My 10 objective thoughts regarding Israel and Gaza: 1. Hamas is just as responsible for Gazan deaths as Israel. The PA has made great strides in the West Bank through non-violent diplomacy in the last few years. Strategically its not an equal fight so why does Hamas use rockets? Do they think Israel will respond with minimal force? Its a known strategy of Israel, 1 for a 1000. You fire one rocket we will fire a thousand. You kill one Israeli we will kill 1000 Palestinians. Knowing the odds & imbalanced capabilities, Hamas needs to reevaluate its own war strategy and better align with Abbas who simply wants to establish two parallel countries along side Israel. He has international support. Yes he was installed by the West, but he has managed to make progress where Hamas has failed. 2. Israel is being non-discriminate and is killing women and children which is absolutely wrong. And Hamas is using civilian structures as shelter, inviting civilian causulties... which is also wrong. In the end regular people suffer. 3. International pressure will eventually broker a cease fire and while hundreds of Gazans will die and thousands of families broken, Hamas will look for data points to somehow show they won and stood up to Israel. These ceremonial victories are stupid in this day and age. Time to change policy, drop the idea that somehow they will remove Israel and start dealing with facts. The most important being, Israel isnt going anywhere regardless of how it was created. 4. I used to be a fan of Hamas who legitimately are the democratically elected representatives of Palestine. But you cant ignore how much progress Abbas has made for Palestine through non-violent diplomacy. Why cant Hamas use the same approach? I now think Hamas is way out of touch. Are they going to drag Lebanon into this too like they did a few years ago? It accomplished nothing. So why do it again? 5. People see the images of war and cry. Unfortunately people die in war. And this is why Hamas needs to quit fighting with Israel militarily because its always going to be a one-sided war. Why not renounce violence, secure peace for your people then mobilize efforts to draw attention to the human right violations on the ground in Gaza? If it was not working in the West Bank, you could argue this point, but a clear workable road map exists. 6. Where are all the Muslim fighters in Syria, Iraq and Aghanistan who are killing each other for land there? Israel v Palestine is not a Muslim v Jew issue. Its a political issue over land and border lines. Muslims need to be clear, Israel is not attacking Muslims for being Muslims. Christians also live in Gaza and they are dying in the same way. This is an Israel v Hamas issue, which is why its hard for the international community to support Hamas because they are still a violent group who does not recognize Israel. In the process, Gazans suffer. 7. If Hamas pivots and accepts Israels right to exist, then diplomacy has a chance. But after all these years and all these deaths later they keep resisting... and more of these sort of atrocious deaths will occur. Hamas cannot win militarily against Israel. Just not goin to happen. So why not accept that and try a more practical approach. 8. Hamas needs to shift efforts away from resistance and focus on securing long term stability and security for its people. The international community has shown an appetite to support Palestine when practical diplomacy is used. 9. There is no way the international community will side with Hamas and try to uproot Israel and relocate it. It just not going to happen. And until Hamas accepts that and turns to true diplomacy, people will continue to suffer and die. 10. Its time supporters of Palestine realize and accept Israels right to exist. Its there, not going anywhere and after countless wars, its only getting stronger. There is no shame in accepting defeat when you know it will save lives and create stability. Afterall isnt that what Hamas should be fighting for? If not that, then what?
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 15:21:06 +0000
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