While the world waits for something to shift in Israel that will end its ground operation in Gaza, Israel is not waiting for the world to catch up with the shift that has already occurred because of the air and underground attacks from Gaza. While airlines from around the world suspend flights to Israel because a rocket from Gaza landed too close to Ben Gurion Airport, El Al Israel Airlines is continuing flight operations regardless of the rockets. Beyond the continuing battle on the ground in Gaza and foreign airlines’ fear of rockets from Hamas, the shift goes even deeper.
In previous conflicts with the terrorist organizations like Hamas, Israel has bowed to political pressure or sometimes even pity because of Pulitzer prize-winning pictures of the casualties of war being promoted around the world. In the past, Israel was expected to negotiate with terrorists for the sake of human dignity for the captured or the dead from the ranks of the Israel Defense Force. At the time of this writing the IDF has delivered the remains of 26 soldiers to mourning families who must bury them under skies laced with rockets launched from the same streets in Gaza where their loved ones made the ultimate sacrifice for their countrymen.
However, a 27th soldier has been declared missing in action. Hamas claims they have kidnapped an Israeli soldier named Shaul Aaron. The IDF says that Sgt. Oren Shaul is missing, but at present there is no further information about his status. The name of this missing soldier is another signal to the world that the ground has shifted in Israel at a deeper level than the terrorist tunnels in Gaza.
While Sgt. Shaul’s family holds out hope for his safe return, or at least the dignified return of his remains, Hamas is holding out hope that Israel will enter into a terrorist exchange for whoever or whatever they are claiming to hold captive. In the past, Israel released 1,000 terrorists for one living kidnapped soldier and has even released multiple terrorists for dead Israeli soldiers. What Hamas and many others may have missed during their anti-Israel public relations campaign is that since the abduction and cold-blooded murder of the three teenagers Eyal, Gilad, and Naftali there has been a shift in Israel that everyone will see and some are feeling even now.
While Hamas supporters were celebrating in the streets of Gaza over the reported capture of someone they call “Shaul Aaron” the IDF was identifying the remains of six of seven soldiers who were attacked on those same streets:
- Sgt. Max Steinberg, age 24, from Beersheba
- Stf.-Sgt. Shachar Tase, age 20, from Pardesiya
- Stf.-Sgt. Daniel Pomerantz, age 20, from Kfar Azar
- Sgt. Shon Mondshine, age 19, from Tel Aviv
- Sgt. Ben Itzhak Oanounou, age 19, from Ashdod
- Stf.-Sgt. Oren Simcha Noah, age 22, from Hoshaya
While 21-year-old Sgt. Oren Shaul is missing or in the hands of Hamas, Israel remains steadfast in the mission to deliver her citizens from the hands of the terrorist organizations in Gaza, despite the three pillars of the press, politicians, and pro-Palestinian people from around the world shaking their fists.
It’s too late. The shift in Israel is here.
“Who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble?” (Job 9:6, NASB)
