by Rabbi Yair Hoffman
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1200 Dead, Rachmana litzlan. 2400 wounded and 130 kidnapped including an 85 year-old grandmother. All of Klal Yisroel is in tears. The entire nation of Israel and their Jewish brethren across the world in a state of despair. Hezbollah has attacked as well, and the enemies of Israel are handing out candy in celebration.
Our response should be, as Rabbi Yaakov Bender shlita stated in a gathering in the White Shul this evening, “imo anochi betzara.” We should refrain from trips, purchases, and excess eating. We should daven and say tehillim – there are hostages rachmana litzlan.
What should Israel’s response be? Just declaring war will not do the trick.
I would like to humbly suggest that there is an approach that could work, and it lies in the American model in the aftermath of the second World War. How did the United States deal with a nation that grew up under the dark leadership of the villainous tyranny of the Nazis? The answer? Believe it or not, it was the policy of DeNazification as implemented by the now little known, General Lucius Clay.
General Lucius Clay should become a household name. We should study how he accomplished what he did and implement it fully. Also, if we highlight his success and underscore our commitment to copy the plan, the United States may back the plan – including the utter and complete defeat of Hamas.
What did DeNazification involve? Firstly, it involved accepting nothing less than unconditional surrender, and then the stopping Nazi newspapers and broadcasts. But it primarily involved a combination of implementing what is known as the carrot and the stick.
The idea was, after the defeat of the Nazi regime, to eliminate the scourge of Nazism and its vile philosophy through trials, prosecution, and replacement. The lists of Nazi party members were obtained. Every German citizen was categorized into one of five categories: Major Offenders, Offenders, Lesser Offenders, Followers, and Exonerated Persons.
Major offenders were either sentenced to death or to prison for many years. Textbooks were rewritten, censorship was applied. Nazi imagery was made illegal. In short,– an end was put to the Nazi hero-worship.
And then there was the carrot. Millions of dollars were poured into education, and industry. Germany’s national infrastructure was rebuilt and modernized. Mercy and moderation was given to lesser offenders and followers.
After the Nazi defeat, General Lucius Clay oversaw the entire program with remarkable impartiality. But more than this, he cared for the well-being of post-war Germans. When the USSR blockaded West Berlin, it was General Clay who orchestrated the Berlin Airlift.
What were the results? Germany once again rejoined the family of nations. It became one of the strongest democracies in Europe and a supporting member of NATO. They have also been a strong United States ally since the end of DeNazification and they have been very supportive of the State of Israel.
Germany recognized the debt of gratitude that they owed to General Lucius Clay. He was given an honorary doctorate from the Frei Universitat of Berlin, became an honorary citizen of Germany in 1953 and even had one of the longest streets in Berlin named after him. Germany appreciated what he had for her.
The modern parallel to DeNazification is something that can be called “DeTerrorization.”
Previously it may not have worked – but the horrific attack on innocents, the bloodthirsty attacks, and the kidnappings are so beyond the pale of human behavior that the world will accept the defeat of Hamas and “DeTerrorization” now.
Israel should immediately enter Gaza now and engage in removing Hamas entirely. Nothing less than unconditional surrender. It involves neutralizing Hamas terror and military capability and simultaneously use existing technology to jam all internet, phone, and inciteful radio and television broadcasting.
This program like that of General Clay, would also implement both the carrot and the stick in Gaza. Support for terrorism and the hero worship would come to a complete end. The textbooks calling for the killing of Jews and the destruction of Israel would be eliminated. In short, anyone with a background of support for the killing of innocents or for other terrorist acts would be removed form any position of leadership.
They must be replaced with a new crop of leaders comprised of those untainted by terrorism.
And then comes the carrot. A new infrastructure would be built and new system of education would be developed. Medical schools, schools for emerging technologies and a Palestinian silicon valley.
But rebuilding Germany without the program of DeNazification would have been fruitless and indeed counter-productive. The same is true with De-Terrorization. One cannot build a new infrastructure for a people that on a second’s notice will form an alliance with a terrorist organization. One cannot build a relationship of peace with those who support such bloody murders.
It is time to completely knock out Hamas and all organizations like it. It will be a politically difficult decision to make, but it is the only manner in which a lasting peace can be forged. In the past 18 years, this author has presented this idea to generals, friends of former Prime Minister Arik Sharon, military experts from Israel and others as well, having introduced them to General Lucius Clay. The general response was that it was a good idea but politically difficult unless there was a political openng to do it. If ever there was a time – this is it.
