Israeli and American air force crews participate in the “Desert Falcon” joint international exercise in Israel in January 2022. Photo: IDF

More than 3,000 years ago, the Creator gave Israel to the Jewish people. Yet, today, Israel faces existential threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and Iranian-backed terror groups. What does this mean for the United States? The answer is clear — Israel’s fight is not just about the world’s only Indigenous Jewish homeland, but a battle for the values of democracy and decency — which both our countries hold dear.

As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., taught us, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

On October 7, 2023, during the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, Hamas launched a brutal attack on Israelis and Americans, committing unspeakable atrocities. Babies were murdered, girls were raped, and evil was unleashed. Deplorably, over 18 million of our “fellow” Americans think this is “acceptable.” This wasn’t just an attack on Israel, but an assault on humanity.

Yet, as Congressperson Ritchie Torres (D-NY) tweeted, our country is full of  “useful idiots” who parrot terrorist propaganda on college campuses, online, and even in the hallowed halls of Congress and government, thereby letting Hamas literally get away with murder. (In the interests of free speech, would we allow the KKK to march around calling for the extermination of all Black people? I didn’t think so.)

The pro-Hamas mob wants to delegitimize and ultimately destroy an innocent minority group through propaganda — exactly what the Nazis sought to do. And stopping Nazis is as American as you can get.

Iran is the puppet master. Through proxies like Hezbollah and the Houthis, Iran aims to destabilize the region, isolate Israel, and advance its nuclear ambitions. Their goal is to use Russia, China, Turkey, and the Arab League, against the Jewish homeland. Weapons and training flow from Iran to terror affiliates worldwide. Have we forgotten November 4, 1979?

This is why the obvious must be said again and again: Hamas and Hezbollah are our enemies as well — and they directly threaten American interests.

US intelligence has repeatedly warned of these groups’ potential to strike within the US and incite violence against Americans. Supporting Israel is not just about our ally; it’s a defense of democracy against the encroaching tide of extremism.

Israel’s military efforts are unmatched in minimizing civilian casualties, yet Israel is vilified in the court of public opinion. (Why are no media outlets comparing the civilian casualty toll of the conflict in Gaza with similar conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan, etc? Why are there no protests for the Muslims and Arabs being killed in these countries in horrific numbers?).

The United Nations harbors blatant bias against the only democracy in that region, and is complicit in a UN-Hamas alliance, which is being exposed daily. UN-run schools brainwash kids to hate Jews, funnel our taxpayer dollars to pay for terrorist wealth, and allow their buildings to store weapons and conceal terror tunnels.

For Americans, the choice is clear. Stand with Israel or embolden regimes that celebrate death over life. The US must continue its unwavering support of the Jewish State, both diplomatically and militarily, ensuring Israel’s victory is a victory for humanity. For we all are created in the image of G-d, and we all deserve to live in a world free from terror.

As former US Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA) said, “The veneer of civilization is paper-thin. We are its guardians, and we can never rest.”

The author is an active duty service member in the US military.