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What Israel Must Do: Disarming Hamas Will Be Costly but Essential for Peace

(Foreign Affairs) Dennis Ross - In launching its unprovoked, heinous attack on Israelis on Oct. 7, Hamas created the bloodiest day that Israel has seen in more than five decades. This unprecedented assault has left Israel in a state of shock but also with the resolve to end Hamas' ability to threaten Israel again. In setting off what will by necessity be an overwhelming onslaught on Gaza, Hamas has brought to a new level the punishment of Palestinians that it has inflicted over and over for nearly two decades. Hamas' priority is destroying Israel, not building Gaza. Its main agenda for Gaza is building its own military infrastructure and arsenal. It has constructed dozens of miles of underground tunnels to protect its own fighters and weapons. Israel can no longer be satisfied with a punishing response, followed by a return to the status quo. The assumption that Israel could live with Hamas and manage periodic conflicts with it has been shattered. It is determined that Hamas will never again be able to threaten the Israeli people. Israelis across the political spectrum now believe that Hamas must be destroyed as a military power and that Gaza must be demilitarized. Israel will no longer accept a truce with Hamas. Hamas is not a partner for peace; it is an agent of war and destruction. If there were any doubts about Hamas' intentions in the past, its attack has permanently laid them to rest. But Hamas has gravely miscalculated this time. Israel's leaders are now contemplating options that they have not been prepared to consider since the withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. As the toll in Gaza mounts, some Western and Arab leaders will likely argue that Israeli military action is disproportionate. But if Hamas retains any ability to threaten Israel, it will present itself as the victor, and that will be a tremendous boost to radical and destabilizing forces across the region. Western and Arab leaders have a responsibility to support Israel's campaign against Hamas even as they frame essential objectives: unconditional release of the hostages and an end to Hamas rockets, mortars, and weapons- and bomb-making facilities. Aid for reconstruction of Gaza must be tied to its demilitarization. For Israel this is the minimum. Israel's endgame is making sure that Hamas cannot threaten it again. The writer is Counselor at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a former U.S. Envoy to the Middle East. He served in senior national security positions in four U.S. administrations.
2023-10-13 00:00:00
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