Since the attacks of October 7, Hamas has fired thousands of rockets into Israel. Just yesterday, one injured a civilian in the town of Netivot. These rockets (or the technology to produce them) have been provided by Tehran; last week, the U.S. and its allies missed a chance to renew sanctions on the Iranian missile program. But, Jonathan Schachter explains, there remain steps to be taken to stop the Islamic Republic, which is responsible for so many of the Middle East’s current ills:

The evidence is overwhelming—from the far-reaching concessions made [by Washington to Tehran as part of the 2015 nuclear deal], failing to respond to Iranian attacks on U.S. forces, and Israel’s recent gestures toward Hamas, among other things—that containing, placating, or trying to “buy off” Iran and its terrorist proxies only embolden, entrench, and enrich them and incentivize their cruelty. Capitulation and excessive caution are seen as cowardice and a lack of resolve. These are what actually make war more likely.

There is a better way. Coming together now to push back hard against Iran’s nuclear lawlessness, its wanton proliferation of missiles and other weapons to America’s enemies, and its unbridled support for terrorist groups that continue to target Americans, Europeans, Israelis, Arabs, and others in their homes offers the greatest promise of winning the war and defeating Iran.

The U.S. and its European allies face a choice: will they rise to the occasion and meet the just and lofty goals they set for themselves, or will they blink and be forced to issue more frequent and less convincing statements of support for the bloodied victims of Iran’s murderous aggression?

On Tuesday, representatives of Hamas met with their counterparts from Fatah—the faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) once led by Yasir Arafat that now governs parts of the West Bank—in Beijing to discuss possible reconciliation. While it is unlikely that these talks will yield any more progress than the many previous rounds, they constitute a significant step in China’s increasing attempts to involve itself in the Middle East on the side of Israel’s enemies.

By contrast, writes Tuvia Gering, Taiwan has been quick and consistent in its condemnations of Hamas and Iran and its expressions of sympathy with Israel:

Support from Taipei goes beyond words. Taiwan’s appointee in Tel Aviv and de-facto ambassador, Abby Lee, has been busy aiding hostage families, adopting the most affected kibbutzim in southern Israel, and volunteering with farmers. Taiwan recently pledged more than half a million dollars to Israel for critical initiatives, including medical and communications supplies for local municipalities. This follows earlier aid from Taiwan to an organization helping Israeli soldiers and families immediately after the October 7 attack.

The reasons why are not hard to fathom:

In many ways, Taiwan sees a reflection of itself in Israel—two vibrant democracies facing threats from hostile neighbors. Both nations wield substantial economic and technological prowess, and both heavily depend on U.S. military exports and diplomacy. Taipei also sees Israel as a “role model” for what Taiwan should aspire to be, citing its unwavering determination and capabilities to defend itself.

On a deeper level, Taiwanese leaders seem to view Israel’s war with Hamas and Iran as an extension of a greater struggle between democracy and autocracy.

Gering urges Israel to reciprocate these expressions of friendship and to take into account that “China has been going above and beyond to demonize the Jewish state in international forums.” Above all, he writes, Jerusalem should “take a firmer stance against China’s support for Hamas and Iran-backed terrorism, exposing the hypocrisy and repression that underpin its vision for a new global order.”