(Israel Hayom) Meir Ben Shabbat - There are recent reports of a fast-track U.S. peace plan that will include a set timeline for establishing a Palestinian state. Washington understands that it will not be possible to promote such a plan without first stopping the Gaza war. However, Israel's leaders will not be able to end the war without three conditions being met: the return of the captives; the toppling of Hamas; and Israeli security control of Gaza to prevent a Hamas resurgence. The U.S. plan not only ensures the survival of Hamas and preserves its remaining military, organizational, and governmental capabilities. It will also allow Hamas to claim to have delivered to the PA and the Palestinian people the greatest political achievement in its history, through the barbaric massacre and war crimes it committed. A Palestinian state established thanks to Hamas is a prize for terror. As part of the plan, the main carrot Israel will get is the launch of a normalization process with Saudi Arabia. With all due respect for normalization, the Gaza war returned Israel to the realization that it is still fighting for its existence. It must be made unequivocally clear that Israel will oppose the U.S. initiative. The writer, a former national security advisor to the Israeli prime minister, is chairman of the Misgav Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy in Jerusalem.
2024-02-18 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive