Israel went back to war. That was the hard part. The calculation of all the factors was that the extortionate dynamic of the truce would increase the pressure on Israel, and the country would discover that it was being sucked into a final ceasefire, unable to get up from the negotiating table. First the hostages, and later the terms of the long ceasefire. But there is no doubt that at this point the Israeli public has shown its power, right and left.
Documentation: Assassination of Hamas Shati Battalion commander Haitham Hawajri // Photo: IDF Spokesperson
On the right, the message to Netanyahu and Galant was clear: There will be no resurrection for a national leader who surrenders and stops the fire against Hamas, after a decision has been made on the goals of the war. On the left, the messages of the settlers from the western Negev conveyed: We will not be able to return to living in the communities without the elimination of Hamas.
The calculation of the Hamas leaders was that the dynamic of releasing the abductees would arouse public pressure, which would lead to the investment of all resources in releasing the rest of the abductees who are in Hamas' captivity hell. This means stopping the fighting and releasing security prisoners, according to Yahya Sinwar's demands.
In addition, they possess the doomsday weapon of the Western liberal media – the New York Times and the BBC – as well as the left-wing Muslim coalition in the Democratic Party. According to Hamas' account, all these will force the Israeli government to stop the fighting.
IDF forces in the Gaza Strip, photo: IDF Spokesperson
During his visit last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken did set a series of restrictive conditions before the cabinet, meaning that Israel would not be able to wage an effective war to eliminate Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip. In response to the defense minister's statement about the determination of Israeli society to fight until Hamas is dismantled, Blinken said brazenly: "I don't think you have the credit to do that."
I mean, you're running out of credit from President Biden, who is bowing under pressure from the powerful and dynamic group in the Democratic Party that supports Hamas' genocidal goals. Muslim leaders in several swing states, such as Michigan and Arizona, have said they will no longer support the president in the next election.
Resolutely stick to goals
But Israel has no choice. The fate of the communities and the people is more important than the electoral problems of the US president. The cabinet, led by Prime Minister Netanyahu, will have to find a way to continue the war to eliminate Hamas. The question is whether Biden will exert pressure to the point of cutting off supplies to Israel in order to save himself and the ISIS terrorist organization. There is a solution for the civilian population, and that is beyond Egyptian territory, but the United States and international organizations prefer to imprison the Palestinians in a situation of human shield for Hamas.
Israel must take its decisions seriously and not see itself in the eyes of its external critics. This means sticking to its goals, and as we enter the new phase of the war, there is also room to replace some of the senior commanders, mainly the head of the Southern Command and the head of Military Intelligence. The logic is that in senior meetings there is a problem of trust, at least with regard to intelligence assessments. Who is the authority that gives senior ministers a picture of the situation?
The example Israel should set for itself is the elimination of the "Tamil Tigers" in Sri Lanka. There, too, a war of rounds and calm continued for decades, until a new regime emerged, which adhered to an uncompromising war for two years. Only then were the "Tamil Tigers" eliminated and laid down their arms.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us