Do we need to allow Israel to “destroy” Hamas in order to see enduring peace?
CentreRight (and others, like Malkin) thinks so:
If there is a truth about this conflict, it is that peace will be virtually impossible, whilst Hamas control Gaza. For those fond of IRA Analogies, Hamas is more INLA to IRA/Sinn Fein. Hamas remain an Iranian proxy, with one aim: to destroy Israel as a frontline against extreme Islamism. Just as Hamas wiped out their more secular Palestinians in Gaza, so their aim is to wrest control of the West Bank from President Abbas. And if that happens, there won’t just be missiles attacks on Israeli territory on a daily basis, but missiles fired on to passing planes landing at Ben Gurion Aiport. And these planes won’t just be El AL, but British Airways and American Airlines too.
In this conflict, Israel should be understood a little more and condemned a little less. It is not just about defending herself from terrorism and constant missile attacks- which every state has the right to do. If she destroys the Hamas terrorist network in Gaza, it will not only weaken the expansionist ambitions of Iran, but it will also allow more moderate Palestinians to take charge. If that happens, the chances of negotiating a just and peaceful settlement will be much greater. Of course it is tragic that in a battle against terrorism, lives are lost. Innocent Palestinians have suffered greatly and have been used and abused by Hamas time and time again.
But how much greater will that tragedy be, if we allow Iran/Hamas to halt the peace process, attempt to destroy a free and democratic country and give extreme Islamism a boost across the whole of the Middle East? Hamas’s days of terror must be brought to an end.
The problem with this analysis is that it completely forgives Israel for its incessant overreactions to Hamas violence. Some little twirp sends over a rocket and Israel responds with hundreds of rockets. Of course peace is going to be difficult under such a structure.
Israel needs to adopt a doctrine of proportionality if we’re going to have a chance at enduring peace. Israel can defend herself, but it need not incite violence by overreaction.
Further, destroying Hamas won’t do anything for the greater middle east peace process. The end solution needs to be a two-state solution with pre-1967 borders. This is what both sides have agreed to in the past. Palestinians need recognition and Arab communities who have taken up their cause will not be satisfied until they achieve that.
