In the video: the families of the abductees block the Begin road 08.02.24/Danor Aharon Danor Aharon
On Thursday, July 1, 1976, the Israeli government gave in to the demands of the "Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine" and agreed to release from prison dozens of terrorists that the Palestinian terrorist organization demanded, in exchange for the release of 106 hostages it held in Entebbe, Uganda.
Following the government's decision, "The Front" headed by Dr. Vadie Haddad extended its ultimatum by three days. As I recall, at midnight between Saturday and Sunday, before the new ultimatum expired, the hostage rescue operation was conducted. The
Israeli government, then headed by Yitzhak Rabin, did not made its decision to "buy time" for the rescue. Rabin made this clear immediately after the operation, as well as in his memoirs. He emphasized that he intended to uphold the government's decision and release the terrorists who were imprisoned in Israel, in exchange for the lives of the hostages. Indeed, if it had not been created that Thursday followed by a realistic possibility of a military operation, Israel would have fulfilled its part in the deal.
This surrender to the terrorists, if it had happened, would have caused us great harm and encouraged further attacks, including kidnappings. In practice, since the terrorists in Entebbe were eliminated, and Palestinian terrorism received a severe blow, the surrender decision of The government and its possible dire consequences faded in the glow of success. What was fixed in the world's consciousness was the end result.
A rally for the release of the abductees in Tel Aviv, February 3, 2024/photo processing, Reuters
Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar at a rally in Gaza City, October 1, 2022/Reuters
The ultimate question of loss versus gain is the one that should be asked even today, when we come to discuss a possible deal with Hamas.
Without any doubt, any concession to the terrorists is bad, but what should be in front of our eyes is the final result in the campaign.
If the concession does not harm the further crushing of Hamas and the occupation of the entire Gaza Strip, then the concession in itself and the price (if it is reasonable) paid by us for the abductees will be dwarfed in comparison to the human blow that will be inflicted on Palestinian terrorism.
They will no longer set a precedent for the future.
On the other hand, if the deal endangers the very fulfillment of the war's goal of destroying Hamas - and such a danger can mainly come from a prolonged stoppage in the war, which could sabotage the possibility of an aggressive and continuous renewal of it - then such a concession is unacceptable.
After all, in the event that the war ends before its goal is achieved, the entire State of Israel, for all its 9 million citizens, will become a hostage.
This is the simple calculation.
There are those who say that the elimination of Hamas is not possible in any case since "ideology cannot be eliminated", and therefore it is better to bring about the release of the abductees even at the cost of ending the war without fulfilling its purpose.
Indeed, eliminating an ideology is a difficult goal to achieve, and sometimes impossible.
But so what?
Nazism was also an idea that did not go away with the elimination of the Nazi regime in Germany.
However, after the occupation and destruction of Germany, the ability of the Nazi leaders and the leaders of their ideology to continue murdering was also eliminated - and that is what matters.
Similarly, the ideology that guides the people of Hamas, as well as countless Palestinians, will not disappear the day the IDF controls the entire Gaza Strip. The relevant question is not whether their desire to destroy the State of Israel and annihilate the Jews will disappear from their hearts, but whether their ability to fulfill it will be eliminated. Ability This is what must, and can, be eliminated. In advance, it was conditional on the control granted to the mechanism of monstrous terrorism and its operators over territory and population. This ability must be eradicated, and we must not exploit this goal or endanger it in any transaction. This is the simple super-principle that should guide us When we come to think about the details, terms and consequences of any possible deal
The writer is a doctor, writer and playwright
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