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Hamas' Futile War
Tavis' discussion with former Israeli Ambassador Daniel Ayalon did much to reinforce in my mind a strong conviction that Israel's current campaign against Hamas militants in Gaza is not only justified, but necessary.
As calls continue to come from across North America and Europe for Israel to cease its attacks on Gaza, it is important to understand just what Israel's intentions are in the region. Ayalon gave voice to this, and described, in what seemed very reasonable terms, Israel's need to do everything in its power to prevent Hamas from arming itself further and carrying out more and wider-ranging rocket attacks on Israeli civilians.
Hamas' actions, which Ayalon described as using Palestinian civilians as “human shields,” are incredibly cowardly. They do not recognize Israel's right to exist and openly seek the same ends infamously stated by Iran, to wipe the country off the map. They would have to be completely insane to think that this would at all be possible. Taking on Israel's formidable military on the battlefield is hardly an option for the beleaguered organization, so what do they expect to achieve from attacking civilian targets?
As the governing body of Palestine, Hamas has a responsibility to protect and enrich the lives of its citizens. To say nothing of their choice to elect a terrorist organization to power, the people of Gaza should be able to expect at least this from their leaders. Instead, Hamas chooses to fight a futile war in which Palestinian civilians are pawns, their suffering traded for sympathy on satellite TV.
Israel's response, which Ayalon stressed, has been restrained to minimize civilian casualties, seems like the only reasonable one in this situation. The ongoing death and suffering of innocent Palestinians is abhorrent, and the Palestinians' death toll is greater than the Israelis', but this is not a question of numbers. So long as Hamas continues its stated purpose to do everything it can to terrorize Israel, the country is fully justified in responding with violence.
Those who have observed the situation in Israel and Palestine over the years could be forgiven for losing hope. As long as Hamas is in power, Palestinians will remain downtrodden, their lives and prospects for stability sold cheaply for no apparent gain.