Gazans’ fatal mistake of building down instead of upwards

Among today’s political and social analysts, there is none better than Douglas Murray, whose brilliant dissection of causal events, which have led to our present disasters, helps us to break down how we got here.

In a recent podcast, host Piers Morgan, tries to make a case for Israel’s Prime Minister being uncompromising, Murray turns it around, making the indisputable case that Hamas is the obstacle to ending this ongoing battle.

Murray goes all the way back to 2005, when Israel abandoned the Gaza Strip in a deal to usher in peace as well as allow Gazans to forge a new path, creating prosperity, self-determination and a good life for themselves.

Rather than build their society in an upward direction, with schools, universities, industry, technology and other development that breeds life, they, instead went in a downward direction.

Using the billions that were constantly being funneled by other countries and global organizations, they constructed a never-ending labyrinth of terror tunnels underneath the earth.  

Simultaneously, they trained young boys for warfare against the Jewish state, a move which would send so many of them to early graves – the ultimate of all downward endeavors. 

Robbing these kids of a decent and happy destiny, the choices were always towards darkness, rather than the light – death as opposed to life. But when you are fixated on the destruction of others, your own demise will always be a likely consequence.

Murray goes through the litany of measures they could have taken, rather than the ones they did. Working his way backwards, he reminds us that Hamas could have already handed back the hostages. They could have chosen not to execute the October 7th massacre. They could have tried to build a state in 2005, by using the massive wealth they had been given.

He then asked why all their leaders are so rich, living in the lap of luxury? His conclusion is that they took the money for themselves while allowing the people they claimed to champion, to languish in misery and abject poverty.

It was this monstrous disregard for their own children, the future generation, who were used as a means to gain support for their demonic cause to annihilate Israel. Sadly, too many people lack the clarity of mind to comprehend the profound evil of these terrorists who are wrongly being viewed as the victims.

Gazan casualties became a useful tool to Hamas, because as the death tolls would mount, whether through the means of misfired rockets or keeping citizens in harm’s way, Israel would end up bearing the responsibility for their terrorist overseers.

So, given those facts, where is the possibility of compromise? There isn’t one. There is only the hope of living for the day when Israel will cease to exist. But if that were possible, who believes that their warped mentality of killing would cease? 

What begins with the Jews, only moves on to the next vilified group, because that is how it works with death cults. Mosab Hassan Yousef, Son of Hamas has often said of Palestinians, whom he defines as “different tribes”  that “if they did not have a common enemy of Israel, they would be fighting each other.”

So, what does that tell you? These are a people who are focused on the earth below rather than the heavens above. The joys of sunlight, family and friends, building a life with meaning and purpose, in order to bless others, is completely lost on them. Enjoying the years they’ve been allotted is not a worthy pastime, because they are too busy plotting their next carnage.

That is the reality of a cursed people who are so blinded by hatred that pleasure and beauty are hidden from them, while slaughter and decimation are the joys of a day’s work, earning them their eventual place in paradise.

In a recent article entitled, “Saving Gaza’s people,” Dr. Mark A. Gabriel, an expert in Islamic history, makes the case as to why there is a moral obligation “and a sacred duty before Allah” to save those who remain. Invoking the Sharia principle of preserving Muslim life, Dr. Gabriel claims that “Islamic law is founded on bringing benefit and preventing harm.”

While that might, indeed, be written in Islamic law, there is no evidence that these principles are being enacted by those who prescribe to the faith. To the contrary, the plotting and devising of death, torture and complete genocide of the Jewish people stands as a scathing indictment of their disregard to the value of preventing harm. 

Dr. Gabriel goes on to say that “Islam does not glorify martyrdom in hopeless destruction.” If that is true, why is becoming a shahid (martyr) held in such high esteem, regarded as the greatest aspiration one can attain?

In an article entitled, “The Honor of Martyrdom in Islam,” there are rewards which come with being a martyr. They include: forgiveness of all sins, intercession for 70 relatives, escaping judgment with automatic entrance into heaven with that of a high caliber and 70 houri (beautiful young virgins).

Dr. Gabriel calls on surrounding Middle East nations to take in their Gazan brothers and sisters, something which, up to now, they have refused to do. Perhaps, they know, all too well, that these tribal people would not prevent harm while being hosted in their countries.

Although Dr. Gabriel may be motivated by compassion, for the people whose faith he has devoted much study all of his life, he must come to a realistic awareness, just as Douglas Murray has, that these are a people whose choices take them downward rather than upward. 

Regrettably for them, that means that even their neighbors are wary of taking them in, knowing that this could result in a deadly impact for them as well. Unless they are willing to completely change course, requiring a total abandonment of a distorted faith which has lied to them about the virtues of living life in a downward trajectory, they will, forever, suffer.

Such is the fruit of deception and the folly of choosing death. It consumes those who falsely believe that the way of freedom and life comes through the  destruction of others.