By: PiolyThe tragic loss of innocent lives at the hands of Hamas serves as a stark warning that appeasement only fuels their reign of terror.
"If there was anything we could have done to save you, and we failed to consider it, I implore your forgiveness," expressed a heartbroken Rachel Goldberg during her son Hersh Goldberg-Polin's funeral on Monday. The 23-year-old Israeli-American was the focus of her profound grief. "We fought so hard, with all our hearts. I am truly sorry."
This situation brings to mind King Theoden's poignant words in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, as he mourned at his son's grave: "No parent should have to bury their child."
Sadly, in this fractured world, akin to J.R.R. Tolkien’s imagined Middle Earth, parents are sometimes faced with the unbearable task of burying their children. Even more tragically, this occurs due to the malevolent actions of others.
Goldberg-Polin was among over 250 hostages taken by Hamas during their vicious assault on Israel on October 7. Originally from Berkeley, California, he relocated to Israel in 2008. He suffered a severe injury, losing part of his left arm in a grenade explosion during the attack. The Hamas assault resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 Israelis, including 45 Americans, and many of the hostages have since perished or been killed while in captivity. Recently, Hersh and five others were executed—shot in the back of the head—and their remains were discovered over the weekend in a tunnel beneath Rafah, a city in southern Gaza.
The other victims included Eden Yerushalmi (24), Ori Danino (25), Almog Sarusi (27), Alexander Lobanov (33), and Carmel Gat (40). Approximately 100 hostages are still believed to be in Gaza, with their survival uncertain.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended his heartfelt condolences, addressing the families, "I ask for your forgiveness that we were unable to bring them back alive. We were very close, but ultimately, we could not succeed." However, he did not only express sorrow. "Israel will not overlook this massacre," he asserted. "Hamas will face severe consequences for this—very severe consequences."
In a seemingly alternate reality, American leftists have placed the blame for Hamas's terrorism squarely on Netanyahu, despite Hamas being a proxy for Iran, which the Democratic Party appears eager to appease. Following the tragic news of hostage fatalities, both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris reiterated their calls for Israel to exercise restraint, reflecting a perplexing stance in the face of escalating violence.
Although Biden interrupted his vacation to express his devastation and outrage, declaring that "Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes," he simultaneously maintained a sense of optimism regarding a ceasefire that would necessitate significant concessions to the very leaders responsible for the attacks. This contradictory approach raises questions about the administration's commitment to a firm stance against terrorism while seeking diplomatic solutions.
The Biden administration's insistence on delaying Israel's military actions in Rafah, which Biden labeled a "red line," and the withholding of military support to enforce this position, ultimately served to benefit Hamas. Despite Harris's claims of understanding the situation on the ground, the three-month delay allowed Hamas to regroup while Israel managed to evacuate many civilians, leaving hostages vulnerable. The mixed signals from the administration have led to confusion, with Netanyahu rightly asserting that such messages encourage further hostage-taking by Hamas, a situation exacerbated by the perceived weakness of the current U.S. leadership.
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