By Peter Lemiska

Most Americans are appalled — disgusted may be a better word — by the vile anti-Semitic demonstrations spreading across our country today. Ostensibly intended to show support for the besieged Palestinian people, they more closely resemble Germany’s ugly anti-Semitic riots just prior to World War II. There is no effort to hide the utter hatred for Israel. But this is America, not Nazi Germany, and the exponential rise in anti-Semitism in this country — that massive pro-Palestine demonstration in Washington — would have been unimaginable just a couple of months ago.

This new anti-Semitism makes no sense, especially considering that it all started after the Israeli people were again victimized — savagely attacked by Hamas on October 7. It was on that date that the terrorist organization launched a sickening assault on the people of Israel. More than 1,200 innocent men, women, children, and even babies were slaughtered. Hundreds were taken captive in that unprovoked attack.

Israel, of course, responded accordingly. And that justified response somehow spawned the despicable anti-Semitic demonstrations we’re witnessing today here and around the world.

Americans have a long history of protests and demonstrations. We’ve sparred over civil rights, abortion, religion, parental rights, Supreme Court decisions, and executive orders. There have been more than enough domestic controversies to keep our country divided.

But now, a conflict that’s been raging in the Middle East for centuries has been brought to this country. What is particularly shocking, though, is that so many Americans have taken a stance against Israel, one of America’s staunchest allies.

In recent years, Israel has been an invaluable partner in the war on terror. Beyond that, America has always been a friend to Israel because we share the same values. Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East. We’ve supported that country because it is a peace-loving nation surrounded by belligerent and aggressive neighbors. And in the aftermath of the October 7 atrocities, America, and all people of good will, sided with Israel because that country was defending itself from a terrorist organization that can only be described as the essence of evil. The unspeakable atrocities committed by Hamas were not acts of war. They were acts of barbarism that can never be justified. Yet somehow today we’re witnessing this inexplicable rise in anti-Semitism.

Most of the people engaged in today’s riots seem to fall into one or two categories.

They’re young people, filled with passion but void of facts. They’re born followers who don’t know, and don’t want to know, that Hamas is a terrorist organization that instigated the current conflict. They don’t care to know that Hamas is dedicated to the complete annihilation of the Jewish people. They’re certainly not aware that the Hamas Covenant of 1988 begins with this quote from Imam Hassan al-Banna: “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it…” They probably don’t know that the Palestinian people elected that same hateful organization to lead their government in 2006. They’re likely unaware that Hamas deliberately targets innocent Israeli civilians, and then cowers behind Palestinian schools and hospitals to deter retaliation.

Young and idealistic, the passion of those protestors comes straight from the teachings of their radical college professors, or from Chinese-controlled TikToK, another purveyor of anti-Semitism.

Other rioters are themselves Arabs or Muslims, many of whom harbor an intrinsic hatred of Israel. Either they brought that hatred with them when they came to this country, or they learned it here from their parents or grandparents. They care nothing about the creed that’s supposed to unite Americans: E pluribus unum. The once-renowned concept of a melting pot means nothing to them. They, like those six million unchecked migrants flooding across Joe Biden’s open borders, are major contributors to the Balkanization of America.

They denounce Israel for the innocent Palestinians killed in the aftermath of October 7 but won’t even acknowledge the Israeli women and children specifically targeted by Hamas. When clear-thinking, open-minded people consider the atrocities committed by Hamas, any criticism of Israel fades away. Allegations of injustice and oppression become mute, and objective people understand that before anything else, this scourge must be eliminated. That’s exactly what Israel is trying to do, while trying to minimize casualties among the Palestinian people.

Nothing can be more tragic than the loss of innocent lives, but Israel was provoked into this war. And as in all wars, civilian casualties are inevitable.

Eighty-two years ago on December 7, our country was ruthlessly attacked without warning. More than 2,000 Americans died, and we responded quickly and decisively. Our entry into the conflagration that had already been raging in Europe resulted in a costly and bloody world war that killed an estimated 15 million combatants and 38 million civilians. But it saved the world from tyranny and rescued the Jewish people from extinction.

Today, the Jewish people are again threatened by a malevolent force determined to wipe them off the face of the earth. This time, they responded decisively. They’ve set out to eliminate that threat to their very existence. They must not and will not allow public opinion, protests, or weak-willed politicians in Washington to deter them.