Who’s standing with Israel and who’s not

It didn’t take very long for America’s “ironclad” promise of support towards Israel to dissipate. As soon as Biden’s extreme progressive base threatened to abandon his 2024 presidential bid for a second term, due to their perception that he sided more with Israel, a sharp pivot was made in the direction of desertion.

Angered by that move, many members of Congress, Israeli leaders and prominent Jewish individuals have expressed their outrage, expressing that at a time when the Jewish homeland is in its greatest existential fight, it’s simply an unconscionable decision for the current U.S. administration to pause a much-needed shipment of precision weapons.

Perhaps most infuriated was actor and comedian, Michael Rapaport, who took to Instagram, to unload his expletive-laden tirade, of Biden’s ill-timed decision to halt the needed weapons, resulting in Rapaport’s vow to un-endorse him.

But the U.S. is not the only country that has come to the conclusion that support for Israel does not benefit them. The Albanese government of Australia went one step further when they indicated they would support a UN vote that would grant full membership to Palestine. As it turned out, the resolution ended up giving new rights and privileges to Palestine, but “it remains a non-member observer state without full UN membership and the right to vote in the General Assembly or at any of its conferences.”

Others who have joined this growing opposition of nations, apparently believing that Hamas should live to see another day include Germany, which has heeded international criticism, resulting in a significant reduction of the 30% of military aid supplied to Israel, which they have consistently provided throughout the years 2019-23. 

Netherlands has also stopped their parts shipments for our F-35 jets, once an “appeals court ruling determined that there was a risk that the parts could be used in connection with violations of humanitarian law.”

Canada, under Trudeau’s government, has also predictably walked away from the help they have given to Israel by way of arms exports, following the speculative possibility that humanitarian law is not being enforced by the Jewish state, a very convenient alibi which will surely appease their many pro-Palestinian supporters, a large portion of whom are anti-Israel Middle Eastern migrants who have made Canada their home in the last few years.

Italy, said to be “one of Israel’s three biggest arms suppliers,” likewise has put an end to further shipments, also casting doubt on whether provided weapons would be used to kill Gazans, even though no one has come right out to make such an accusation that this is happening.

Britain, which minimally provides military assistance to Israel, has been more involved in granting export licenses to sell equipment to Israel. And although “some left-wing opposition parties have called on the government to revoke the export licenses,” once again, hinting at the possibility that Israel is disregarding humanitarian law, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has not changed his policy and caved into pressure – at least, for now.

All this is happening, despite a joint statement back in October, released by the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Italy and Canada declaring their strong support for the right of Israel to defend herself against terrorism. But now that an incursion into Rafah, the last Hamas stronghold, has begun, few are willing to endorse the need to finish the job in order to put an end to the terror group, which invaded Israel’s sovereign space on October 7th and perpetrated a massacre, the likes from which we are still reeling.

In fact, Turkey has come out and called an operation in Rafah as tantamount to another war crime, in addition to any defensive measures which we have been taking since the heinous attack.

In short, you’d be hard-pressed to find any nation or leader who is willing to come out publicly and say that a Rafah incursion is imperative in Israel’s fight for survival, because that would demand an unequivocal position that recognizes Hamas as a terrorist entity, something to which few would relent, given their own sizeable Palestinian populations. In fact, the New York Times has published an article entitled, “Israel ‘Smashing into Rafah’ will not Eradicate Hamas, Biden Aide, Says,” in an attempt to justify why such an operation would be ineffective.

Yet it’s likely that Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia are secretly hoping that Hamas is completely wiped out, because the threat to their countries, is not insignificant. With Iranian-backed efforts, coupled with their aspirational goal of ridding the Middle East of its Jewish presence, Hamas could easily expand their territorial hold into those nations as well, risking the balance of power in the region.

Other European nations might also secretly be rooting for Israel to emerge victorious, knowing that if we don’t, they’ll be next in line in the long wish-list of aspirational conquests held by Hamas. Nonetheless, no one is anxious to declare themselves as those who are brave enough to buck the system by pledging their unapologetic support for Israel, knowing that it can cost them in ways they are not willing to pay.

What does that say? It says that we recognize just how great the pressure is to keep Israel at arms’ length, like an outcast who has a contagious disease, and best left in isolation. But we are never alone, even if everyone should walk away, acting as if they never knew us, because we are, forever, the people whom God has chosen to be a light in a dark and confused world. He is the same One who promised to “never leave or forsake us,” (Deut. 31:6-8) also repeated in 1Deut. 4:31, “For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.”

So, who needs other nations when we have such magnificent promises, assuring us that we will never be alone nor forgotten? While it’s nice to feel valued, affirmed and supported, Israel has learned that these things will not come from her fellow nations, and that is much to their own detriment, because another promise which was made in the very first Biblical book of Genesis, reveals the bitter consequences of turning against us, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.” (12:3)

In the end, it means that a price will be paid one way or another, but if it’s a choice of angering some of your countrymen or angering God, the decision shouldn’t be too difficult to make, knowing that the latter always ends up being much more consequential!