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To Stand with Israel: A Test of American Conscience

A Moral and Strategic Crossroads

By Gary Peyrot | Shasta Unfiltered | October 8, 2025


American and Israeli flags waving with blue sky in back
Credit: Photo from Flickr by Imagtdude

What Kind of Nation Shall We Be?

Are we still a people who will stand by our democratic allies, or must we prioritize those who claim the mantle of the oppressed, regardless of the methods they use to assert their will? Considering the intense international pressure on Israel to stop attacking Hamas, and even to formally recognize a Palestinian state, one must consider how far U.S. support should extend to this lone bastion of democracy in the Middle East. After supporting Israel for decades, what would be the impact of a pullback in military and financial aid? This isn’t merely a foreign policy dilemma. It’s a test of our moral character and strategic resolve.

As protests swell, as allies distance themselves, and as global courts weigh charges against Israeli leaders, Americans must decide how far we are willing to go to support this defiant but resilient ally. Does the international community, some of whom stood silent during the Holocaust, truly have the moral standing to demand that Israel stand down on the second anniversary of the deadliest massacre of Jews since that time? Are we prepared to say that the lives of the 48 hostages still held in Gaza are worth less than the civilians Hamas deliberately places in harm’s way to shield its fighters from the consequences of their violence? These are not just policy questions. They are questions of conscience. And how we answer them will speak volumes about who we are as a nation.


Strident Voices on Both Sides

Support for Israel has become a flashpoint dividing Americans across remarkably diverse lines—religious, political, and generational. Figures like Senators Marco Rubio and Josh Hawley, along with U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, have not backed down in their defense of our tiny ally. Framing the alliance not just in terms of shared democratic values but as a sacred bond rooted in Scripture, they often quote Genesis 12:3 – "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse" – as a covenantal promise, not mere geopolitical opinion. In 2025, Huckabee even challenged European leaders to offer the French Riviera for a Palestinian state if they were so determined to force territorial concessions from Israel[i]. Meanwhile, voices from the political left have broken with progressive orthodoxy to defend Israel’s right to exist and defend itself. Comedian Bill Maher, long associated with secular liberalism, has publicly affirmed that Jews are indigenous to Israel and dismissed claims of Palestinian nationhood as historically unfounded[ii]. Likewise, Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has repeatedly declared his unwavering support for Israel, stating in January, 2025, “The United States has a moral obligation to be in lockstep with our ally as they confront this threat”[iii].

On the other side of the issue, critics like Representative Rashida Tlaib have accused Israel of genocide, citing reports of civilian deaths, demolished neighborhoods, and alleged war crimes in Gaza. She submitted lists of infant casualties to Congress while denouncing U.S. complicity in Israeli actions[iv]. There is no denying the suffering. Civilians have died on both sides. But we must not forget one simple truth: Israel does not seek war—it seeks to survive. The oft-repeated slogan “From the river to the sea” reveals Hamas’s true aim: the elimination of Israel from the map. If Hamas and Israel’s hostile neighbors were disarmed tomorrow, Israel would not seek their destruction. But if Israel were disarmed, its enemies would move swiftly to annihilate it. That is the fundamental difference at the heart of this conflict.


The Moral Debate Beneath the Headlines

While America has a vested strategic interest in supporting Israel (vis-à-vis sharing intelligence, technological innovation, and the benefits of a dependable, stable ally), this debate cannot be reduced to mere politics. The October 7 attacks were an atrocity that seared the consciences of all who witnessed them. Since the Holocaust, the world pledged, “Never again,” and the rebirth of the nation of Israel gave that vow a place to stand. If we believe in justice, how can we equate a sovereign nation defending its people with a terrorist group like Hamas – one that uses its own civilians as human shields while glorifying the slaughter of Israel’s innocents?


A Clear Choice

We must choose –  not between blind allegiance or blanket condemnation, but between standing with an imperfect democracy that values life, or appeasing regimes and ideologies that glorify death. While critics level accusations of genocide against Israel, the true oppressor of the Palestinian people is Hamas. Reports show that Hamas routinely seizes food and humanitarian aid before they can be delivered and resells them to desperate civilians at exorbitant prices.[v] Even NPR, hardly a stalwart supporter of Israel, has acknowledged that many Gazans are risking their lives by publicly protesting Hamas’s tyranny.[vi]


The choice is not just about Israel, nor solely about the Palestinians. It is about affirming the right of any nation to defend itself against terror, whether those threats come from within or across its borders. While we should continue seeking humanitarian solutions for Palestinians who desire peace and dignity, we must also recognize that Israel has a historical and moral claim to its land, once neglected and barren but now transformed into a thriving beacon of innovation, democracy, and refuge.


This moment demands clarity. Justice does not lie in weakening our alliance with Israel, but in standing firm as they press forward to liberate Gaza from those who have long held it hostage – not for freedom, but for hate. Israel is not fighting for conquest; it is fighting for survival. And in doing so, it is also offering the people of Gaza the chance for a freedom they have never known.


We must not blink. We must not be deceived by those who twist truth into propaganda. Israel stands on the brink of its greatest deliverance since the fall of the Third Reich. If we walk away now, we don’t just betray an ally – we betray the very values that have made America great.


References

[ii] Bill Maher lambastes Chappell Roan: They’d throw you ‘off a roof’ in Gaza - https://www.timesofisrael.com/bill-maher-lambastes-chappell-roan-theyd-throw-you-off-a-roof-in-gaza/

[iv] 'This Is Our Government's Genocide': Rashida Tlaib Demands Ends For US Support Of Israel In Gaza - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwdVP0Zg5Oc

[v] Food For Gazans, Without Funding Hamas - https://www.aipac.org/resources/gaza-aid

[vi] Palestinians in Gaza protest against Hamas for a second day - https://www.npr.org/2025/03/26/nx-s1-5340645/palestinians-protest-hamas-rule-in-gaza

 

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