We must say an emphatic ‘no’ to Hamas a thousand times

‘We, especially, must say an emphatic “no” to what Hamas – not the Palestinian people – has done.’ Photograph: Amir Levy/Getty Images

I am weeping with my Jewish brothers and sisters, both in Israel and around the world, as they mourn the horrific acts of terror in Israel this past weekend. The stories of civilians murdered and families kidnapped are gut-wrenching. In grief, we are wrapped in darkness, and there are no words to express the weight we feel.

Yet in the public square, words abound that both compound the grief of many and have the potential to precipitate more violence. So I must rise from the silence of mourning to speak.