South Africa's Chief Rabbi, Warren Goldstein, has voiced a strong warning against calls for a negotiated ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, labeling such efforts as "immoral" and "dangerous." His statement comes amid increasing international pressure on Israel to engage in talks with the militant group, particularly from the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations. Goldstein argues that a ceasefire would embolden terrorist organizations and increase the risk of future attacks on the West.
"By demanding a negotiated ceasefire instead of surrender," Goldstein said, "the world sends Hamas – and all Jihadi terrorists – a dangerous message: no matter what you do, no matter what evil you perpetrate, you will always be able to extract compromises and concessions. Your violence, intimidation, and terror works."
Released in the aftermath of the murder of six Israeli hostages by Hamas, this act, Goldstein believes, is proof of the severity of the threat Israel faces. "This brutal murder,” Goldstein stated, “reveals the darkness of the evil that Israel is up against." He added that international efforts should not be focused on compromise but on ensuring Hamas's "unconditional surrender and the immediate release of all remaining hostages."
>> Watch additional episodes by Rabbi Warren Goldstein, Chief Rabbi of South Africa: https://www.youtube.com/@chiefrabbigoldstein
Goldstein revealed what he sees as a critical moral distinction between Israel, which he describes as "a peaceful, free democracy seeking to protect its citizens," and Hamas, "a terror organization driven by violent jihadi ideology." He warned that calls for a ceasefire fail to acknowledge this difference. "Ceasefire implies a moral equivalence between two sides, but 'surrender' says one side is bad and must be defeated."
Furthermore, Goldstein expressed disappointment in the responses of Israel's Western allies, noting that "The US has slowed the delivery of weapons, while the UK has banned some weapons sales altogether." Goldstein described this approach as "misguided" and reflective of the West's "naive belief that somehow everything can be solved by negotiating a compromise."
Comparing the current conflict to World War II, Goldstein drew parallels between Hamas and the totalitarian regimes of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. "In 1945, as the Allied forces neared victory in the war against Germany and Japan—both implacable ideological enemies—there was no suggestion of a ceasefire or compromise, no question that the goal was unconditional surrender," he said. "Asking Israel to negotiate a ceasefire with Hamas now, as it is winning the war, would be like telling the Allies to stop short of victory and leave Hitler in power in a weakened Germany."
Touching on the humanitarian aspect of the crisis, Goldstein expressed empathy for the families of hostages and questioned the absence of international support for their release. "The pain of the hostage families is unspeakable," he said. "Where is the United Nations' call to Hamas to surrender unconditionally? Where is the clear support for Israel in this horrifying situation?"
"The Israeli government and people must make the decisions they see fit in these awful circumstances,” he concluded, urging Western powers to provide Israel with the political, diplomatic, and military backing necessary to defeat Hamas. “But the world must say to Israel in very clear terms – we will support you, back you with the weapons you need, and with every political and diplomatic tool at our disposal, until Hamas surrenders unconditionally and releases every hostage, and until this evil is utterly vanquished."
>> Watch additional episodes by Rabbi Warren Goldstein, Chief Rabbi of South Africa: https://www.youtube.com/@chiefrabbigoldstein