Rabbis not supporting the war against Hamas are acting irresponsibly

Key Findings:

This op-ed emphasizes the importance of responsibility as a key Jewish value, and points out that various political and religious leaders have respectively failed to uphold this principle in the wake of the Israel-Hamas War. 

Many American rabbis are engaging in what the author describes as “peace-posturing" rather than genuine peace-seeking. For example, American Jewish rabbis have urged President Joe Biden to pressure Israel into a ceasefire, without properly acknowledging the threat that terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah pose to their Jewish brethren in Israel. In addition, the author criticizes ​​Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef for championing ultra-Orthodox draft dodging, and Netanyahu for his failure to adequately address catastrophe and take accountability – a repeating pattern. 

The author defends Israel's military actions against Hamas and Hezbollah, arguing that well-timed and well-fought wars are necessary to ensure lasting peace. He asserts that Israel's efforts to minimize civilian casualties should be recognized, keeping in mind the  complexities and challenges of the urban warfare the IDF is facing in Gaza.