My View on 10/7 and the War in Contrast to the Common Poles
Typical Anti-Israel Narrative
The anti-Israel camp escalated immediately after 10/7, framing Israel as the aggressor and crying “genocide” within days. They excuse or glamorize Hamas and other Islamofascist proxies of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), portraying them as “freedom fighters” while ignoring decades of oppression these groups inflict on their own populations. They equate Gazans with Hamas, Iranians with the IRI, and Yemenis with the Houthis, erasing distinctions between civilians and regimes. This view also overlooks key facts: Israel fully withdrew from Gaza in 2005, the Palestinian Authority (PA) did not participate in this war, and the IRI is the real orchestrator behind the attacks.
⸻
Typical Pro-Israel Narrative
On the other extreme, the pro-Israel camp often paints with too broad a brush, treating all Gazans as Hamas supporters and all Muslims as Islamofascists. Many believe Hamas was legitimately elected, but Gaza has never had free and fair elections — not even in 2006. No one could safely criticize Hamas, few dared run against them, and many feared even voting against them, worried their anonymity wouldn’t be protected. While this view correctly identifies Hamas and the IRI as threats, it often fails to distinguish oppressive regimes from civilians trapped under them. It also tends to defend Israeli expansionist settlers in the West Bank unquestioningly, overlooking the complexity of that situation — largely separate from 10/7.
⸻
My View: Islamofascism Is the Problem
My position rejects both extremes. While Hamas has significant support in Gaza, many Gazans hate Hamas and want peace, but totalitarian rule silences their voices. I view Islamofascism — embodied by the IRI and its proxies — as the central problem for both Muslims and Jews, and for regional stability more broadly. This was not a “Palestinian war” at all; it was initiated by the IRI via Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and others, only one of which is even Palestinian, and even that only Gazan. I stand with Muslims suffering under Islamofascism as much as I stand with Israelis facing its attacks. While I recognize there are asshole Israeli settlers in the West Bank, that’s a separate, complex issue — not part of this war. And I see the “genocide” cries since 10/7 less as reasoned claims than as badges of cult membership, post-hoc rationalizations serving ideology rather than facts.
===