And for all the naysayers who ridicule the idea, what are the other choices? Bomb them and stop and have the world force a ceasefire? Only to let them regroup and do it all over again? Isn’t there a chance that the Biden administration will accept the endgame plan and not force a ceasefire so Israel can finish the idea?
The author can be reached at [email protected]
Carpet bomb gaza NOW and ignore wht the stupid biden administration has to say
Someone should point out to this rabbi, that deNazification was done and it only helped when Berlin, Dresden, Dusseldorf, and most German cities were turned into rubble and parking lots, and millions of civilians were killed.
That is exactly what must be done in Gaza, and only then start thinking about deNazification.
Very naive.
THEY ARE ALL TERRORISTS….
And Jew Haters are in aboundance in Germany. The culture did not change. Mke Gaza a parking lot. complete and total destruction.
Don’t allow anymore building materials into Gaza. If they want to rebuild, let them use mud
Study how the Allies (correctly) handled post-WWII Germany & how America (correctly) handled post-WWII Japan.
The 2 countries were dealt with very differently because each group/people/country have their own unique cultures, societies & beliefs.
If America had handled Japan like it did Germany, today you’d probably still have terror attacks against US soldiers stationed in Japan.
What works in one place will rarely work in another place.
Take back Gaza and never,ever give another inch of EY to these filthy savages!!!
I hope your plan works but its wishful thinking when its not only one entity like the Gaza Strip or the PA but 22 other Arab countries including those who are officially at peace with Israel and millions of Arabs and sympathizers worldwide.
They will get the information from the internet and from iran. This is naive
Dresden Gaza. There are no innocents in Gaza. Dresden. And demand that Qattar stop harboring hamas leadership.
Poor comparison to post-WWII Germany. Different time, different place, different people.
Poor comparison to post-WWII Germany. The Nazis were a political, social & cultural ideology. Gaza is heavily based on religious ideology. Replace “Nazi” or “Terror” with “Bnei Brak”. What are the chances of successfully “Dejudaizing” the Frum of Bnei Brak by controlling their textbooks, censoring their papers & building them secular universities? Any Rosh Yeshiva or Rebbe that encourages his followers to remain Frum will be removed from their position of leadership.
The current Charedi leaders will be replaced with “Reform Rabbonim”
Sounds ridiculous right? Well same goes for Gaza.
from different website, I think it’s spot on!!!
In my humble opinion there is only one way to deal with this, evetime there is an attack, take back 10 miles from Gaza! The world won’t care because it’s only 10 miles and Israel was attacked first, after a few attacks there won’t be a Gaza.
Also all attempted murderers should get the death penalty, so there is no incentive to kidnap Israelis for an exchange later.
Say Tehillim in the Public Tehillim Group for our Brothers and Sisters in Israel:
https://www.tehillimforall.com/groups/group/?id=HqZQ&utm_source=link
“simultaneously use existing technology to jam all inciteful radio and television broadcasting.”
Ummm… this is 2023, not 1993. Also, it’s 2023, not 1946.
The only way this strategy could be properly accounted for.. is for Israel to take back every inch of land in Gaza.. Anybody that Living in Israel and has. hostile intentions towards the Jewish state should be immediately deported…. You’re With us or? or you’re against us …and goes goes for America too. Especially the anti-israeli Biden administration.. And especially the Clinton family Who have been supported of Arafat and palestinian terrorists from the very beginning and screaming for 2 states solutions. While Jews were being Murdered by terrorists In Israel in the late 90s
Rabbi, good points but your last line about Biden is the kicker. He’s all behind Israel now. But it’s he and his Obama staff that’s sending money to Iran again. He did it as his VP and destroying all of Trump’s great work vis a vis Iran and PLO. Biden also resending millions to Israeli Arabs and terrorists . Urge the Jews to stop voting Democrat. Urge the kufui tova dregs to stop abusing Trump our great friend who did so much for Eretz Yisrael.
