The UN Resolution’s Glaring Omission

The UN Security Council resolution that was just passed, demanding an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, has a glaring omission. While the resolution rightly emphasizes the need for a ceasefire, humanitarian aid and the release of the hostages, it fails to explicitly address the root causes of the conflict: Hamas.

This oversight is particularly striking as it came the day Jerusalem celebrated Purim, a holiday marking the Jewish people's salvation from a genocidal decree centuries ago. The parallel between the ancient story of Esther and Mordecai and today ’ s diplomatic arena is both poignant and instructive.

Israel wants nothing more than a ceasefire. In fact, Israel had a ceasefire on October 6. It’s baffling that the world seems to have forgotten Hamas's brutal attack on Israel and their explicit intentions to continue their assault. This is not just historical repetition; it's a cycle of violence perpetuated by the refusal to address its root cause. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield has rightly pointed out that “Hamas continues to stand in the way of peace, to throw up roadblocks, cower in tunnels beneath Gaza ’ s cities, and under civilian infrastructure, and hide among the civilian population.”

And yet the United States chose at this pivotal moment to abstain, to remain silent, enabling the resolution to be passed.

This brings to mind the story of Purim when Mordecai implored Queen Esther not to remain silent in the face of an existential threat to their people. No matter how scary it is or how unpopular it may be, people must use the platform they have been given to speak up and call out evil. S ilence is not an option. Silence or inaction effectively sides with the oppressor, a message that resonates with stark relevance today. The United States' decision to abstain from vetoing the resolution mirrors this ancient warning.

The parallels extend further. Just as Haman's decree was sealed with the king's ring, giving him authority to annihilate the Jews for profit, today ’ s resolution, with its omission of Hamas, effectively sidelines the very threat that jeopardizes peace. The UN resolution's failure to address this directly is akin to Ahasuerus's initial passive acceptance of Haman's plot, underscoring a historical cycle of threat and salvation, where today ’ s actions —or lack thereof— echo past silences.

Listening to the UN Ambassadors, one is struck by the verbal acknowledgment of the need to remove Hamas, yet there ’ s a disturbing lack of concrete proposals on how to achieve this. This discrepancy highlights a critical flaw in our approach to peace: acknowledging the problem without committing to a solution or even calling out the source of violence is like expecting a wound to heal without removing the splinter causing the infection.

Hamas, a recognized terrorist organization, poses a significant obstacle to peace in the region. Its stated goal of destroying Israel and its repeated acts of violence against civilians demonstrate its blatant disregard for international law and human rights principles. Yet, the UN resolution falls short in addressing the urgent need to dismantle this terrorist group. We must allow Israel to finish the job it has started and dismantle Hamas once and for all.

Hamas's long history of violating ceasefires and using periods of calm to regroup and prepare for further attacks underscores the futility of expecting peace without addressing the root cause of the conflict. Israel ’ s desire to dismantle Hamas is not just a strategic military objective; it's a necessary step toward achieving a just and lasting peace not just for Israel but for the entire world.

The international community, especially nations with the power to influence global diplomacy, must take a definitive stand. Do not remain silent, for in the words of Mordecai, perhaps you are in this very position "for such a time as this.”

Just as Purim celebrates the overturning of a deadly decree against the Jewish people, today, we face a moment when silence is complicity, and action is the only path to peace. The time for half-measures and appeasement must end.

We must dismantle the threat posed by Hamas, ensuring that the spirit of Purim—a celebration of survival, resilience, and the triumph of justice—guides our path forward. Only then can we hope to achieve a just and lasting peace.