Below is the text of a letter written by Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu to IDF soldiers fighting against the Hamas terrorist group. The link goes to Matzav.com [the online source of Torah Jewry]
Netanyahu Writes to IDF Soldiers Ahead of Shabbos:
Soldiers, men and women,
All of the dear security forces,
Envoys of the people and the state,
The foundation of the existence of the Jewish people for thousands of years has been the constant struggle for our lives and our freedom.
We have always fought bitter enemies who have risen up against us to destroy us. Equipped with strength of spirit and a just cause, we have stood determined against those who seek our lives.
The current fight against the murderers of Hamas is another chapter in the generations-long story of our national resilience.
‘Remember what Amalek did to you.’
*It goes on
What does this mean?
Deuteronomy 25:17-19
Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey, after you left Egypt—how, undeterred by fear of God, he surprised you on the march, when you were famished and weary, and cut down all the stragglers in your rear. Therefore, when your God grants you safety from all your enemies around you, in the land that your God יהוה is giving you as a hereditary portion, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!
Who were the Amalek? The link goes to Chadbad.org
The Amalekites, descendants of Amalek, were an ancient biblical nation living near the land of Canaan. They were the first nation to attack the Jewish people after the Exodus from Egypt, and they are seen as the archetypal enemy of the Jews
What Happened to them?
To Remember and Destroy
The Torah lists two mitzvahs (commandments) regarding Amalek:
- To obliterate the nation of Amalek (timcheh et zecher Amalek).
- To never forget the evil deeds Amalek did (zechor al tishkach).9
Basically, Complete Genocide right on down to their domestic animals.
What Bibi is trying to do by the use of this terminology?
1- Trying to make this a holy war
2- Trying to implicate the Jewish diaspora in these actions.
3- Trying to imply with this link that antisemitism includes criticism of the Israeli Government. This is contrary to the IHRA definition of anti-semitism which is widely accepted in the West.
I suggest reading the links.