Gaza border into killing fields, slaughtering men, women and children, infants and seniors, in the most brutal and savage fashions, and abducted so many now being held hostage. With their cellphones, they gleefully recorded horrific images of the crimes they committed against humanity.

Hamas has revealed to the world its true face, its mission and its goal — to glorify the murder of Jews. Hamas is designated by our American government as a terrorist organization. But Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people; according to the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority is the legitimate representative of Palestinians. Hamas violently seized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007 and has since subjugated the citizens of Gaza.

Hamas has received billions of dollars from foreign nations, and yet the people of Gaza live in squalor. The funds received are siphoned into weapons of destruction and an infrastructure designed to attack Israel and her civilian population. Hamas embeds rockets and military positions in residential neighborhoods and in mosques, schools and hospitals with a callous disregard for the residents of Gaza. They terrorize and kill Jews and terrorize their own population, providing them no shelter and no safety.

Hamas has called for a Day of Terror against Jews around the globe. But these terrorists are unmasked this day with the truth of their utter contempt for humanity, disregard for human life, and sheer evil. We cannot capitulate to their venomous hatred. We, as a nation, must stand tall and united and resoundingly speak the truth. Hamas is not to be feared or lionized; a social media campaign of terrorism cannot paralyze our lives or instill fear.

As Americans, we recall the march in Charlottesville in 2017, when a white supremacist rally taught us that no good person marches under a Nazi banner, and that Americans are united against hatred, bigotry and racism anywhere and everywhere. This week, we have learned that anyone who makes a spurious and false claim in support of Hamas is telling the world they support violence and the annihilation of Jews. Supporting Hamas is not about supporting the Palestinians, or supporting human rights. To support Hamas is to support terrorism and become an ally of evil. People of good faith and values reject the hatred and savagery of terrorism.

We dare not fear the terrorists of Hamas. We have no fear left after this pogrom turned the cities and villages of Southern Israel into killing fields.

In the Biblical narrative of Noah and the flood, to be read next week in synagogues around the world, Genesis 6:11 states "va-timalay ha-aretz hamas” — the world was filled with violence/corruption/chaos. In Hebrew, both modern and ancient, the word "Hamas" represents violent decadence, moral corruption, and evil chaos. Hamas is not about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It is about evil and fear inflicted upon our world.

Vanquishing that evil can never bring back the innocent children, women and men who were slaughtered. But truth can defeat terror. Let us band together and let this message of truth resound. The rainbow that divinely appears after the flood reminds our world that evil and terror can be conquered and our world united can safely and securely seek to create a vivid rainbow of future hope, harmony and healing.

This guest essay reflects the views of Rabbi Howard R. Buechler of the Dix Hills Jewish Center.