LOS ANGELES.–Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with foreign minister in Amman, Jordan to discus the Israeil-Hamas war, telling minister that any ceasefire would enable Hamas to regroup and repeat the same atrocities committed on Oct. 7, killing 1,400 Israeles, taking another 240 hostages. Jordan’s foreign minister Ayamn Safadi said Arab countries wanted a ceasefire to stop Israel’s bombardment that has killed 9,400 civilians, according to Hamas’ Health Ministry. President Joe Biden, 80, infuriated Arab leaders when he said he can’t trust Hamas-made stats on Palestinian casualties. Whatever the death toll in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised hope for a ceasefire calling on Hamas to release all hostages. Foreign ministers had no comment about Netanyahu’s ceasefire offer. Arab leaders see the Oct. 7 slaughter of Israeli civilians as Palestinians right of resistance.
Biden has put his foot down when it comes to using terrorism and genocide as a way to advance Palestinians’ political agenda. When you consider Netanyahu’s offer for a ceasefire to release all hostages, what’s Hamas’ hesitation? Hamas’ claims Israel is engaged in war crimes against Gaza’s citizens yet won’t release hostages that could bring a bout a ceasefire. What’s the logic for Hamas keeping useless hostages when they’re only furthering the suffering of all Gaza citizens? Certainly, Arab heads of state and foreign ministers can communicate to Hamas that a ceasefire is the top priority, not retaining hostages for the sole purpose of blackmailing or getting concessions from Israel. Senior Hamas officials Osama Hamdan said Blinken “should stop the aggression and should not come up with ideas that cannot be implemented,” referring to the immediate release of all hostages.
Hamas can’t call the shots with Israeli Defense Forces [IDF] tightening the noose around Gaza. Hamas senior official Ghazi Hamadi said Nov. 1 that Hamas will keep hitting Israel until it’s destroyed. Hamadi claims, like other Hamas officials, that Israel has no place on its land. Where was Hamas, or other like-minded groups, when the Holy Land was occupied by the Ottoman Empire and British for over 500 years? Only when the U.K. gave the British Mandate of Palestine to the Jews in 1948 did Arabs claim that Jews were occupying Muslim lands. U.S. and Israeli officials know that Hamas is chartered to destroy Israel, creating the main obstacle to peace in the Middle East. Hamas periodically starts wars with Israel when they run out of cash and can no longer pay government salaries. Once Gaza is laid to waste, Hams begs the oil-rich Gulf states to pony up billions to reconstruct the area.
Reporting on civilian deaths in Gaza, credentialed news organizations use the Hamas Ministry of Health, known for fabricated reporst to make Israel look bad. Most news organization report only on what they’re told, not bothering to verify sources. When a rocket slammed into a Gaza hospital Oct. 17 killing 500, the news media reported verbatim what Hamas said. After closer inspection at the site, it was determined the hospital was hit by stray Islamic Jihad rocket, not Israel. Yet very few new groups reported on the new findings, repeating Hamas disinformation. So, Israel battles an avalanche of biased reporting, blaming Israel for all the carnage. Blinken met with Arab heads of state and foreign minister calling for a ceasefire but not asking Hams to release any of the hostages. Arab leaders think that Hamas has the right of resistance to commit genocide against Israel.
Netanyahu’s offer of a ceasefire for the return or all hostages tells the real story of what Hamas or Palestinians want. Ghazi Hamadi said Oct. 17 that all Palestinians are honored to martyr themselves for the cause of destroying Israel. So, with that attitude, it’s clear the Hamas thinks they can massacre their own population under the phony notion that martydom is an honor in the mission of destroying Israel. If that the case, why are Arab leader and foreign minister meeting in Jordan to call for an immediate ceasefire? Hamas, with Iran’s backing, wants the world to know it’s doing everything possible to destroy Israel, something they consider a great honor. Hamas’ leader in exile in Qatar Khaaled Meshaal called on all Arab States to band together to join jihad against Isael. Despite U.S.concerns, not one Arab state has taken Meshaal up on going to war against Israel.
Biden and Blinken keep hearing about the urgency of a ceasefire but when Arab leaders and foreign minister are asked why Hamas refuses to return the hostages, they have nothing to say. Not one Arab leader or foreign minister has asked Hamas publicly to release the hostages to get a ceasefire to spare Gaza citizens the carnage. Ghazi Hamadi said it honestly that all Palestinians yearn to die for Hamas’ cause of destroying Israel. Hamas has been down this road four times before, all leading to destroying Gaza. Oil-rich Gulf states have grown jaded of Hamas’ tactics, knowing they seek nothing less that billions in immediate aid. Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman was ready before Oct. 7 to discus diplomatic relations with Israel. Hamas can’t fathom that none of its Arab brothers want to fight the Palestinians’ battle with Israel. Arab states want peace not Hamas’ perpetual war.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
