On the first anniversary of October 7, 2023, we are still living in an unprecedented time. Hostages are still held captive in the Gaza Strip and their families continue to live in excruciating uncertainty.
Nearly 100,000 Israelis are still evacuated from their homes, particularly in the north, where the situation is concerning, living in temporary accommodation. Their lives are still in flux, and their futures are uncertain. Our reservists, still fighting or stationed far from home endure the strain of extended separation from their homes and loved ones.
We are pushed into impossible moral dilemmas
The atrocities committed by the terrorists last year on October 7 defy imagination. The human rights violations from the day alone encompass a terrifying spectrum: sexual violence, torture, and the burning of people of all ages.
One year on, Israel continues to be confronted with duplicitous tactics by terrorist Hamas. Our remaining hostages serve as human shields and the Palestinian civilian populations are deliberately pushed into the crossfire by Hamas, forcing Israel into often almost impossible moral dilemmas.
The international community needs to wake up to reality
On the international stage, Israel has stood firm despite pressure including at the International Criminal Court. The Chief Prosecutor of the ICC caused outrage in May by accusing Israel of deliberately starving or killing civilians in the Gaza Strip.
This claim stands in stark contrast to the reality that thousands of food aid trucks pass the border into the Gaza Strip daily. What the ICC did not take into account was that Hamas immediately confiscates these deliveries and sells them at extortionate prices to the civilian population.
UN representation initially appeared to justify October 7
If the horror of October 7 had taken place anywhere else but Israel, the unequivocal condemnation for the mass murder and subsequent international efforts for the return of hostages would have been immediate.
Instead, Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, wrote on X the same day of the Hamas attack: “Today’s violence must be put in context. Almost six decades of hostile military rule over an entire civilian population are.. an aggression.” Such a statement constitutes nothing but a vile attempt to justify Hamas’ terrorism on the very day of the attack by a UN representative.
The UN's failure to formally condemn Hamas further fuels antisemitism
The UN General Assembly has since failed to pass any resolution condemning Hamas for the October 7 butchery. Their refusal to issue a straightforward condemnation risks its credibility internationally even further. Any responsible, well-reasoned person — let alone world leaders — cannot deny the pain and suffering inflicted on the Israeli people in the worst attack against Jews since the Holocaust.
By refusing to officially condemn Hamas for the massacre of 1,200 people and the torture, rape, mutilation, and kidnapping of hundreds more on October 7, the UN General Assembly has signaled to the world that violence against Jews is justifiable. Their tacit acceptance of this violence has emboldened the carrying of Hamas flags in marches the world, chants of “Long live the Intifada” and targeted attacks of Jews on the street, in the marketplaces, and places of worship.
Hostages from the 20+ nations held by Hamas deserve action
With Hamas still holding captive citizens of 20 other countries in addition to Israel — including Argentina, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Nepal, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Tanzania, Thailand, the U.K., Ukraine and the U.S., according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum — an unequivocal call for the unconditional release of the hostages is the most basic of actions we should be able to expect from the UN that is allegedly committed to human rights and the rule of law.
Jennifer TealeTo conclude: One year on, we have seen the resilience of the Israeli people, overcoming the odds to rescue and serve. Despite the lies on the international stage, Israel stands resolute in the face of terror. Israeli society will continue to demonstrate its resilience and counter antisemitism and discrimination in our ongoing quest for justice.
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