Rabbi Mordecai Finley, PhD is the spiritual leader of Ohr HaTorah Synagogue in Los Angeles.
Read more: A letter to friends who want to understand what is happening in Gaza | Mordecai Finley | Ops & Blogs | The Times of Israel http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-letter-to-friends-who-want-to-understand-what-is-happening-in-gaza/#ixzz390RRFCVk
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The martyring of civilians in war is not that uncommon either. Thousands of Japanese committed suicide instead of surrendering to the Americans. Civilians are often proud to die for their country. Gazans, however, are not given the opportunity to choose. By hiding rocket launchers in civilian neighborhoods, by declaring war on Israel without building bomb shelter for their people, means only one thing: Hamas wants to martyr their civilians. It makes an uninformed world blame Israel. This is a very smart tactic. Just don’t fall for it.
My heart breaks for the suffering of the Palestinian people. I pray that they get their state soon, and will live peaceably alongside Israel. There will be lots of wounds to mend in this process on both sides.
But I don’t blame Israel for the civilian suffering of Palestinians that you see. It is a deliberate tactic of war intended to make you feel exactly what you are feeling: sympathy. I feel sympathy as well, but I know who has the responsibility for this suffering: Hamas.” ‘
Read more: A letter to friends who want to understand what is happening in Gaza | Mordecai Finley | Ops & Blogs | The Times of Israel http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-letter-to-friends-who-want-to-understand-what-is-happening-in-gaza/#ixzz390Qacb2y
Follow us: @timesofisrael on Twitter | timesofisrael on Facebook
I CAME ACROSS THIS BLOG BY Rabbi Mordecai Finley. I FIND THIS BLOG VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING. WHAT INDEED DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE CONSTANTLY AFRAID SOME TERRORISTS IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD ARE OUT TO KILL YOU AND ALL YOUR PEOPLE?
THE LAST FEW PARAGRAPHS OF THE RABBI’S BLOG I COPIED ABOVE. THE RABBI REFERS TO HISTORY SAYING THAT the martyring of civilians in war is not that uncommon.
AuntyUta 