(Gatestone Institute) Bassam Tawil - Hamas' Oct. 7 atrocities did not distinguish between Jew and Arab. At least 20 Arab Israeli citizens were murdered by Hamas terrorists on that day or by Hamas rocket attacks in the ensuing days. Moreover, several Bedouin men and women were abducted by Hamas. It is no wonder, then, that an overwhelming majority of the Israeli-Arab public opposed the Hamas attack. A study conducted by Nimrod Nir of the Adam Institute and Dr. Mohammed Khalaily among the Arab public showed that most Arabs support Israel's right to defend itself and even expressed a willingness to volunteer to help civilians who were harmed during the Hamas attack. The study showed that almost 80% of Israeli Arabs opposed the Hamas attack and 85% opposed the kidnapping of civilians. IDF Sgt. 1st Class (res.) Ahmed Abu Latif, 26, a Muslim citizen of Israel, was killed on Jan. 22 during the fighting in Gaza. Abu Latif represented a shining example of coexistence and unwavering love for Israel. Israeli Arab blogger Nuseir Yassin, popularly known as "Nas Daily," posted two days after the Oct. 7 massacre: "I realized that if Israel were to be 'invaded' like that again, we would not be safe. To a terrorist invading Israel, all citizens are targets....And I do not want to live under a Palestinian government. Which means I only have one home, even if I'm not Jewish: Israel." The Palestinians living under the corrupt Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza can only envy Israeli-Arab citizens for living in Israel, where they enjoy democracy, freedom of expression, access to superb healthcare, educational institutions and careers, as well as a thriving economy.
2024-01-25 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive