It is an old joke. I remember it from the cartoons of my youth. The first character draws a line in the sand. With a determined stare and loud voice says, “I dare you to cross this line.” The other character smiles and takes a step across. The first character then looks incredulously, draws another line in the sand. With a determine stare and loud voice says, “I dare you to cross this line!” The other character smiles and takes a step across. Then the first character of course repeatedly draws lines which are stepped across while shouting, “This line!” “This line!” “This line!” Soon running away.

I wish it were only in the cartoons that this seems to be happening, but it is not. It is happening among some of those who consider themselves to be advocating for Israel. Lines in the sand seem to be for jumping across these days, not for saying “No further” or “Unacceptable” as they once were.

Some are working so hard to abandon the old lines regarding Israel and to draw new ones that they are providing cardio training for Israel’s opponents, creating a kind of hurdles race over abandoned lines in the sand instead of saying to them, “That is simply not okay.” 

Funding Hamas, an organization that is a recognized terrorist organization and which actively engages in terrorism against Israel, is simply not okay.

Funding Hamas because we feel a need to fund Fatah to promote peace is not okay. Funding Hamas is not okay.

Funding Hamas because we feel that having Fatah and Hamas united will be helpful to peace is both naive and not okay. Naive in that Hamas will radicalize Fatah, not the reverse, and the whole Palestinian Authority could fall to Hamas which would be disastrous for peace. Funding Hamas is not okay.

Funding Hamas because Israel should send money to the Palestinian Authority which includes Hamas is not okay. Israel would be enabling and abetting harm against its own citizens. Funding Hamas is not okay.

Funding Hamas because the United States needs to show that it is supportive by sending money to the Palestinian Authority some of which will end up going to Gaza and helping to financially support Hamas is not okay. Funding Hamas is not okay.

To those who say, “Perhaps this line should be crossed,” the answer should be simple, “Funding Hamas is not okay.”

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