The latest and perhaps most powerful ideological attack on Israel is that it has killed thousands of Palestinian children in its response to the admittedly despicable incursion of Hamas on October 7, 2023, a day that shall ever live in infamy. Yes, it will be widely conceded, that invasion was perhaps unwarranted. But the IDF response was disproportionate, and totally innocent Arab children have borne the brunt of it, with no respite in sight when and if hostilities resume.
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Here are some statements to that effect.
Headlines the organization Defense for Children International: "4,237 Palestinian children killed as Gaza becomes 'graveyard for children.'" In the view of the so-called Human Rights Watch: "West Bank: Spike in Israeli Killings of Palestinian Children. End Systematic Impunity for Unlawful Lethal Force." Al Jazeera maintains that "Israel's slaughter of Palestinian children must end. Every Israeli bomb dropped on the densely-populated Gaza Strip is a potential war crime." United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres took the position that "Gaza is becoming a graveyard for children." This worthy called for an immediate cease-fire (even Bernie Sanders does not go that far) and stated "The nightmare in Gaza is more than a humanitarian crisis. It is a crisis of humanity," whatever that means.
UNICEF held forth the effect that "Death and trauma stalk Palestinian children. The staggering rate of deaths and injuries of children in Gaza is a growing stain on our collective conscience."
It cannot be denied that this tugs at the heartstrings of all decent people. The idea that children, innocent children, should suffer in this manner is indeed sickening. However, the claim that thousands or even hundreds of children died because of Israeli airstrikes comes solely from the Gaza Health Ministry, i.e., from Hamas itself. Until the war is over and we get an accurate picture of the situation we can only take this claim with a grain of salt, indeed, with a bucketful of that seasoning.
However, let us suppose this very serious charge to be true, arguendo. Then, consider the following. There are two neighbors, Pete and Joe. The former hates the latter with a purple passion. The latter is at worst indifferent to the former. Pete has decided to kill Joe. Not murder him, because murder is unjustified killing, and Pete maintains Joe is beyond the pale, he is so evil that he deserves to die. However, Pete full well knows that Joe has a gun, and is a crack shot. However, he also knows that Joe has a soft spot for children.
So Pete comes up with a brilliant strategy. He has five children, all of them small, and he is physically strong. So he hides behind his progeny, carries them in front of him, confronts Joe, and aims to shoot him. When the latter raises his gun arm in an attempt to defend himself, Pete says to Joe: "Tut, tut, tut, you may not morally shoot at me, even though that is the only possible way to save your life, for, if you do, you will necessarily hurt or kill one or more of my children."
What can be said to all those who blame Israel for the deaths of Palestinian children? One thing is: Do you mean, seriously, to sit there and tell us that Joe must allow Pete to gun him down? That Joe must allow Pete to kill him without raising a finger in his own self-defense given that doing so will result in the death of one or more of Pete's children?
What possible answer could these people give? One possibility is to just change the subject. This is the most common response to this defense of Israel.
Another is to take the position that there is a disanalogy here. That Israel is not Joe and Hamas is not Pete. This will avail themselves nothing in a philosophical debate meant to get at the truth of the matter, for, note, this question about Pete and Joe has not yet been answered. It is being totally ignored. Does Joe, or does he not, have the right to defend himself, even at the cost of the lives of one or more of Pete's kids? Answer the question!
Another possible response is that, yes, Joe does indeed have the right to so defend himself. But only once. He gets to have only one "get out of jail card" in the Parker Brothers' Monopoly game. But not two or more. So here is the situation: Pete confronts Joe a second time. He now has only four children. Joe shot one of them yesterday. So, now, today, Joe has no right to again defend himself? He must on this occasion allow Pete to kill him because Joe is only allowed to kill one of Pete's progeny?
Please answer this question. Do not prevaricate. Do not keep trying to avoid it.
Is there a disanalogy here? Of course not. This is precisely the ploy that Hamas has for all too long employed against Israel. All too many people have fallen for it. They have swallowed it, hook, line, and sinker. No, Israel has not been perfect in its dealings with the Arabs. The IDF has been way too soft on its enemies, way too guided by public opinion, particularly on the part of the US. But even if it has violated Palestinian rights, it by no means follows that Israel should render itself helpless in the face of this Hamas children's tactic. Certainly not on any moral grounds worthy of that honorific.
No child of any ethnic group should be killed. Certainly, this includes Palestinian children. But whose fault is it that this has occurred, and will likely continue after the present pause is concluded? Is it Israel's fault? No. It is entirely the responsibility of Hamas. If they laid down their arms this moment and surrendered, the IDF would not kill a single additional Palestinian child. Israeli hospitals would instead save as many injured Palestinian children as is humanly possible. So, if you are really worried about these unfortunate children, support an immediate Hamas surrender, not that of Israel. For make no mistake about it: a ceasefire in the absence of a Hamas surrender is tantamount to an Israeli surrender. All the Jews in Israel might then as well move to Brooklyn, not that they would be safe there either.
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