Did Hezbollah Attack A Synagogue In America?
The brother of the attacker is reportedly a commander in Hezbollah
I don’t believe in holding individuals responsible for the actions of their family members.
I believe, essentially, in full individualism. In judging people by their own actions and beliefs, and not family ties. People are accountable for what they have done. Not for what their relatives have done, or believe.
This is a rather important factor for me. My anti-Hamas views, for example, are a product of my own thoughts and explorations. Nobody other than me is responsible for my beliefs in this respect.
So I am naturally quite skeptical of wanting to tie an individual to their family’s beliefs or ideology.
But sometimes, people show themselves as an ideologue through their actions.
On March 12th, Ayman Ghazali—a naturalised U.S. citizen who was born in Lebanon—drove a pickup truck loaded with gasoline and fireworks into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan. He was armed with a rifle. He exchanged gunfire with synagogue security, leading to the security guard being injured. Fortunately, the children and staff who were inside the synagogue at the time were evacuated safely and no one inside was killed aside from the attacker.
His brother Ibrahim Ghazali—allegedly a Hezbollah commander—was reported by Israeli authorities to have served in Hezbollah’s Badr Unit. Allegedly his role included managing weapons operations and overseeing rocket fire against Israel. He was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon on March 5th, allegedly alongside his two children as well as another brother.
Now, obviously, even if it is true that Ibrahim Ghazali was a Hezbollah commander, the deaths of any civilians, especially children is a horrific tragedy.
But even so, attacking a synagogue is a very clear signal of intent. Not to mention ideological affiliation.
