GAZA
It would be interesting to know how many level-headed people in Gaza, watched a Hamas symbol of victory, the naked body of a German Jewish girl being dragged through the streets of their town, and thought ‘no good will come of this.’ Also, what Gazan mothers are saying to the sons that took part in, or supported, the recent Hamas raid into Israel, now that it has brought Armageddon down upon them?
Despite their muted criticism of the recent Israeli action in Gaza, both Jordan and Egypt, no friends of the Palestinians, will be hoping that Hamas is crushed. In 1970, at the cost of 15,000 dead, the Jordanian army evicted the Palestinian Fayadeen who had been attempting to dominate the country and use it as a base for attacking Israel. Those Palestinian fighters decamped to Lebanon, where they destabilised that country and caused an extremely destructive, and bloody, civil war. After the Egyptian section of the Muslim Brotherhood had been voted into power, the population of that country belatedly realised what they had done and subsequently welcomed the military coup, which replaced what had all the signs of becoming an extreme fundamentalist government. Hamas is an associate of the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt wants no part of them. Jordan and Egypt, together with Saudi Arabia and some Gulf states, know that if Israel is defeated and finally destroyed, Iran’s destabilising actions will then be turned upon them. For their part, Iran, Hamas’s backers, will be hoping for the maximum number of Palestinian casualties to fuel the propaganda war they are pursuing. The tunnels and underground headquarters of the Hamas terror organisation have of course been deliberately built under hospitals, schools and other public buildings to maximise civilian casualties should the Israelis try to engage their attackers. Hiding behind a shield of non-combatants is one of the oldest tactics in the book, but shying away from a conflict in such circumstances, because of the harm you may cause to innocent civilians, is the road to defeat. So, despite the hurricane of apparent adverse public opinion from around the world, which will pass, the worst thing that Israel can do now is stop their assault and let Hamas survive to fight another day.
The leading politicians of the Western World, Israel’s backers, need to take note of the silent majorities within their countries, and stand firm against the noisy crowds that have been whipped up by embedded Iranian cells and Islamic organisations. In the UK, the public should be reminded that the first London demonstration in support of the Palestinian and Hamas attack, took place before Israel struck at Gaza, and in effect supported and championed the barbaric act of terrorism that had taken place. The abandonment of Israel, or the forcing of her to accept a cease fire, will give victory to Iran and Hamas, leading to ever more, long term, disruption in the Middle East, and the loss of far more lives than are presently at risk. The populations and local governments that host, shelter and support Iranian backed terror organisations need to learn that, when the aggrieved victim knocks that shelter down, they will be under the rubble along with their guests.
Disrupting the accord that Israel was building with Saudi Arabia and other moderate Gulf states was of course the aim of Iran and her surrogate, Hamas. That meeting of minds has now taken a step backwards, but if the desire to accept each other’s being was there before this conflict, it will return after the present fighting has subsided. On the West Bank, the Palestinian Fatah organisation, headed by Mahmoud Abbas, has come to terms with the Israelis and has recognised the State of Israel. Fatah, under the protection of the Israeli Government, controls about 60% of the West Bank and the United Nations has recognised that area as the de-facto State of Palestine. In Gaza the moderate Fatah officials were systematically assassinated by Hamas. Thus no meeting of minds is possible there until Hamas is removed and the way is open for reason to prevail.
When David Ben-Gurion announced the formation of Israel in 1948, he declared it as a state for both Jew and Moslem alike. That original intent, while still there, has been sidelined by the constant attacks intended to drive the Jewish people into the sea. The recent Hamas attack, and its response, is just one act in a 75-year fight for Israel’s survival, where politics and politicians have largely failed. Unfortunately, while longing to live peacefully alongside her neighbours, that peace is not within the Israeli gift; it resides with radical Palestinians and Iran, who want nothing short of Israeli defeat and her total destruction. There is absolutely no point in trying to follow a path of reason with people who will not be reasonable. The present situation is one for fighting not talking, and Israel has no choice but to strike back every time she is attacked.
