Martin H. van den Bergh

Israel is in dispute with the President of the United States, who is seeking to prevent it from responding to Hezbollah’s ongoing aggression, which continues to affect residents of northern Israel. Yet we must not be dissuaded from defending ourselves, nor distracted by persistent antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric. The Holocaust taught us the terrible price of failing to defend ourselves.

​

The Jewish people cherish peace, but we must be ready to confront those who threaten us. The Torah teaches that we must be prepared for war: וְכִֽי־תָבֹ֨אוּ מִלְחָמָ֜ה בְּאַרְצְכֶ֗ם עַל־הַצַּר֙ הַצֹּרֵ֣ר אֶתְכֶ֔ם וַהֲרֵעֹתֶ֖ם בַּחֲצֹצְרֹ֑ת וְנִזְכַּרְתֶּ֗ם לִפְנֵי֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְנוֹשַׁעְתֶּ֖ם מֵאֹיְבֵיכֶֽם׃ — “And if you go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets; and you shall be remembered before the Lord your God and be saved from your enemies.” (Numbers 10:9)

​

We must be prepared militarily, but we must also seek to be worthy of God’s compassion and trust that, with His help, we can overcome our enemies. Calev stated this powerfully in response to the negative report of ten of the twelve spies: “Let us go up at once and possess it; עלו נעלה for we are surely able to overcome it.” (Numbers 13:30)

​

Since October 7th, we have witnessed many miracles that have helped us withstand attacks from Iran, Hamas, and the Houthis, as well as hostility on multiple fronts, simply because we have dared to defend ourselves.

​

We long for peace, but not at the cost of jeopardizing our very existence—and even President Trump should recognise that.