Unlike the Jewish state, whose citizens rushed into battle within hours of the Hamas rampage and have fought on in Gaza and southern Lebanon and as far away as Yemen and Iran, too many Westerners are sleepwalking into their own extinction.

Hamas likely understands that Trump's declaration means a green light for Israel to control humanitarian aid distribution, keep it at the legally required minimum, and increase combat intensity in Gaza.

It might suffice for Trump to threaten a boycott of Turkey or a strike on Iran’s oil fields, for them to pressure Hamas into releasing the hostages.

The Iron Wall is not just military might, which, while essential for our survival, is not an end in itself. As Jabotinsky explained at the end of his essay, the Iron Wall is ultimately about “a strong power in our land that is not amenable to any Arab pressure.”