Reluctantly accepting a new ceasefire with Israel, Hamas held its rocket fire on the Jewish State, promising since its March 1 “March of Return” to breach Israel’s border and reclaim land lost in the 1948 War of Independence. Hamas never accepted the U.N.’s May 11, 1949 admission of Israel into the international body based in New York. While founded by blind Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in 1987, Hamas’s Aug. 18, 1988 charter called for the destruction of Israel. Yassin was a devout follower of Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO] Founder Yasser Arafat until he lost the 1967 Six-Day-War. Arafat, together with Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, attacked Israel and were humiliated in less than a week. Since Israel assassinated Yassin March 22, 2004, Hamas has been Israel’s archenemy, finding any means possible to destroy the Jewish State—all attempts fail miserably at the expense of Palestinians.
Hamas’s recent antics, sponsoring massive riots on the Israeli-Gaza border have resulted in more death and destruction in the Gaza Strip. When 72-year-old President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital Dec. 23, 2017, it sparked more Hamas violence on the Israeli border. Hamas’s last war with Israel July 8, 2014 to Aug. 26, 2014 caused 2,310 Palestinian deaths, nearly $5 billion in infrastructure damage to the already dilapidated Gaza Strip. Hamas usually starts wars with Israel when it runs out of cash, unable to meet Gaza’s payroll. After the war, Hamas pleaded with the Gulf States for cash, hoping to restart paying civil servants and providing vital services like electricity and water. Hamas routinely tells its captive Gaza population that it’s on the verge of conquering Israel, only to watch their plans fail, like the last publicity stunt called the “March of Return.”
After sustaining rocket fire from Hamas’s militant wing AKA the Iss ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Israeli Defense Forces pounded the Gaza Strip with F-14 fire on Hamas hideouts and infrastructure. “The attack delivered a severe blow to the Hamas training array, command and control abilities, weaponry, aerial defense and logistic capabilities along with additional military infrastructure,” said the IDF. Israel has no interest in another war with Hamas but must respond to rocket attacks and the recent death of Staff Sgt. Aviv Levi, a 21-year-old soldier killed by Hamas in a cross-border raid on an army checkpoint. Hamas had new motivation to attack Israel after the Jerusalem-based Israeli parliament passed a bill July 18 officially declaring Israel a Jewish State. Israeli Arab members of the Knesset protested the long-waited declaration backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
U.S. Secretary General Antonio Gutierrez expressed “grave concern” about the escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip. “Any further escalation will endanger the lives of Palestinians and Israelis alike, deepen the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and undermine current efforts to improve livelihoods,” said Gutierrez. U.N. officials are dumbfounded by Hamas’s continuous war-making, knowing that they get nothing other than more death and destruction. Hamas continues to make the old pre-1948 argument that Palestinians deserved the British Mandate of Palestine given by the U.K. to Israel May 15, 1948. Every Arab war since Israel’s June 14,1948 declaration of independence has failed. Netanyahu pushed for the July 18 declaration of Israel being a Jewish State precisely because of Arab attempts to annihilate Israel since accepted by the U.N. May 11, 1949 have all failed.
Border protests by Hamas since March 1 were designed to whip up the Gaza population, continuing to suffer in one of the most impoverished areas on the planet. Hamas’s declaration to return to the land of their ancestors is no different than North Koreans demanding, after the July 27, 1953 end of the Korean War, lost land in South Korea. Like North Korea envies South Korea, Hamas and the Ramallah-based Palestine Authority want to claim Israel’s success over the last 70 years. Nowhere in the Mideast do citizens enjoy a better way of life than Israel. Whatever sacrifices Jews made in the Nazi Holocaust in WW II, they’ve created paradise in the Holy Land. Hamas wants to return to Israel now that it’s the crown jewel of the Middle East. Since that won’t happen, you’d think Hamas and the PLO would want to return to the peace table to complete a two-state solution.
No Arab state, or collection of states, can defeat Israel to redistribute its land back to Arabs, anymore than Mexico can demand to return to their original territory. Once the U.N. recognizes a sovereign state, there’s no turning back the clock. Because Israel seized land during the 1967 Six-Day-War, Palestinians hoped Israel would return to the original 1948 borders. With Israel’s security requirements changed over the years, it’s now impossible for Israel to return to the pre-1967 borders. If Palestinians want a future state, they’re not going to get in by armed struggle against Israel. No matter how many Arab states condemn Israel, Netanyahu won’t retreat on securing Israeli national security. If Hamas wants an independent state, they won’t get it by armed struggle. Netanayu’s prepared to deal with any contingency from Palestinians or any other Arab states threatening Israel.
