As the fighting between Israel and terror groups in Gaza moves into its second week, media outlets and liberal politicians continue the routine mental gymnastics required to absolve Palestinian leaders from their decision to fire thousands of indiscriminate rockets into civilian areas.

The constant whitewashing of Palestinian agency is done under the guise of activism for Palestinian human rights and grants many an opportunity to launch unsubstantiated accusations against the Jewish state. The paradox of this, however, is tragic: Every time a rocket from Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad is legitimized, a viable resolution to the conflict becomes more distant. Israeli public polls, following devastating campaigns of terrorism, suggest that Israel’s electorate is likely to shift toward right-leaning political parties that are security-focused and unlikely to support the making of concessions to Palestinian leaders.