Uteshuvah utefilla utzedaka maaveerin es roia hagezeiea
With genuinely meant due respect, denazification was terminated in mid-course because the Allies realized that to confront the USSR they needed a solid and functioning (West) Germany; that only Germans could run it; and many of the Germans fit for the task had been low- and middle-ranking Nazis. As for the Palestinians, Israel tried twice to set up a non-terrorist self-rule leadership. Ariel Sharon attempted to create “village leagues” to counter the urban PLO leadership and failed. In the early Oslo going, Israel briefly promoted an Islamic counterweight to the secular PLO. This failed so badly that antisemites and others insist that Israel thereby “created” Hamas. What might work is to place Gaza under some form of external (Egyptian?) Muslim rule, given that Muslims get away with everything when they rule other Muslims.
sorry RAbbi Hoffman, but General Patton fought and killed as many Germans as he could. USA dropped A bomb on Heroshima and Nagasake to end WWII with Japs.
We must be very tough. There are NO innocent civilians in GAza. We must level it completely and kill all who do not run out.
The Torah states:
והוא יהי׳ פרא אדם
Yishmael WILL [always] be a פרא אדם.
No other way, no matter what you do to entice them.
It’s in their DNA.
They are brutal, vile animals.
There can be no De-Yishmaelization.
Turn Gaza into a parking lot, and release all “Palestinian” prisoners — at 30,000 ft.
שַׁבְתִּי וְרָאֹה תַחַת-הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, כִּי לֹא לַקַּלִּים הַמֵּרוֹץ וְלֹא לַגִּבּוֹרִים הַמִּלְחָמָה וְגַם לֹא לַחֲכָמִים לֶחֶם וְגַם לֹא לַנְּבֹנִים
עֹשֶׁר, וְגַם לֹא לַיֹּדְעִים, חֵן: כִּי-עֵת וָפֶגַע, יִקְרֶה אֶת-כֻּלָּם
וְהַסָּכָל, יַרְבֶּה דְבָרִים; לֹא-יֵדַע הָאָדָם, מַה-שֶּׁיִּהְיֶה, וַאֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה מֵאַחֲרָיו, מִי יַגִּיד לוֹ
הַכֵּה תַכֶּה, אֶת-יֹשְׁבֵי הָעִיר הַהִוא–לְפִי-חָרֶב: הַחֲרֵם אֹתָהּ וְאֶת-כָּל-אֲשֶׁר-בָּהּ וְאֶת-בְּהֶמְתָּהּ, לְפִי-חָרֶב.
Esav soneh as Yakov
Halacha he
Dear Rabbi Hoffman,
If Israel can convince Egypt to also cut their telegraph wire into Gaza your plan might be a real winner.
Might work in theory, or for Germany, but here in New York yesterday, there was a rally IN SUPPORT OF THE PALESTINIANS. The world is out to get Israel and while not say it openly, they want the palis to succeed in destroying Israel. In a world where everything is broadcast directly in real time, it is impossible to stop the information coming out that the enemy want to send.
Last night I received an email about the situation from my female House of Rep. elected official, who’s a very liberal, reformed Jew and been in Congress for a very long time. Nothing mentioned about holding Hamas responsible for what happens to the Gazan civilians. All the “but Israel cannot” and “Israel must abide by all international laws…”
Much of our elected reps do not understand the cynical reality of not just not holding Hamas responsible, but no mention that Hamas should be tried and executed in some objective court of law. They know it will never happen, but Israel will be pounced on for every possible infraction of int’l law, laws which were never designed to stop criminal nations or non-state entities like Hamas and Hezbollah from killing innocents.
Readers should send messages to their elected officials and tell them, Israel does a way better job of avoiding civilian casualties than America does. Tell them NOT to demand Israel ties one arm behind its back while attacking Hamas.
Let the Chinese handle it
We are not post WW2. We are during WW2.
Rabbi of the White shul -your are with the best od respect out of touch here. There is only the stick with these people. How long have we tried the carrot , giving them Gaza, letting in 18,000 a day to work in israel a 4 times the pay of Gaza. And what do we get back?? – Rabbi, you have to stop dreaming.
The only solution is the halachik solution tank rev Shimon bar yochai hatov shebovdai kochaim bishas milchama horeg
Opinion: let every mafia style leader of the community shut their mouths until they have said the entire safer tehillim in tears.
It is possible that the politicians in Israel allowed this horrendous murder for their own political purposes
And germany had more nazi party judges in the 50s than under nazi Germany itself.
quoting above: “In short, anyone with a background of support for the killing of innocents or for other terrorist acts would be removed form any position of leadership.”
How about members in the USA administration?