8:45am AEDT, 7 December
Tonight is the first night of Hannukah. It is also two months since the depraved Hamas attack on Israel. In that attack, Hamas attempted what it has long promised – to extinguish Jewish life from the land of Israel. In the two months since, vicious hatred of Israel, which has rushed headlong over the line into antisemitism, has tried to cower Jewish populations across the world into not supporting Israel.
The Australian Jewish community will not be cowered. The candle you light tonight – the candle you will display with pride adjacent to a window – is tangible proof to passersby, to Australia, to the world, of the Jewish celebration of life, of perseverance during oppression, of fighting back against what can feel like overwhelming pressure.
As you light the candle tonight, think of the hostages hidden away in the darkness of Hamas’s tunnels. Think of their families. Israel is working to bring them back, and to make sure it can’t happen again. We stand with Israel in its efforts.
Am Yisrael Chai.
What’s happening?
The IDF says it has broken through Hamas’s defensive lines in all three areas the army is focusing on -Khan Younis, Shejaia and Jabaliya. Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar is believed to be in a tunnel in the centre of Khan Younis.
Two more Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza.
The IDF has seen a surge in female conscripts volunteering for combat roles since the start of the war.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant made the extraordinary claim that the tens of thousands of Israelis displaced from their homes in northern Israel won’t return until Hezbollah is pushed back from the border.
Background
Can Hamas the military can be defeated. Can Hamas the idea be defeated? Yes – but look to the massive and strategic post-war restructuring of German, Japanese and Italian societies for what success requires.
What does Israel need in order to win? Mostly, time. But also ammunition. Lots of it. This article is a little dated 24 November), but still informative and worth reading.
In a massive vote of confidence, Ben Gurion University has been gifted US$100 million, which will aid in ‘rebuilding and strengthening the south’.
