(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Aviram Balleishe - Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar views the conflict with Israel as a religious one, a conflict between Muslims and Jews where Palestine is sacred Islamic land not even an inch of which can be compromised. There is no recognition of Israel's right to exist; jihad is the path to its destruction and is the duty of every Muslim. A "ceasefire" in Western terms is equivalent to a hudna (truce) in Hamas's terms. A hudna is a temporary break from war and does not indicate a desire to end it and achieve peace. A hudna will occur only when Hamas concludes that the IDF is close to defeating it. Jihadists can break the hudna whenever they feel that the enemy is weak enough and the situation is ripe for a surprise attack. The writer, Senior Director for Security, Diplomacy, and Communications at the Jerusalem Center, has served in senior government positions for over 25 years.
2024-08-15 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive