1. We have no choice! We love peace more than any nation, but as Golda Meir once told the young Senator Joe Biden, our secret weapon is that we have nowhere else to go!

2. We are right. In this war of good against evil, there is no doubt who is correct and justified and which side is satanic and barbaric.

3. The world now also understands: all of the leaders of the free world, who were sometimes confused, suddenly have clarity and are siding with Israel, even visiting us out of solidarity. We have now also unmasked the anti-Semites and proved that nothing in the world will ever convince them to side with us, but all objective people are also seeing them for what they really are. Even if the world leaders may eventually think that our reaction is “disproportionate” (however that’s possible!), they agree that we are correct in fighting evil and justified in defending ourselves. They are beginning to understand that our enemies in the Middle East must be deterred “in their own language”.

4. Because We are stronger. Thank God, Who has blessed us with a very strong and smart army, and even if we made terrible mistakes in underrating these terrorists, our resolve will return the true proportions that the IDF will undoubtably trounce the less-armed and less advanced fanatic extremists.

5. Because We are united. The recent threat of civil war and political infighting in Israel, including leftist pilots and soldiers threatening to stop serving in the IDF if the Prime Minister isn’t switched, has proven to be false. Thank God, in this time of need, all Israelis (and Jews throughout the world) are united and volunteering everywhere to help each other, with 130% of the reserve soldiers showing up, even sacrificing their lives for Israel and their fellow Jews. You can tell who a person or nation really is underneath it all when really under pressure (see Eruvin 65b). Left and right, religious and secular, Ashkenazi and Sefaradi, we stand united fighting for Israel, just as in all of Israel’s previous wars.

6. Because we are the “next chapter” in the Bible. We continue the chain of Moses, Joshua, Samson, Gideon, Kings Saul and David, and the Maccabees, as we have returned to Israel for the third and final time. We are proud of our eternal history, which brought the world the Bible, the Ten Commandments, monotheism, morality, prophecy, many intellectuals, musicians, inventions, Nobel Prizes, and much more, yet we always knew how to defend ourselves when necessary. We have a moral obligation and responsibility to continue our role in building a model nation, a light for others, and fulfilling the promise of eternity as promised to our forefathers.

7. Because God is with us, and He promised,For the Lord will not forsake His people, nor will He desert His land” (Tehilim 94, 14). We have witnessed over the last century that He has gathered the exiles (7 million Jews from 104 different countries), built us a formidable state, army, and economy, revived the deserted Holy Land, revived the Holy Language, and granted us, time after time, miraculous military victories.

Let us all declare together: The people of Israel are strong, the nation of Israel is united, the God of Israel is with us, and Israel will be victorious!

With Love of Israel, Rav Ari Shvat

(in conjunction with my colleague: R. Yoni Lavie)