Netanyahu must end his futile campaign in Gaza, and Biden must make him do it | The Hill
Category: News & Politics
Via: kavika • 11 months ago • 21 commentsBy: Amos Guiora, Opinion Contributor (The Hill)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
by Amos Guiora, Opinion Contributor - 01/02/24 10:30 AM ET
by Amos Guiora, Opinion Contributor - 01/02/24 10:30 AM ET
FILE - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Tel Aviv, Israel on Oct. 18, 2023. More than two weeks after Hamas' attack, many Israelis are furious at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, not just for failing to prevent the initial attack, but for failing to come to their aid afterward. While the military is bombing Gaza and preparing a possible invasion, Israeli government infighting and the erosion of the civil service have left traumatized survivors to mourn on their own. (Miriam Alster/Pool Photo via AP, File)
As an Israeli American living outside Jerusalem; as someone who served for 20 years in the Israel Defense Forces, including five years in the Gaza Strip; and as a father whose son is presently serving, I have "skin" in the game of the latest Israel-Hamas war.
And I believe that Israel's campaign in Gaza must be ended now.
The reason this war began is clear. Hamas is responsible for committing Holocaust-like crimes on Oct. 7. However, the unimaginable horrors for which Hamas must be held responsible do not minimize the culpability of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government for events leading up to Oct. 7, which created the conditions for the attack.
The same holds true for the weak-kneed, spineless, amoral, enabling cowards who surround, and protect him, who directly contributed to decisions that facilitated Oct. 7.
The government now owes it to the Israeli hostages held by Hamas to end the conflict immediately.
Netanyahu's government places that obligation at the bottom of its priority list, far below Netanyahu's political survival. But there is one person who could pick up the phone this moment and make Netanyahu see reason — President Biden.
Biden must speak personally and directly to Netanyahu, using as many one-syllable words as possible. He has every reason to do so. The U.S. has far more important regional issues to address, posing significantly greater challenges to U.S. interests than what happens in the Gaza Strip. This includes, among other things, the threat to global shipping posed by the Houthi rebels.
For that reason, President Biden must work with Egypt, the Emirates and Qatar, bringing the parties together to impose an immediate cease-fire and return of all remaining hostages.
Having been involved in Track Two discussions with Palestinians from the West Bank for several years, I believe firmly that the parties at the table cannot include Hamas. There can be no progress unless Hamas is excluded. There must be consequences for its murderous actions.
Rather, Palestinians must be represented by someone who understands that the horrors of Oct. 7 significantly harmed Gazans and the Gaza Strip, and can never be repeated. One need only look at the pictures of the devastation and listen to ordinary Palestinians' voices to understand that this is so.
One way to accomplish this might be to let Hamas leaders leave Gaza with a promise that they will not be Israeli targets in the future. Note that this option is not at all far-fetched — in fact, it is already reportedly under consideration.
Rebuilding Gaza will require enormous resources, creative thinking, hard decisions, calculated risks and hard negotiations. There will be anger, resentment, yelling, theatrics, table pounding, genuine pain and grievance. Fair enough. There is, however, no option but to immediately end this destructive Gaza campaign, which has no clear endgame and no exit strategy.
The fantasy of defeating Hamas is just that — a fantasy. That is something Biden must impress upon Netanyahu. Otherwise, soldiers, innocent civilians and the remaining hostages are all guaranteed to die.
Amos N. Guiora is professor of law at the S.J. Quinney College of Law,University of Utah.He served for 20 years in the Israel Defense Forces Judge Advocate General Corps. He is involved with the Bystander Initiative.
Tags Benjamin Netanyahu Gaza Hamas Israel Joe Biden
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Interesting opinion and the author has credibility.
The US could stop this with a phone call. It was done once before with the situation being exactly the same as it is today in Gaza. It was in 1983 that Ronald Reagan called Menachem Begin in 1983 when Israel was pounding Beruit with thousands of civilians killed. The number killed ranges up to 48,000.
Reagan told Begin ''stop'' you are creating a Holocaust. To which Begin replied, ''I know what a Holocaust is. A day later the bombing stopped.
Will we see that again or not?
I completely doubt that Israel will stop the war because Biden asks them to (or "orders" them to). The Israeli government is right wing and Netanyahu wants to stay in power. We would have to cut off funding to Israel and I dont agree with that. The Israeli people need to change their government.
Agree as do the Palestinian people.
Indeed both sides do and the sooner the better.
So many have tried and so many have failed.
Peace in the middle East will likely never happen.
Far right-wing fascism on both sides won't let it.
So many what have tried?
Biden could, with public opinion going against Israel change course and make things very uncomfortable for Netanyahu without pulling funds. Will he, at this point I don't know.
Yes, agree that Israel needs to change their government along with West Bank and Gaza. (Palestinians)
The only folk who win here are the American Arms Folk.
Selling weapons to everybody is a win/win for them.
One of our few manufacturing sectors doing well.
Has the US public opinion against Israel grown more than the public opinion against Biden?
You had better throw in the Palestinians in refugee camps in Syria and Lebanon; and those living as second class citizens in Jordan and Egypt.
Hezbollah would love a power vacuum in the West Bank and Gaza. Especially after the last several months of Israeli operations in both.
There needs to be Palestinian governance that represents all of the Palestinian people. If nothing else one that at least attempts to negotiate better conditions or works on getting countries to accept Palestinians as full citizens. They can be Palestinian-whatever. But they need to understand that they will never live in the West Bank, Gaza, or East Jerusalem. Israel simply will never permit it. It will end any true peace negotiation before it starts.
Palestinians would love advanced American weapons. So would Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and several other ME countries. Israel won't allow it.
Israel, and possibly Saudi Arabia, are the only countries that are flush with American arms. Israel has the benefit of receiving billions of US tax payer dollars to buy US arms.
I don't know I haven't looked for any polls on that. Biden has been supporting Israel without any restraint, the bombing and dead in Gaza is building support for a cease fire. What will Biden do? I don't know put politics can trump war or visa versa.
I have many times stated that they only way this war will have a chance at being settled is that the leadership of both Israel and Palestinians is changed. I do not believe there is any alternative to that if this is to ever end.
You can add Jordan and UAE. Here is a list of the top receipents of US arms for 2022. You'll see a number of ME countries in that list.
Biden can barely make it through the day, let alone persuade Bibi to do anything that would reenergize the Hamas terrorists.
Biden has supported Israel and has us ready to do what is necessary. If Biden said we will cut your funding the war would be over in 24 hours.
So we will see how many Palestinians, Biden wants to save.
It's not just Palestinians it's also Israelis and if the war spreads to Lebonan where there has been some fierce bombing the last two days you'll see many more Israelis dying as well.
You seriously underestimate Biden. But that is what you are paid to do. Only far-right wing fascists disagree that Biden has been a great president.
Biden has done many positive things for America and Americans.
Only far right-wing fascists think differently.
This grim outlook for Biden has left him narrowly following Trump, the longtime Republican frontrunner, 39%-37%, according to the USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll. Seventeen percent support an unnamed third-party candidate.