Seventy years ago, my dad survived a midair collision while training as a young pilot in California. One day, as he flew low alongside the runway, a small plane above him unexpectedly turned into his path and severed his aircraft’s tail. His plane flipped and landed nose-first, leaving him hanging by his seat belt. He released the belt, dropped to the ground, and walked away uninjured.
Five people witnessed the accident, so you know how many different opinions there were in the retelling of the accident. It happens all the time for any situation, statement or news report. Depending on prior knowledge and individual bias, there are always different responses to any incident or accident. How we frame our circumstances defines the way we live.
Three years ago on October 7, Hamas terrorists living in Gaza broke through the gates dividing Israel from Gaza. They swarmed into unsuspecting Israeli communities, chopped off their victims’ arms, feet, and other body parts. They burned, tortured, raped and beheaded them. Israelis fought for their lives but at the end of the day 1,200 of them had lost their lives and another 250 were taken as hostages.
The terrorists themselves documented the attack with gun-mounted cameras and social media posts. Hamas wanted the world to know of their hatred for the Jewish people, strategically turning the world against Israel. Hamas had rehearsed this attack for two years and were ready to frame their attack as self-defense in the name of resistance.
Just two days after the October 7 massacre, 127 United States university-based chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) released a statement saying that Hamas’ attacks were justified and blamed Israel for committing genocide. Interestingly, SJP released this statement almost a full week BEFORE Israel started up its counter-offensive attacks against Gaza.
The timing suggested that Hamas’s propaganda campaign on U.S. university campuses had been coordinated with the military attack. But Hamas supporters apparently didn’t get the memo about waiting until Israel responded militarily before condemning it for responding militarily.
During the framing of the October 7 attack we all heard the chanting “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free,” but I wonder if many in the crowds knew which river and which sea they were chanting about…
Last week, on the third anniversary of the October 7 attack, there were many different op-eds. The gaps in framing stood out in nearly every outlet. Some interviewed the survivors and former hostages – focusing compassionately on those who endured Israel’s massacre. Many others framed it differently, citing Israel as the one who started the conflict. The New York Post wrote: “The demonstrations planned for today in New York, shamefully, will not condemn Hamas, but Israel.”
Hatred for the Jews is nothing new. The Pharoah of Egypt was the first who tried to exterminate them around 1300 B.C., but God delivered them through the Exodus. In the Spring of 474 B.C. Haman of Persia (modern-day Iran) tried to eradicate the Jews, but Queen Esther stood up for her people and Haman’s plot boomeranged on himself. The Final Solution to the Jewish Question was Hitler’s goal in WWII, and from 1941-1945 six million Jews from 21 countries were systematically murdered.
Refreshingly this year there was also a 24-hour Global Prayer Event for Israel on October 7, 2026, three years after the Hamas Massacre. Held near the wailing wall in Jerusalem, the event was streamed throughout the world with over 40 countries standing in solidarity with Israel. I watched a few hours and was brought to tears by a beautiful song – composed for the occasion and sung by people representing all 40 countries. A few of the lines were:
“We are the world and we will carry you on our shoulders…” “Israel will not stand alone”
Framing circumstances can be as innocuous as watching a mid-air collision or discerning the difference between facts and agendas. Take care and pray for discernment.
“We must ultimately be shaped not by the agendas of the strong men of our day, but by the Prince of Peace Himself.” Pete Greig
Hate is easy. Love is hard.
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