Israel Must Reoccupy Gaza And Purge Hamas
Israel can no longer afford to allow Hamas to maintain control in Gaza.
In the early hours of October 7ᵗʰ, Israeli citizens celebrated Shemini Atzeret by seeking shelter from missile barrages launched by radical Islamic militants. Hamas, armed with heavy weaponry, has initiated a comprehensive invasion of Israeli territory with brutality not seen since the Yom Kippur war exactly half a century earlier.
This unprovoked and unforeseen conflict caught Israel unprepared, exposing a gross underestimation of Hamas' military capabilities. With over a severe amount of Israeli casualties, the failure to adequately prepare may lead to criticism directed at Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud party. Paradoxically, this war could also serve to rally the Israeli populace in support of their government.
In all candor, the term "war" seems to bestow upon Hamas an undeserved aura of legitimacy. Although they may assert that their actions constitute legitimate resistance against Israeli “occupiers,” reality portrays a conflict more akin to barbaric raids reminiscent of the Viking era, characterized by indiscriminate bombings, murders, rape, torture, and the capture and detainment of numerous innocents.
Hamas does not warrant recognition as a legitimate governing entity; rather, they epitomize a barbaric, extremist, and bloodthirsty terrorist organization. Their only goal is the total destruction of the Jewish state. They will stop at nothing to kill as many innocent Israeli lives as possible — until something stops them.
The situation is reminiscent of the Yom Kippur War, where the intent of the attack against Israel was to provoke a retaliation that would incite the intervention of the Soviet Union. Now, Hamas appears to harbor a similar desire for Iranian military intervention. Iran has already played an extensive role in the destabilization of the Middle East by offering weapons, training, and, in all likelihood, ordering this attack.
Tensions had been abating to some extent, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia announcing negotiations to normalize relations with Israel a few weeks prior. Iran, a perennial rival, may have fomented this uprising to deter Saudi Arabia from fully embracing the Jewish state — the Muslim populaces of the region unsurprisingly find themselves more sympathetic to the Palestinian side of affairs.
The Gaza strip had been previously occupied by Israel from 1967 to 2005 and yet the conclusion of this occupation is considered one of the more significant blunders of the Israeli government thus far. Gaza has regressed by ever metric and it has become a hotbed for radical Islamic terrorism. This has done nothing but give Israel a great reluctance to cede the West Bank to the Palestinian authority, as they rightfully fear the creation of another terrorist hub.
This act of belligerence has unmistakably revealed that Israel can no longer exercise even a semblance of restraint. Anything short of the complete eradication of Hamas will be construed as a victory by these terrorists, and, more notably, by Iran. By instigating this conflict, Iran has effectively coerced Saudi Arabia into withdrawing from its recognition of the Israeli state. Consequently, Israel must impose punitive measures against these malicious actors by reoccupying Gaza — although not unilaterally.
The Abraham Accords, inked during the Trump administration, ushered in a era of amicable relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel. Even Saudi Arabia, while possibly projecting a less overtly accommodating stance publicly, comprehends the vital role of Israel as an ally in countering Tehran's influence. It is not a matter of "if" but "when" Israel will militarily prevail over Hamas. It is in the mutual interest of all parties that Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates jointly oversee the administration of Gaza. All three parties share a common foe in the form of Iran and possess the capacity to temporarily set aside their differences and instead offer a compelling display of unity.
Israel's security would be guaranteed, and the Palestinian population in Gaza would conceivably find reassurance under the shared occupation of two fellow Muslim nations. The Biden administration, currently in dire need of a foreign policy triumph, could facilitate the final accord between Saudi Arabia and Israel, offering a potential resolution to an otherwise bleak and hopeless tale.
Until such arrangements are solidified, the chance of a large-scale conflict between Israel and its neighboring nations remains an unsettling possibility. The Biden administration should maintain a deployment of forces in the Mediterranean, poised to respond should other nations choose to enter the fray. The burgeoning influence of Islamism in Turkey has created a notable discrepancy between the views of the populace and the government regarding Israel. If tensions escalate, this could precipitate a coup against Erdoğan. A similar situation looms in Jordan, where the number of Palestinian refugees surpasses that of native Jordanians — raising the potential for a coup and the fomentation of sentiment for a jihad to liberate their brethren.
As the duration of the conflict extends, emotions may increasingly supersede reason. This is why Israel must launch a military campaign against Hamas with the goal of destroying their military infrastructure and purging them from power. Should any other nations intervene, it is incumbent upon the United States and its allies to stand militarily with Israel.
Israel cannot relent. While they may appear supportive at present, it is foreseeable that the United Nations will eventually succumb to pressure and demand that Israel "show restraint." The United States must unequivocally support Israel, and Israel must wholeheartedly commit itself to the liberation of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli people confront a challenge they did not seek and bear no responsibility for instigating, yet they will endure, as they have time and again in their history.
Am yisrael chai.