Myrtle Beach Rabbi shares thoughts on Iran and Israel conflict
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — A Myrtle Beach-area rabbi is weighing in on the conflict between Israel and Iran as the two nations work toward a ceasefire after weeks of hositlity.
Rabbi Josef Naparstek said generations ago, Iran's huge Middle Eastern footprint has driven the nation's leaders toward reclaiming that land — with Israel standing in its way since 1948.
'The U.S. showed that the conflict is not just between Israel and Iran, it's between the free world and Iran,' Naparstek, a rabbi at Chabad, said.
Over the past two weeks, Naparstek said Israel took the initiative to defend itself against Iran after years aggression by it and proxies like Hamas — which is why a defensive attack was needed.
'They started building the nuclear bomb. And they're stating clearly that their goal is to destroy the state of Israel. So definitely, the intention, it's not for peaceful reasons, he said. 'It's not something that they say it's only for themselves.'
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Gabby Jonas joined the News13 team as a multimedia journalist in April 2024. She is from Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Kent State University in May 2023. Follow Gabby on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, and read more of her work here.
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