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It's in the U.S.' Interest to Let Israel Get the Job Done in Gaza
(Israel Hayom) Meir Ben Shabbat - The Biden administration understands full well the importance of achieving a resounding victory over Hamas in Gaza. However, it has been asking many things from Israel, and by doing so it has only prolonged the path to victory. Washington has been pressuring Israel to scale back the fighting, and significantly increase the scope of humanitarian aid, knowing that most of it reaches Hamas. All this only exacerbates the operational challenges facing our forces, while providing hope for Hamas. The U.S. demands also make it harder to secure the release of the captives by alleviating pressure on Hamas. One cannot wish away Hamas' tunnels. Likewise, its many arms and the large military force that remains will not simply disappear. Even if it takes a long time to achieve the goals, there should be no compromise. As long as Hamas retains a strong, organized, and armed core, it will be the central power broker. It would not be right to allow the residents of northern Gaza to return to their homes before the tunnel network beneath them was destroyed. Otherwise, the area will be rehabilitated and serve as a base for terror against Israel. A resounding victory by Israel is a prerequisite for any initiative that seeks to change the regional reality. Reaching this goal serves the interest not only of Israel and most of its neighbors, but also of the U.S. In the north, Hizbullah entered a war it has no business entering. It saw it as an opportunity to strike at us alongside Hamas, assuming that Israeli society is fragmented and weak. Hizbullah and Hamas now see a people rising like a lion, a cohesive society, an army that has gotten its act together quickly and is operating a terrifying war machine, and a home front that conveys resilience and determination to continue until victory is achieved. Our enemies now see this too. The writer, head of the Misgav Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy in Jerusalem, served as Israel's National Security Advisor and head of the National Security Council.