Owen Jones’ report on Iran’s missile attacks on Israel and the accusations of racism against Western responses to these events reflects a deep misunderstanding of the regional dynamics and the nature of the threats Israel faces. His piece fails to acknowledge the historical and ongoing terrorist threats faced by Israeli civilians from Iran’s proxies, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Iranian-backed militias across the region.
First and foremost, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its network of proxies are not merely political actors, but recognized terrorist entities, involved in deadly attacks across the Middle East, including Israel. Hamas, for example, explicitly calls for the destruction of Israel, as seen in its 1988 Charter, which identifies jihad as the main path to eliminate the Jewish state. Hamas has conducted numerous suicide bombings, rocket attacks, and cross-border assaults targeting Israeli civilians, including the October 7, 2023, massacre in which thousands of Israelis were brutally murdered, raped, and abducted. Owen Jones’ refusal to acknowledge the brutality of these attacks, and instead frame Israel’s defensive responses as genocidal, distorts the reality of the situation and shifts blame away from the aggressors.
Furthermore, humanitarian aid continues to flow into Gaza, even during conflicts. Israel facilitates the entry of essential supplies, including food, water, and medical supplies, through coordination with international organizations. In fact, data from 2023 and 2024 shows that hundreds of tons of humanitarian aid, including food and medical supplies, were delivered to Gaza. Despite the ongoing violence from Hamas and other Iranian proxies, Israel has not starved Gaza or inflicted “genocidal mayhem” as Jones falsely claims.
To equate Israel’s self-defense actions, such as precision airstrikes aimed at military targets, with genocidal warfare is a gross misrepresentation. Israel, unlike Hamas, does not deliberately target civilians but seeks to protect its population from rocket barrages and terrorist infiltrations. The IDF operates under strict protocols to minimize civilian casualties, often warning civilians to evacuate military areas ahead of strikes.
Jones’ accusation that Western leaders are racist for condemning Iranian missile attacks is baseless. The West, like Israel, recognizes the gravity of these attacks, not only because they threaten Israeli lives, but because they represent a broader campaign by Iran to destabilize the region through violence and terror. Israel’s right to defend its citizens from these threats is indisputable.
Owen Jones’ rhetoric ignores the fundamental reality of the conflict: Israel is facing an existential threat from an array of Iranian-backed terrorist organizations. The Western support for Israel’s right to self-defense is not rooted in racism, but in a recognition of the country’s right to protect its citizens from relentless, violent, and genocidal enemies.
