The Best Defense

The Talmud teaches, “If someone rises to kill you, rise up to kill him first.” The Rebbe explains that this dictum of our sages is the only way for Israel to deal with its enemies who seek its destruction.

The hope of achieving a measure of security through the United Nations, given the hypocritical attitude towards Israel which prevails there, is futile. Only when Israel demonstrates, with a show of force, that it stands ready to rise up and strike those who would attack it, can it prevent violent conflicts with its neighbors. If they are deterred from attempting attacks in the first place, there will be no need for actual use the force.