Rather than weaken Hamas politically, it seems just as likely that the effect of the bloody siege will be to harden sentiment against Israel on the Palestinian street and drive new recruits into the arms of Hamas’ military, said the Los Angeles Times in an editorial yesterday. Excerpts:
Israel and Hamas must heed a UN Security Council call for a “durable and fully respected” cease-fire in the war in the Gaza Strip, which has left about 800 dead and 3,000 wounded, including hundreds of Palestinian women and children. Undoubtedly, Hamas can find a way to keep terrorizing southern Israeli cities with rockets, and Israel has the might to continue pulverizing Gaza, but for what? There are no lasting military solutions in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
We don’t know yet how much of a military setback Israel has dealt to Hamas in the two-week air and ground assault, though it is hard to imagine it will be sufficient to justify the casualties and destruction in Gaza, home to 1.5 million Palestinians. Weapons stockpiles and supply tunnels have been destroyed; leaders of the military wing and fighters have been killed. But rather than weaken Hamas politically, it seems just as likely that the effect of the bloody siege will be to harden sentiment against Israel on the Palestinian street and drive new recruits into the arms of Hamas’ military. Demonstrations against Israel around the world — including one 50,000-strong in Alexandria, Egypt, on Friday — make it more difficult for Palestinian and Arab moderates to win support. The battering of Hamas and Gaza also weakens Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israel’s West Bank negotiating partners in Fatah. That’s not good for Israel. Unpleasant as it may be, directly or indirectly, Hamas must be included in a negotiation for a cease-fire. Then the two sides must turn to the issues that gave rise to the fighting: The smuggling tunnels have to be closed for good. Israel has to open Gaza’s borders, even if Hamas remains in power.
