ST. LOUIS – People in our area with ties to the conflict in the Middle East are reacting after Iran’s missile attack on Israel Tuesday. Many are concerned about what comes next.
The attack was especially concerning for those in the Jewish community, especially those with friends and family in Israel. The attack came just a day before the start of Rash Hashana, the Jewish new year. It also comes just days before the one-year mark of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
U.S. officials confirm Iran fired around 200 ballistic missiles into Israel Tuesday. The attack apparently came in-response to Israel recently killing the leader of Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militant group, along with Israel’s deployment of troops into Lebanon.
As of Tuesday night, there were no confirmed Israeli casualties from the attack. Still, the scare made it a difficult day for people who have friends and family in the region.
Karen Sher, the Vice President of Community Impact for the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, said she was on the phone with a group in Israel when the sirens started to sound. Sher pointed out that this attack should not be viewed in a vacuum.
“This is the most recent escalation of decades of this attack on Israel, and Israel’s right to exist,” Sher said.
Sher said they are grateful the U.S. has stood by Israel so strongly since the Oct. 7 attacks.
“We just are so grateful for the support of the United States, for our country to be so steadfast in supporting Israel’s right to defend itself,” she said.
But not everyone feels that way. Michael Berg, the co-founder of the St. Louis chapter of the group Jewish Voice for Peace, says he feels the government of Israel is not working toward peace. He said he wishes people would also consider those facing attacks every day in Gaza.
“It’s as if some people’s lives matter, and others don’t,” Berg said.
Palestinian-Americans are also reacting to the news, and fearful of what it could mean for the entire region. Steve Tamari, a recently retired college history professor and a Palestinian-American himself, said he feels it’s time the U.S. stops sending billions of dollars to the Israeli government. He feels the government is only trying to escalate the conflict.
“The United States could stop this in a moment,” Tamari said. “I mean, Israel cannot continue to do this without full-on American support.”
Still, many in the Jewish community and those who support Israel say they are thankful the U.S. is standing by its ally. Sher said it’s been especially critical over the past year, following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack carried-out against Israel at the hands of Hamas.
“Israel is resilient, and it’s strong, and it will persevere,” Sher said.
