The evil actions of Hamas

The murderous assault on the people of Israel is an illegal and immoral attack undertaken by Hamas, which now shows its true identity as a terrorist organization. The attack, shocking in its murderous brutality, should be condemned by every government around the world. It is important to note that the attacks by Hamas violate the fundamental principles of international law and the moral structure that undergirds international law. Perhaps we should not be surprised since Hamas rejects many of those same basic principles of international law. Indeed, one can see just how extreme Hamas is simply by observing the fact that it has been designated as a terrorist organization by governments and that the illegitimacy of Hamas is a point of agreement by governments as diverse as Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.  

Hamas, like other violent Islamist movements, is responsible for terrorism and violence targeting other Muslims as well as Israel. In its attack on Israel Hamas was indiscriminate in killing young people at the Tribe of Nova music festival and those who happened to be in their way. If a Muslim teenager or a Christian mother or a Jewish citizen happened to be in front of Hamas, those people were gunned down. At present, we don't fully know the identities of all of those who were killed. Hamas is indiscriminate in its use of terrorism, and this puts it in the same camp as Boko Haram, al Qaeda, the Taliban, and others who terrorize their Muslim neighbors and attack other targets of their vitriol, most notably Christians, Jews, or minority Muslims.  

What is remarkable are the crowds in the streets of Western countries, including the United States, chanting slogans in favor of Hamas. Perhaps there's some confusion among idealistic young people, but that is inexcusable ignorance. Hamas is an illegitimate organization because it calls for the extinction of another state and the elimination of a people. No government is legitimate that kidnaps civilians or uses human shields.

The kidnapping of a hundred or more Israelis is particularly perverse. Think about what that means. Some are students. Some are professionals. Some are elderly. Some need insulin or other medicines. Some are children. At least one is a long-time peace activist beloved by Palestinians. All of these people were dehumanized by Hamas.  

Hamas is equally evil in using hostages as human shields. This is a practice that has long been seen as illegitimate. Legitimate governments that operate on principles of just cause and right intention to attack another country never use noncombatants as human shields.  

At times, Hamas seems to seek international legitimacy, but it has never accepted the UN’s two-state solution, and its charter calls for the destruction of a neighboring country. Hamas is also intolerant of dissent at home. It fans the flames of anti-Semitism. The egregious attack against innocent civilians demonstrates that alongside other violent Islamist movements such as Boko Haram and so-called Islamic State (ISIS), Hamas is a threat to its fellow Muslims as well as others that it has indiscriminately targeted.

In any event, the Israeli government finds itself facing a grave task of restoring order and rescuing its citizens. Hamas is a resolute foe driven by a cunning, suicidal logic that does not value human life in the way that so many of the Muslims, Christians, and Jews across the region do.

It is time for the international community to make it clear that groups like Hamas have zero standing in international affairs. They are threats to the lives, livelihoods, and way of lives of not just their enemies but of their own people, those who they purport to represent. The evil nature of this attack provides clarity as to the aims and identity of Hamas. The problem is that concrete solutions that restore order and protect human life will be very hard to come by.