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Sinwar Could Not Care Less about a Deal

(Israel Hayom) Prof. Eyal Zisser - The U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, who have taken it upon themselves to mediate with Hamas for the release of the Israeli captives, are presenting new formulas day after day in an attempt to appease Hamas. Israel has shown a willingness to be flexible in its positions and make compromises and concessions - only to have Hamas keep hardening its stance, unwilling to make any compromise. Six months after the war began, it is clear to all that the traveling circus of Hamas' external leadership, who attend the talks with the mediators, has no real meaning or leverage. They are not the ones making decisions. That role falls to Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar, hiding deep in a bunker somewhere. Sinwar does not mind that negotiations are taking place. In his view, they increase pressure on Israel from within and abroad. But it appears he does not want a deal, rather Israel's surrender to all his demands: a ceasefire and end to the war; withdrawal of the IDF from the strip; the return of Gazan refugees to their homes; the wholesale release of prisoners from Israeli jails; and, ultimately, guarantees and assurances for his safety and that of his men after the fighting ends. Sinwar does not care about the residents of Gaza. For him, they are "grease for the wheels of the revolution," expendable for the cause. What interests him is how the war he initiated against Israel will be remembered in the history books. If Hamas survives the war and emerges standing - in Sinwar's view, it will be a great victory that would only encourage him to continue on his path. The disparity between Israel's determination to continue fighting until Hamas is defeated, and the organization's desire to secure immunity for itself and end the war, cannot be bridged. The writer is a lecturer in the Middle East History Department at Tel Aviv University.
2024-04-09 00:00:00
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