Fred Dupuy
18th November 2023
Despite their muted criticism of the recent Israeli action in Gaza, both Jordan and Egypt, no friends of the Palestinians, will be hoping that Hamas is crushed. In 1970, at the cost of 15,000 dead, the Jordanian army evicted the Palestinian Fayadeen who had been attempting to dominate the country and use it as a base for attacking Israel. Those Palestinian fighters decamped to Lebanon, where they destabilised that country and caused an extremely destructive, and bloody, civil war. After the Egyptian section of the Muslim Brotherhood had been voted into power, the population of that country belatedly realised what they had done and subsequently welcomed the military coup, which replaced what had all the signs of becoming an extreme fundamentalist government. Hamas is an associate of the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt wants no part of them. Jordan and Egypt, together with Saudi Arabia and some Gulf states, know that if Israel is defeated and finally destroyed, Iran’s destabilising actions will then be turned upon them. For their part, Iran, Hamas’s backers, will be hoping for the maximum number of Palestinian casualties to fuel the propaganda war they are pursuing. The tunnels and underground headquarters of the Hamas terror organisation have of course been deliberately built under hospitals, schools and other public buildings to maximise civilian casualties should the Israelis try to engage their attackers. Hiding behind a shield of non-combatants is one of the oldest tactics in the book, but shying away from a conflict in such circumstances, because of the harm you may cause to innocent civilians, is the road to defeat. So, despite the hurricane of apparent adverse public opinion from around the world, which will pass, the worst thing that Israel can do now is stop their assault and let Hamas survive to fight another day.
The leading politicians of the Western World, Israel’s backers, need to take note of the silent majorities within their countries, and stand firm against the noisy crowds that have been whipped up by embedded Iranian cells and Islamic organisations. In the UK, the public should be reminded that the first London demonstration in support of the Palestinian and Hamas attack, took place before Israel struck at Gaza, and in effect supported and championed the barbaric act of terrorism that had taken place. The abandonment of Israel, or the forcing of her to accept a cease fire, will give victory to Iran and Hamas, leading to ever more, long term, disruption in the Middle East, and the loss of far more lives than are presently at risk. The populations and local governments that host, shelter and support Iranian backed terror organisations need to learn that, when the aggrieved victim knocks that shelter down, they will be under the rubble along with their guests.
Disrupting the accord that Israel was building with Saudi Arabia and other moderate Gulf states was of course the aim of Iran and her surrogate, Hamas. That meeting of minds has now taken a step backwards, but if the desire to accept each other’s being was there before this conflict, it will return after the present fighting has subsided. On the West Bank, the Palestinian Fatah organisation, headed by Mahmoud Abbas, has come to terms with the Israelis and has recognised the State of Israel. Fatah, under the protection of the Israeli Government, controls about 60% of the West Bank and the United Nations has recognised that area as the de-facto State of Palestine. In Gaza the moderate Fatah officials were systematically assassinated by Hamas. Thus no meeting of minds is possible there until Hamas is removed and the way is open for reason to prevail.
When David Ben-Gurion announced the formation of Israel in 1948, he declared it as a state for both Jew and Moslem alike. That original intent, while still there, has been sidelined by the constant attacks intended to drive the Jewish people into the sea. The recent Hamas attack, and its response, is just one act in a 75-year fight for Israel’s survival, where politics and politicians have largely failed. Unfortunately, while longing to live peacefully alongside her neighbours, that peace is not within the Israeli gift; it resides with radical Palestinians and Iran, who want nothing short of Israeli defeat and her total destruction. There is absolutely no point in trying to follow a path of reason with people who will not be reasonable. The present situation is one for fighting not talking, and Israel has no choice but to strike back every time she is attacked.
Fred Dupuy
18th November 2023
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