Speaking Out: Bipartisan support needed to work toward stability in Israel

The recent fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas raises many questions to me - as an American, a Jew and someone who lived in Israel as a kid and has been back several times.

It seems like only yesterday that I lived in Israel as a kid when my Dad worked at the American Embassy helping to set up management training programs when, one day when on an excursion, he accidentally drove into Gaza, only to be turned back by Israeli military police.

Gaza was a pretty desolate area back then, in 1958 when Israel was just about to celebrate its 10th anniversary as a nation. Israel has come a long way since then and can no longer be perceived as David as opposed to Goliath in the Middle East.

It was a quiet time in Israel during our three-year stay: No wars, no bombs, no rockets. We were fortunate, as were our Israeli friends and neighbors, during that time period, which was one of the few times Israelis did not have to run into bomb shelters because of ongoing threats by its Arab neighbors or Palestinian terrorist groups, such as Hamas or Hezbollah.

In the last six decades, we have seen too many ongoing conflicts, with the most recent propagated by Hamas, a terrorist organization committed to destruction of Israel as a Jewish State, who has showered rockets upon Israel. We saw them do it in 2008-09,2012, 2014 and then again in this past month.

Fortunately, there is the Iron Dome, an air defense system significantly supported by the United States, which has minimized the number of casualties and damage. According to The Associated Press, more than 1,800 missiles were fired by Hamas from Gaza recently, and 90% to 95% were intercepted by the Iron Dome.

Israel had a right to defend itself from the Hamas attacks launched from various areas and tunnels. Even with its current military strength and prowess, no nation - including Israel - should have to endure that type of onslaught of missiles directed at cities. Sadly, as in most wars, there were innocent people were injured and killed, despite efforts by Israel, as a matter of policy, to wage targeted attacks in order to mitigate collateral damage. Fortunately, through quiet diplomacy, a cease-fire was accomplished.

It was one of President Biden's first foreign policy challenges; was his approach prudent and wise? I would say, and many agree, that he handled it quite well. Some on the political right think he was not as supportive of Israel as he could have been. Some on the left felt he was too supportive of Israel.

That people on the extremes each expressed concerns demonstrates that Biden's gauged, behind-the-scenes approach, with carefully chosen words during his conversations with Prime Minister Netanyahu, as well as his consultation with Egypt to serve as the prime conduit to Hamas, was the best way to handle a very difficult situation.

Each day, he ratcheted up his prodding of Bibi, showing his experience and knowledge in how to coax without being to pushy while remaining an ally.

I believe he rightfully made clear Israel's right to defend itself and the need to be supportive of the Palestinian people, without lending any credence or support to Hamas. His articulation of ongoing support for a two-state solution showed his commitment to finding a situation that would be respectful of both Palestinian rights and Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state - even if such a two-state solution is not viable in the near future based on the facts on the ground.

Most significantly, Biden stressed there will be no long - term peace until all recognize that Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish State - a critical foundation for any such peace.

What must be done in the short-term following the current cease-fire?

It appears that working to create as much stability as possible in the region is the best we can hope for. The U.S. can encourage other nations to join such efforts.

As the late Prime Minister Shimon Peres emphasized many times, creating a better economic condition for Palestinians is a key factor for the future of the region. That is why helping rebuild Gaza is so important as long as monies and economic support don't land in the hands of Hamas.

The fact that Secretary Blinken met with Palestinian President Abbas as a first step in supporting Gaza can hopefully restore more credibility to the Palestinian Authority if they can orchestrate relief to help win over more hearts among Palestinians in their standoff with Hamas.

It will not be easy. Other nations and the UN need to likewise work through the PA to bolster their credibility among the populace.

Similar economic support for Palestinians in the West Bank can only contribute to a more positive climate. Biden's resumption of contact with the PA, along with economic support to Palestinians - a reversal of the Trump administration's cutting off that relationship and support - is a positive development that puts the US back in a position to facilitate hopeful developments between Israel and Palestinians.

The Israeli government, as well as any coalition that might win control, must be cognizant of the fact that creating needed stability is in the long-term best interest of the entire region.

In addition to being supportive of restoration in Gaza, the government has to realize that Arabs living in Israel support the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and are sensitive to the plight of their brothers in Gaza after Israel inflicted collateral damage in their fight to destroy Hamas's military capability.

In Jerusalem, and especially on the Temple Mount, as well as throughout the West Bank, Israel must minimize provocative actions and new settlements, and stop action toward forced annexation and evictions of Palestinians who have lived in certain areas for decades, all of which can ignite protests.

In the weeks prior to the current fighting between Israel and Hamas, the actions of local police shooting protesters with rubber bullets certainly did not help the situation, even if intelligence reports reflected that a Hamas attack was imminent.

Fortunately, Israel wisely chose not to preemptively attack, which would have made Israel look bad on the world stage regardless of any intelligence forecasts. In the most recent Israeli election, there was more outreach to Arab and Muslim citizens than in the past because of all candidates hoping to garner a few more votes to put together a coalition. Despite the sheer political motivations, such outreach appeared to be a good thing. But the most recent conflict has clearly reversed much of any goodwill that might have been built up. All leaders in Israel must try to rebuild that outreach to attempt to reduce the hostility that built up before the cease-fire. Hopefully, in any needed next election, our brothers and sisters in Israel will rally around candidates who can form a governing coalition committed to working toward stability.

Back in the US, support for Israel has always been bipartisan and still is. I am hopeful - and fairly confident - it will stay that way despite some rumblings from a small number of vocal politicians. Nonetheless, it is concerning that there are pockets of anti- Semitism and anti-Zionism, especially when some people are being attacked because of their vocal support for Israel.

The number of hate incidents over the past few weeks during the most recent conflict were far more than usual. I am concerned about what we have seen, and may continue to see, on college campuses. Manifestations of hate during the recent US Capitol insurrection were also quite visible. Such actions of outright hate and prejudice must be condemned by all, but political leaders in particular need to speak up.

Policy differences, though cloaked in sympathy or concern for human rights, are problematic, and often ignore the facts on the ground. Such is particularly the case with those who support movements like BDS that, at their core, support the destruction of Israel as Jewish state. I strongly urge those who are concerned to speak their minds rather than blindly supporting groups like BDS, which can be counterproductive and hinder the prospects for peace and human rights. One can be critical of specific Israeli government policies and positions without supporting groups that call for the destruction of Israel.

Another concern is those who don't fully grasp the importance of supporting ongoing security for the State of Israel. Terrorist groups and nations such as Iran vow to see it eliminated. We must remain committed to Israel from a security standpoint. Those who would challenge arms sales and military support for Israel only help to further jeopardize Israel's security and diminish the strategic advantage to our own nation of having a strong, reliable ally in the Middle East.

I know President Biden fully supports Israel's security and has stood up to those who have challenged his most recently proposed arms sales. I applaud him for that. I also know he is committed to ensuring that Iran is not allowed to become a nuclear threat to the world or contribute to nuclear proliferation in the Middle East That is a good thing, and his commitment to work with other nations to control Iran's nuclear ambition is a worthy and important goal because of Iran's track record supporting terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. The threat of nuclear arms getting into such hands makes enforceable nuclear prohibition most compelling.

Because of the ongoing financial support and the dissemination and use of missiles Iran supplies to Hamas and Hezbollah and similar terrorists entities, the US must not readily lift sanctions or supply money that can further contribute to more serious hostilities. Prohibiting such transfers to terrorists by Iran must be negotiated in tandem, as an essential element in the pursuit of nuclear control.

Now that there has been a cease-fire, challenges lie ahead on many fronts. We must all be strong advocates for a move toward more stability and be supportive of maintaining a bipartisan approach at home. We must urge Israel to reject policies that might cause protests or rekindle further violence. Let us all hope that the cease-fire holds and we begin to see movement in a positive direction.

• Elliott Hartstein of Northbrook is an attorney and a former village president of Buffalo Grove.