While so-called international experts wring their hands about civilian casualties and global condemnation, Israel is forging ahead with a bold strategy that has defied the usual roadside pleas for restraint. Recent reports show that Israeli forces have pressed closer to Gaza City amidst calls for halting their advance. Meanwhile, Tel Aviv has approved new settlements in the West Bank, even as they stare down united criticism from various foreign capitals. By all accounts, this shows a country unafraid of making tough military strides while the weak-kneed global community wrings its hands over “humanitarian concerns.”

This latest shift puts to bed the fantasy that the Israeli government would cower in fear when faced with negative headlines. Despite some claiming Prime Minister Netanyahu should pump the brakes in Gaza, he has authorized an offensive that’s now shaping up to be a massive push into the city’s outskirts. According to statements, Israeli troops already hold at least 75 percent of the territory that Hamas once purportedly controlled. With top leaders greenlighting more than 50,000 reservists to deploy, one can’t help but admire an unflinching stance in a region soaked with endless conflicts.

Now, among so-called neutral observers, there’s a proposed cease-fire on the table. We’re told that it’s similar to an arrangement Israel nearly endorsed before. But the prime minister’s coalition includes figures who have no interest in playing patty-cake with terrorists. We see the finance minister basically relishing every new settlement as a nail in the coffin of the “dangerous idea” of a Palestinian state. Some call that a violation of international law. Others cheer it as an honest approach: Israel is fed up with appeasing a global order that despises it anyway. And truly, if anyone is still clinging to the misguided notion that Israel will let terrorists or their sympathizers dictate policy, they haven’t been paying attention.

Of course, the usual chorus in Paris, Berlin, and beyond is howling about Israel’s moral obligations. But the Israeli government sees this entire scenario differently: you cannot reason peacefully with a group launching unrelenting attacks, kidnapping civilians, and lobbing rockets by the thousands. It’s no surprise that the prime minister’s focus is on finishing this once and for all.

It’s also key to recall that, according to statements from the Israeli military, the humanitarian angle was considered: they offered southern Gaza as a safe zone, letting civilian populations relocate. Critics scold Israel for the harshness of the war, but they conveniently ignore Hamas’s single-minded ambition to target civilians. Israeli officials emphasize they have logistical routes for supplies and aid, ensuring that the people who truly want no part in the conflict can find basic necessities.

Meanwhile, on the West Bank, the government is rubber-stamping a major settlement project. Why now? Because it’s tired of dancing around the issue. Diplomats fume, but the Israeli finance minister states it plainly: building more housing is the best way to confirm that a permanent Palestinian state is truly off the table. After seeing how the Palestinian leadership has engaged with Hamas, can you blame Israel for wanting to strengthen its position?

Naturally, the global press claims Israel’s stance “complicates the chances” for a grand peace. They say it might sabotage their precious cease-fire negotiations. Yet, from the perspective of many pro-Israel Americans, these expansions represent a thriving democracy drawing lines in the sand, literally. Instead of bowing to pressure from outside forces, including some who talk big about sending troops or forging deals, Israel is controlling its destiny.

Yes, it makes some countries furious. That’s hardly new. We all remember giant demonstrations in European capitals denouncing Israel for “disproportionate force.” But we also remember that these same capitals do little when rockets land on Israeli neighborhoods. That double standard is fueling the prime minister’s determination. If nobody else will help keep threats at bay, Israel will handle it. This approach is not about cruelty. It’s about preserving the security of Israel’s citizens—something any nation would do.

Topics: ["Middle East Crisis"]