It’s time we stay true to ourselves and stop trying to win over The Hague
The Whole World Against Us
The State of Israel is under a multi-front assault—militarily, from Hamas in Gaza; and diplomatically and legally, in the international arena.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague is threatening to launch an investigation against Israeli soldiers—men and women who left their families and livelihoods behind to risk their lives defending Israel from enemies who rose to destroy us on the morning of Simchat Torah. European Union states are issuing diplomatic warnings. Global media distorts reality, painting us as the brutal occupier, and terrorism as an innocent victim.
I am not surprised. The world behaves as it always has. There will always be nations ready to embrace our enemies in the name of “human rights” and “universal values,” while showing utter indifference to our most basic right: to protect our citizens, safeguard our soldiers, and preserve our independence as a people and a state.
But the real issue is not what they say in Europe. The real question is—what do we say to ourselves?
The Problem Lies Within Us
Unfortunately, the problem doesn’t lie with “the nations.” The problem lies within us: in our instinct to apologize, in our inferiority complex before “the international community,” in our naïve hope that if we just explain ourselves long enough, they’ll finally understand.
Well—I hate to break it to you, but they won’t. Not because they can’t understand, but because it’s simply not in their interest to. Nations act based on interests—not justice, nor truths.
If the people of Israel wish to survive, we must learn to do what’s best for Israel—not what pleases the Europeans. We must stop obsessing over the interests of other nations and those who wish us harm. We must listen to our conscience and adhere to our Jewish values.
Lessons from History
History has taught us this: this is how the strength of the State of Israel was built.
Ben-Gurion didn’t wait for the “UN-shmun.” Begin didn’t ask for permission before ordering the bombing of Iraq’s nuclear reactor. IDF soldiers didn’t get European approval before heading to Munich or Entebbe—when they rose in the middle of the night to restore human and national dignity.
The reactor in Dimona wasn’t built on the basis of “international consensus.” It was built because we knew we had no other choice—because if we wanted to defend the Jewish people living in our land, we had to build the best protective shield possible.
Only when we acted with strategic independence, national courage, and belief in the justice of our cause—did we succeed. Every attempt to please the world, conform to foreign expectations, or justify ourselves before the UN—ended in failure, humiliation, and loss of human life.
A Deep Truth About Our Identity
This issue goes beyond foreign policy—it strikes at the heart of our national identity.
"A people that dwells alone, and is not counted among the nations" (Numbers 23:9) is not just a poetic verse. It is a deep truth—a cornerstone of Jewish thought. The Jewish people are not just another nation—not because we are “better,” but because we bear a different mission. A moral mission. A spiritual mission. A mission that sometimes requires us to stand firm against the lies of the world and those who spread them.
It is time we stop being ashamed of that.
A chosen people does not adjust itself to every whim of global consensus. We do not bow to political trends. We do not base our national security on a PR campaign.
We must look in the mirror and recognize: we are a people that chooses life—a people seeking to preserve its Jewish identity with respect for its core values.
No Apologies—Only Action
In these days—when international pressure is mounting—Israel must act with a clear mindset:
- We do not apologize—we defend ourselves.
- We don’t “ask permission”—we strike terrorism.
- We do not halt a justified military operation because of diplomats’ tweets or disapproval of government policy.
We must get used to believing in the justice of our cause—and once we do, others will begin to believe too.
Because if we ourselves doubt our most basic right to self-defense—there will soon be no one left to defend us. And heaven forbid—no one left to defend at all.
