We are not the same

In less than two years, Israel has been attacked on 5 different fronts across the Middle East: Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Iran. Approximately 28 000 missiles and rockets were launched by Iran and its proxies towards the Israeli population.

The Swords of Iron War was imposed on Israel on October 7th, 2023, following Hamas’s murderous attack on southern Israel, which left over 1100 dead and over 5000 wounded. 250 of our people were taken hostage by the terrorist organization on that same day, and 50 of them are still being held against their will in Gaza to this day.

On October 8th, 2023, Hezbollah in Lebanon decided to join Hamas in its indiscriminate bombardments of Israeli territory. Thousands of residents in northern Israel were forced to evacuate from their homes for months, meeting a similar fate to the residents of Israel’s south who had to leave their destroyed houses following the attack.

Women, men, children, and the elderly – all were targeted.
Muslims, Christians, Druze, and Jews – none were spared.
The identity of the victims is of very little importance to the enemy, when it comes to harming those standing on Israeli soil. But have no doubt: if you support Israel’s right of self-defense, you will be seen as an enemy by Iran and its allies, wherever you are.

Since October 7th, Israel has been fighting a war on land, sea and air. Israeli security forces such as the IDF, the Israeli Police, the Shin Bet and more, spend days and nights finding ways to prevent danger. MDA, United Hatzala, Israel Fire and Rescue Services and more, dedicate their full time to saving the people from that possible danger. Reservists have put a pause on their day-to-day life to rejoin the army and help defend their land. Regular civilians have mobilized to help each other out in these very complex times. An entire country has united to battle the enemy.

In the face of such hatred and desire to kill, the Nation of Israel has been choosing life over and over again – because it has no choice but to keep hoping, loving and believing that everything will be okay in the end. Israel’s resilient people never had the option of giving up, because if they did – laid down their arms and lowered their spirit – they would not be where they are today.

After the Holocaust, many believed that the Jewish People was gone, extinguished forever- and it was a possibility. Still, these people found the strength to fight back against antisemitism and discrimination. They found the courage to rise up and stand tall against darkness. This is how the State of Israel was born and its independence declared for the world to see. The International community was then compelled to see it for what it was: a statement of survival and freedom.

Operation Rising Lion bears a similar message: the Israeli Nation will rise as one against the Iranian menace and will fight for its freedom. But this fight isn’t ours alone – it is that of humanity in its entirety. The Iranian regime seeks to destroy all that doesn’t obey or abide by their way of living. By dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, Israel is saving the lives of all of us who believe in a free and democratic world. But while we strike precise targets across Iran, its regime randomly attacks civilian zones across Israel.

We will not settle for anything less than peace and liberty, and will bear the responsibility of eliminating those who threaten both of those things. While they strike to kill, we aim to live – we are not the same.

Naomi Levy, GPO