PARKER: An allegedly civilized world genuflects to Hamas

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As the governments of the U.K., Canada and France announce their intent to recognize a Palestinian state, I recall the words of C.S. Lewis, so aptly quoted by President Ronald Reagan in his famous “evil empire” speech. 

“The greatest evil is not done now … in those sordid ‘dens of crime’ that Dickens loved to paint. It is … not even done in concentration camps and labour camps. In those, we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried and minuted) in clear, carpeted, warmed and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice.” 

Evil celebrates in a world that carries all the pretence of civilization but has long abandoned any sense that principle is relevant or that indeed recognizes there exists any objective evil or good. 

The most recent Hamas depravity is a video of a malnourished Israeli hostage digging his own grave. 

For Hamas, it has already achieved great victories. 

After invading Israel 22 months ago, committing atrocities and murdering 1,200 and taking 250 hostages, it has managed to hold Israel and the world at bay, unleashing waves of antisemitism in Europe and the U.S. and bringing major world leaders to speak in favour of a Palestinian state. 

One major part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s platform that brought him victory last year was a promise to purge our country of the many millions who crossed our borders and live in our country illegally. 

Suppose we had an incident like what Israel has suffered through. 

The equivalent of 1,200 murdered in Israel is over 44,000 Americans. Suppose they, like what Israel suffered through, were not just murdered but violently raped and sexually mutilated.  

Would we negotiate with these creatures? Would their demands touch sympathetic chords amongst our population? We hear what Trump has to say about those who have violated our borders to come here to work. Can we even imagine what he would say about those who committed atrocities against our population? 

Or could we even imagine granting them sovereignty next to us, knowing their great dream is that we are eliminated? 

After the Oct. 7, 2023, attack and atrocities, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres rationalized it, saying it “did not happen in a vacuum” but that the “Palestinian people have been subjected to 56 years of suffocating occupation.” 

The ignorance is astounding. It was the UN that approved in 1947 a partitioning into a Jewish state and a Palestinian state. The Jews agreed and the Arabs rejected it and then attacked Israel in 1948 when the State of Israel was declared. 

In 2000, then-president Bill Clinton sat in Camp David with then-Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Arafat was offered a state on what Hillary Clinton described as 96% of the territory they then occupied, plus another 4% to be conferred by the Israelis. Arafat turned it down. According to Hillary Clinton, he rejected it out of fear that he would be killed. 

The Palestinians had their chance. It’s gone. The Israelis would have to be crazy to concede autonomy to a Palestinian state with a history of terror.  There are some 50 majority-Muslim countries in the world. There is one Jewish state. For the Arabs, this is one too many. 

Is there a solution? Of course there is. 

Palestinians can be given economic freedom to live their lives freely and as they choose. They don’t need political autonomy. 

But no solution will be reached if those who pretend to represent the civilized world give credibility to depraved murderers. 

Trump should call on all the world to demand that the terrorists immediately release the hostages and unconditionally surrender. 

This is the answer.  

 
Star Parker is founder of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education.