LOS ANGELES.–Complaining that Israel’s rejection of Hamas’s recent ceasefire proposal aimed at keeping the Islamist terror group in charge of the Gaza Strip, Hamas warned about any Israeli incursion into Rafah. Hamas propagandists are busy at work capitalizing on current pro-Palestine protests at college campuses in the U.S. and anxiety at the Biden White House that nay new Israeli military action could endanger thousands of Palestinian citizens. Forget about the fact that Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 rape, torture and massacre of 1,200 Israelis, many of whom teenagers at a Negev Desert music festival, engaged in genocide. Yet if you listen to Hamas PR campaign, it’s Israel that created the mayhem in Gaza, blaming the Jews for occupying Palestinian lands. Palestinians lived over 500 years under Ottoman Turk rule until 1948 when the Jews were deeded the British Mandate of Palestine.
Palestinian uprisings and war only started once Israel won its war of independence in 1948, spending another year until it received formal U.N. recognition in 1949. Bedouin Arabs living in Holy Land were outraged that the British gave the territory to Jews starting what would become the Palestinian narrative of Jewish occupation. But for over 500 years of Ottoman rule, Bedouin Arabs never claimed occupation by the Ottoman Turks. Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO] founder Yasser Arafat worked his entire life to destroy Israel, getting his rude awakening in the 1967 Six Day War. Arafat thought founding the PLO in 1964 would mobilize the Arab world to drive Israel into the Mediterranean, recapturing the Holy Land. Hamas was formed in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin to bring about Arafat’s dream. Arafat was poisoned Nov. 11, 2004 by Hamas, never achieving his dream.
Hamas now faces its own annihilation with 74-year-old Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring war on Hamas Oct. 8, 2023. Hamas desperately seeks a ceasefire because it knows that Israeli Defense Forces [IDF] are closing in on Hamas leadership and remaining military battalions. Calling Israel’s seizure of the Rafah border crossing a “dangerous escalation,” Hamas has threatened pulling back from the Egyptian-Oatar-brokered ceasefire agreement. Hamas claims that Israel’s rejection of its unilateral ceasefire agreement shows that Israeli is involved in a “war of extermination and systematic starvation,” calling Netanyahu’s war against Hamas, “the Nazi occupation.” Hamas likes to accuse Israel of Nazi atrocities knowing that six-million European Jews lost their lives in the Nazi Holocaust. Calling Jews Nazis is yet another cynical hate crime by Hamas officials.
Netanyahu has no problem with rank-and-file Palestinians but knows that Hamas can no loner control the Gaza Strip. Hamas officials, like its Supreme Leader Yahya Sinwar, mastermind of the Oct. 7 massacre, remains holed up in Gaza’s elaborate military tunnel network. Netanyhau isn’t after Palestinians he’s out to drive Hamas from the Gaza Strip so Palestinians have a future. Hamas, a U.S.-recognized terror organization, has looted the Gaza Strip since seizing the territory from the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Since then, Hamas leaders have ripped the Gaza Strip off of billions in foreign aid, all given by oil-rich Gulf States to rebuild the dilapidated territory. Hamas’s chief negotiators in Cairo, Ismail Haniyeh, Khaled Mesahaal and Abu Marzouk are worth billions. No one in the U.S. or foreign press mentions anything about Hamas larceny.
Hamas now faces its maker with the IDF breathing down its neck in the last remaining pockets of Hamas military resistance. Hamas tells the world that Israel is out to wipe out ordinary Palestinians, when, in fact, Israel vowed regime change in Gaza. “This crime . . . which comes directly after the Hamas movement announced its approval of the mediators’ proposal—confirms the occupation’s intention to disrupt the mediation efforts for a ceasefire and the release of prisoners . . “ Hamas said in a statement. Hamas’s conditions for a ceasefire have long expired, killing scores of hostages, now offering to return Jewish corpses in exchange for live Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Hamas knows that it’s their last stand to hold onto power in the Gaza Strip. Israel has asked that Hamas leaders be given safe passage out of Gaza if they wish to survive.
White House and EU officials know that Israel cannot live with Hamas ruling the Gaza Strip. If the U.S. and EU want Israel back off its objective of regime change in Gaza, they need to let Hamas know they must accept exile deals or face annihilation by the IDF. No one can expect Israel to live with Hamas in Gaza, knowing that they’d commit the same Oct. 7 atrocity all over again. If Hamas really wants to finally protect Gaza civilians, it needs to accept an exile deal with its leader Yahya Sinwar and military chief Mohammed Deif accept exile arrangements in some other Arab state. Hamas accepted a ceasefire deal that’ only good for Hamas, not for Israel or Gaza residents. No Arab donor state, including the oil-rich Gulf States, wants to deal with Hamas anymore, knowing the widespread corruption that enriched Hamas leaders. Hamas poses an implacable threat to Israel.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
