FORSETH: What Hamas' struggle means for Canadians

It is hard for the average Canadian to understand the angry viciousness of the recent attacks in Israel. The murder rampage does not seem to have a military objective beyond general terrorism. Israel as a country is not going away. The anti-Israel fanaticism seems beyond any measure of understandable human behaviour.However, this is to overlook the essence at the core of the Middle East conflict is a spiritual one.Viewed this way, it doesn't have to make sense — at least not us. Muslims have a heritage of hatred against Jews and a culture of supplanting them. Due to their repeated failures throughout history, radical Islamist factions have confirmed a victimology culture of death about Jews. This is what's at the heart of the many wars between them.Muhammad (570-632 AD) at first tried to get Jews living in his region to accept him as a new religious leader, but they rejected him. He then became increasingly antagonistic to the point of murder and war. The Quran, written after his death and based on his sayings is an indication of the Islamic attitude against Jews and their divine authorization to kill them.For example, “And He brought down those of the People of the Book who supported them from their fortresses and cast terror in their hearts; some you slew, some you made captive. And He bequeathed upon you their lands, their habitations, and their possessions and a land you never trod. God is powerful over everything." (33:26)The present irreconcilable divide is therefore not about peaceful cohabitation in the land or obtaining freedom or accepting positive Western values. Rather, the religious fantasy of the Hamas radicals is about taking — by force — complete social, religious and cultural hegemony over the whole Middle East region.The founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan Banna, said before he was assassinated, "It is the nature of Islam to dominate, not to be dominated; to impose its law on all nations and to extend its power to the entire planet."Therefore, Hamas launched this attack knowing how Israel would fully respond.It therefore seems obvious Hamas intended to provoke a response from Israel that would overshadow their attack and then play victim. Hamas is apparently willing to sacrifice the lives of thousands of its people to garner a political backlash against Israel.The loudly stated Hamas agenda is to exterminate the Jews from the region, so they can establish a large regional Islamic Caliphate, somewhat akin to Caliphates that existed in Egypt and coastal North Africa about 1000 CE.The Caliph is the supreme religious and political leader of an Islamic state. Iran is trying to do this but is unsuccessful, therefore has just dissolved into a harsh dictatorship that abuses its own people, while sponsoring Jihadists around the world.The present Hamas rampage tactic is meant to foment regional social disorder so that violent Jihadists will rise all over the Middle East to take control of every local neighbourhood by force. Canada has had some experience of radicalized individuals who went on their own Jihadist rampage.Canada has historically viewed violent Islamist extremism as one of the leading threats to national security. And with some reason: In 2014, two high-profile attacks by Islamic extremists occurred, the running over of a soldier by a car and the shooting spree at Parliament Hill.There have been many other incidents at Jewish Synagogues and Schools down through the years. Earlier, Canadian authorities thwarted the so-called Toronto 18 plot to bomb the Toronto Stock Exchange and attack Parliament Hill. The plight of those who live in the Gaza Strip region is most sad.The Hamas terrorists took control of that area by subterfuge and maintained control through violence against any political critic. The attacks against Israel over the years have resulted in large border barriers to protect Israeli civilians. But the miserable conditions within Gaza are of their own making.Israel has been significantly provoked by the recent violent rampage by Hamas fighters. This time they will respond by flattening the northern third of Gaza. They will also be defensively engaged militarily in the north from Lebanon, where that once beautiful safe country has descended into many religious divisions that are maintained by violence.Israel will do what it can to punish Hamas. However, for any lasting solution or peace, there needs to be a change of heart among followers of Islam, especially a desire to live peacefully and cooperatively in modern nation-states, with a democratic rule of law that respects human rights.Sadly, these basic western concepts of democracy are contrary to the political religion of radical Islam, as interpreted by Hamas.In 2021 in Canada, 884 hate crimes targeting a specific religion were reported to police. Appallingly, more than half were driven by antisemitism. This is more than Canada's Jewish community to bear alone: Our country must come together in a common cause to combat antisemitism to protect our democracy and the human rights of all.