Last week a group of LFHS students and several adults from outside the school staged a “walk-out” in support of Palestinians. One of the students quoted in the article stated that they were protesting 75 plus years of Israeli occupation and protesting civilian death at the hands of Israel. He also stated that there were “Rabbis” that were protesting with them. The article alleges that the students were “met with loud opposition from the other group of protestors, who said things like, ‘You should be ashamed of yourselves.’” One opposing protestor approached the group of students with a megaphone, holding a sign that said “LFHS Admin Grooms Hitler Youth.”

It’s crucial to clarify that the individual using the megaphone was not part of the peaceful group I was a part of who were standing on the opposite side of the street, displaying American and Israeli flags to express support for Israel and Jewish students at LFHS. The person who shouted “you should be ashamed of yourselves” was warned by me to cease such remarks or leave. Furthermore, the only Rabbi present at the event attended after receiving a personal invitation from me. He engaged with several students away from the pro-Palestine group before rejoining us for the remainder of the demonstration. Although representatives from the Forest Scout may have spoken with one of our group members, none of that conversation was included in the article.

While I fully support the students’ right to free speech, I do take issue with their message. First, the assertion regarding Israel’s 75-plus years of occupation of Palestine is inaccurate. Israel withdrew its troops and settlements from Gaza in 2005. Since then, Hamas, designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union, has governed Gaza without permitting free elections. Additionally, Hamas has launched numerous attacks against Israel, including rocket and mortar strikes, mass shootings, and suicide bombings.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants, without provocation, brutally attacked Israel, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,200 men, women and children, along with numerous injuries and kidnappings, predominantly targeting young attendees of a music festival. These militants livestreamed their actions, depicting potential war crimes. Subsequent UN investigations, conducted in March 2024, found “reasonable grounds to believe” that some Hamas members committed sexual violence against hostages and victims on Oct. 7.

Israel’s response to this unprovoked and brutal act of terrorism has been both appropriate and lawful, marked by considerable restraint. Notably, on October 13, 2023, Israel issued warnings to civilians in Gaza City to evacuate, minimizing potential harm from its military  response to the October 7 attack. However, Hamas routinely employs innocent civilians as human shields and utilizes hospitals, mosques, and schools as military installations.

While students may not have been alive in 2001, I hope that LFHS educated them about the September 11 terrorist attacks and the widespread support for the subsequent military response by the United States. Just as the US had every right to defend itself, Israel similarly has the right to respond to terrorist attacks on its sovereign territory.

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