LOS ANGELES.–Last ditch “bridging” proposals failed in Doha, Qatar to produce a ceasefire breakthrough with the Israeli-Hamas War, now in its 10 months. Hamas controlled Ministry of Health claims that Israel has killed over 40,000 Gazans, something not subject to verification or proof but certainly underscores the difference between living like 62-year-old Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar in military tunnels deep below Gaza and living on the ground. Hamas considers any Gazan casualty as martyrs in the Palestinian cause, a noble way to one day liberate Palestine from the Zionist enemy. Hamas was founded in 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin to serve as 1964 Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO] Yasser Arafat’s military wing to force Israel to exchange land-of-peace. But Hamas never agreed to swapping land-for-peace, only seeking to destroy the 1948 Jewish state.
Since the 1948 war of independence, when Israel was deeded the British Mandate of Palestine, Arabs have rioted and gone to war in the region. Arabs lived in the Holy Land for over 500 years under Ottoman and British control until 1948. Once Jews took over, Arabs in the Holy Land banded together to destroy Israel, culminating in the disastrous 1967 Six-Day-War, where Israel defeated Arafat’s PLO and six other Arab countries, forcing Israel to annex Egypt’s Gaza Strip and Sinai Peninsula, Jordan’s West Bank and East Jerusalem and Syria’s Golan Heights. Israel returned the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt in exchange for a peace treaty in 1979. Twenty-six years later, Israel gave Gaza to the Ramallah-based Palestine Authority. Two years later in 2007, Hamas seized the Gaza Strip by force, holding control of the 2.3 million territory for the last 17 years.
Under Hamas rule, Gaza has been pillaged-and-plundered by Hamas leadership, with billions in oil-rich Gulf State capital enriching Hamas leadership but not going to ordinary Gaza citizens. Gaza citizens live without adequate electricity and running war, while Hamas leadership steals Gaza’s wealth to build military tunnels and amass weapons for the next war with Israel. That’s why recent negotiations with Hamas and Israel haven’t gone well, with Hamas making unrealistic demands. Hamas wants no part of any ceasefire deal that asks Hamas leadership to leave Gaza. Reputable Islamic states know that Hamas cannot be trusted with Gaza donor cash, after generations of Hamas leaders became rich stealing from Gaza’s capital reserves. Hamas wants no part of any play where Israel would continue to occupy the Gaza Strip to prevent Hamas from rearming.
Hamas rejects the idea of Israel troops staying in the so-called Philadelphi area of Gaza where the most smuggling from Egypt takes place. Hamas also rejects Israel deciding which Hamas prisoners get released from Israeli jails in exchange for what’s left of some 100 Israeli hostage, over 30% considered dead. “During the call, they reviewed . . . the latest developments in the join mediation efforts to end the war on the Strip, and stressed the need for calm and de-escalation in the region,” the Qatari statement. Qatar and Egypt are concerned about Iran’s threats to retaliate for the July 31 death of Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh, something that could happen at anytime. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhahu refuses to acquiesce to Iran and Hamas threats of retaliation. Hamas wants Israel to make concessions based on threats of Iranian military retaliation.
French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said “the risk of the situation spiraling out of control is rising,” adding pressure on Hamas and Israel to sign onto a ceasefire deal. Lammy and Sejourne “stress there is no time for delays or excuses from all parties on a ceasefire deal” in Gaza, hoping to apply pressure on all sides to reach a deal. But Netanyahu knows that dealing with terrorists group like Hamas isn’t like dealing with legitimate governments whether authoritarian or democratic. Hamas makes up its own rules to survive to live another day. All mediators seeking a ceasefire know that Iran holds the cards because they subsidize Hamas as a terrorist satellite group. No one thinks that Hamas does anything without approval from 85-year-old Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, benefactor to the Hamas terror group.
Netayahu needs to have firm assurance that any ceasefire deal would have Hamas leaving the Gaza Strip. No foreign government, including the U.S., has demanded that Hamas must leave the Gaza Strip, knowing there can be no lasting peace without Hamas ousted from Gaza. Netanyahu plans to keep the military pressure on Hamas while they try to cajole Western governments into thinking they’re calling the shots. Iran funds Gaza’s Hamas, Lebanon’ s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis to attack any country opposing Iran’s power. When foreign ministers ask Israel the cut a deal with Hamas, they’re really striking a deal with Iran. Unless world governments can deal with Iran, the Hamas war is just a small party of Iran’s overall aim to control the Sunni Muslim Middle East. No foreign power should pressure Israel into striking a deal with Iran’s mullah regime.
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.
