One of Britain’s top universities this week hosted an event to promote the book, Understanding Hamas: and why that matters. Whilst universities should be arenas of free speech, they should not be platforms for terrorist organisations. Hamas is a proscribed terror organisation in the UK. The decision by London School of Economics (LSE) to host this event was wrong, possibly criminal, and not least another reason why so many Jewish students feel vulnerable to study at universities that award passes for antisemitism.
So, coinciding with the Jewish festival of Purim, and with tongue slightly in cheek, it seemed fitting to title this article “Understanding HAMAN: and why that matters”.
There is only one letter difference in the spelling of Haman and Hamas. Their motives are the same. Like Haman, Hamas wants to destroy the Jewish people because it is antisemitic to the core. Not only is Hamas determined for Israel to not exist, they do not want Jews in the Middle East, period.
Like Haman, Hamas’s agenda needs to be exposed. Yet, despite Hamas’s evil being demonstrated for the world to see, many are still silent, or, as witnessed in the popularity of the event at LSE, many have been incited to support their aims. What took place at LSE is symptomatic of a deeply rooted failure in the West to truly understand Hamas – their jihadist ideology, their genocidal aims, and why their brand of antisemitism has gained popularity on university campuses in Britain and America, especially among those who enjoy chanting “from the river to the sea”.
Hamas is not a freedom-fighting movement. It is resistance only to the existence of Israel. Hamas’s charter explicitly calls for the obliteration of Israel and the murder of Jews, citing Islamic scripture as justification. In fact the document does not distinguish between “Zionists” and “Jews”. Hamas acts on what its manifesto aims to achieve – to kill Jews.
The world saw Hamas’s open attempt to annihilate Israel, when on October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists waged the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust — slaughtering babies, committing sexual violence, burning whole families alive, and taking 240 civilians hostage. Hamas murdered more than 1,200 Israelis during the attack. Over a year later, Hamas is still holding over 50 men and women hostage.
Yet, despite evidence of Hamas’s genocidal actions, universities like the London School of Economics see no problem in platforming excusers of these crimes. The LSE and other academic institutions must be held to account. The West faces a major problem in the future if universities continue to allow jihadist ideology to flourish on campuses.
This Purim, it seems fitting to consider the serious threat that Haman posed to the Jewish people. But it is also helpful to remember that God provided a way for the enemy’s plans to be thwarted.
Purim is traditionally a celebration, but with Jews still captive in Gaza, Israelis are very much aware that the new Haman is not yet defeated. Many have been using the occasion to highlight the plight of the hostages, and yet at the same time celebrate the unity of the nation and aspiration of the Jewish people to overcome their enemies.
Classes of schoolchildren throughout the country, as well as adults, dressed as Batman, some carrying orange balloons or wearing orange masks, as a homage to Ariel Bibas and his love for the masked and caped superhero. Four-year-old Ariel, his 9-month-old brother Kfir, and their mother Shiri were killed by Hamas whilst hostage in Gaza. Their father, Yarden, was released in February as part of the ceasefire terms.
The Bibas family wrote online: “The heart missed a beat twice today. Once, when we woke up to a morning without new photos of Ariel and Kfir dressed up for Purim and the second time when we saw all the incredible gestures on the streets of Israel. Time after time during the last almost year and a half and especially during the last few weeks, you have shown us that Ariel and Kfir will never leave us. They are in the heart of the nation and will always remain so. Those who were a symbol of Hamas’ cruelty, are now a symbol of unity and hope for the people of Israel.”
This Purim, let us dedicate time to pray for the deliverance of all remaining hostages and for the evil ploy by Hamas to be removed.
In the account of Esther, the young queen fasted for three days prior to approaching the king after her uncle Mordecai revealed to her Haman’s plot to wipe out every Jew in the Persian kingdom. Esther 4:16 says that Esther also asked those close to her (her maidens) and every Jew in the city to join her in prayer and fasting. Mordecai challenged her that she would have no better chance of survival than any other Jew in the kingdom. Haman’s planned massacre would be indiscriminate.
But Mordecai did more than just inform Esther of the plot. Understanding the motives of the Jews’ enemy, he came alongside Esther and encouraged her to fulfil her God-ordained destiny.
Esther 3:13-14 says, “And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
In these difficult days that we are experiencing, it is no coincidence that God has placed you in this world at this time. In the words of Mordecai, has God called you into the kingdom “for such a time as this”?
Our answer to this question should be a confident ‘YES!’ As Christians who stand with Israel and the Jewish people, we have chosen not to be silent. We have understood the motives demonstrated by Israel’s enemies; we have seen the threat, and we have heeded the warning. Our role is to be an encouragement and a comforter to the Jewish people, but we are also prepared to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the face of Jewish persecution. We have chosen not to be like many in the world who have either turned a blind-eye to Hamas’s evil, or decided to assert condemnation on the Jewish people instead.
But also like Haman, Hamas will ultimately not succeed.
This Purim, let us renew our conviction to encourage the Jewish people and to pray for Israel and for Jews worldwide.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.” Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good.
Psalm 122:6-9
