Support Israel's Right to Self-Defense

Dear Friends of Israel, January 8, 2009

As you know, during the last two weeks Israel has responded to Hamas’ daily rocket attacks against Israeli cities over the last three and a half years. Hamas has deliberately been targeting Israeli citizens, with many of the rockets landing in playgrounds and housing developments, and has launched more than 600 rockets at Israel in the past six weeks alone. Although a formal ceasefire agreement existed between Israel and Hamas for six months until just before Christmas, Hamas never stopped the rocket attacks despite Israel’s compliance with the terms of the ceasefire. Although still being under attack, Israel has prevented a humanitarian crisis in Gaza by allowing food, medicine, and electricity to be transported from Israel to Gaza. This is because Israel values all human life, and wants to avoid the unnecessary suffering of the Palestinian people. Hamas hides from Israeli retaliation by forcibly occupying the homes and schools of Palestinian civilians who have nothing to do with the conflict, but are placed in harms way by their own leaders who want to exploit their deaths. While Hamas seeks to maximize civilian casualties in Israel and does not care about protecting the lives of the Palestinian people, Israel targets only military or terrorist operatives even at great expense and personal danger to Israeli soldiers.

The media coverage of the fighting in Gaza that is presented in the United States is unfairly slanted and biased against Israel. As a result, very few people know of the great effort that Israel is taking to limit civilian casualties or of the silent support of the Arab people for the offensive against Hamas. It is hardly mentioned, for example, that before bombing sites known to harbor members of the terrorist group Hamas or store their supplies, the Israeli Defense Forces have called thousands of Palestinians on their cell phones and dropped pamphlets in Arabic warning them to flee the area. No one tells you that in interviews with surviving family members of Palestinians who have been killed in the conflict, the overwhelming amount of blame for the deaths are placed on Hamas. And no one mentions that the greatest beneficiary of Israel’s successful removal of Hamas from power in Gaza will be the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. I beg you not to take the media reports you see and hear in the US for face value, but rather dig deeper and find the other side of the story.

We cannot be silent during this time. International pressure is increasing daily for Israel to abandon its military operations in Gaza and allow Hamas to resume its normal activities. The United Nations is calling emergency sessions in which resolutions condemning Israel are being discussed. Thankfully, our president has been resolute in his vocal support for Israel’s right to self-defense and the protection of Israeli citizens. Today the US Senate has passed a resolution affirming Israel’s right to self-defense as well. It is imperative that we not only thank our president and our Senators for their support, but ask our members of the House to do the same. Standing by Israel’s side during this conflict is not popular, but it is the right thing to do. And as Christians, remember to pray for peace for Israel; a true peace that lasts and does not cost the Israeli people their safety. Pray also that those in Gaza who dislike Hamas and do not agree with their activities would have the courage to stand up to them and assist in their removal from power.

All across the nation, there are protests being held on college campuses and in major cities that condemn Israel. Please join me in supporting Israel during this critical time by contacting your House members and asking them to vote in favor of a resolution supporting Israel. Also contact your Senators and the president to thank them for their support. And email all of your friends and family members to ask them to do the same. This is a time for action, and each individual has the opportunity to make a huge difference in the lives of both the Israelis and the Palestinians. Without US support, Israel could very easily be forced to abandon their operations in Gaza and that would have disastrous consequences for the future stability of the region.

It will only take a moment to click on the following links and send the necessary emails. The forms are already filled in. All that is needed is your name and contact information. Please do this thing, because it is so simple and requires so little from you but will have such a huge impact.

To email President Bush and thank him for his support:
https://secure2.convio.net/cufi/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=149

To email your Senators and thank them for their support:
http://capwiz.com/aipac/issues/alert/?alertid=12397296&type=CO

To email your Congressmen and ask them to lend their support:
http://capwiz.com/aipac/issues/alert/?alertid=12394591&type=CO

Thank you, friend, for doing all you can to support Israel’s right to self-defense and ensure that the United States continues to stand firmly by our greatest ally in the Middle East. If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to email the Knesset, a student pro-Israel organization at Oral Roberts University. All of our officers are well-trained in these issues through our involvement with prestigious political advocacy organizations such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Christians United For Israel, and the David Project.

Sincerely,

Kelsey Potter
Knesset President ’08-‘09

knessetclub@gmail.com