Hamas' Mashaal. Interested in maintaining agreements with Israel following last two rounds
Photo: AFP
Efraim Halevy
Photo: Gilad Kavalerchik
Hamas in Gaza preferable to ISIS in Gaza
Op-ed: This is probably the worst timing to talk about interests shared by Israel and Hamas. The heart says 'never,' but what does the mind say?
On the eve of the discovery of the three kidnapped teens' bodies,
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented his political and security-related doctrine
to the citizens of Israel and the world. No more moves of response tailored for the needs of the hour, but an organized doctrine pointing to an intention to implement a consistent policy, step by step.
The regional developments, according to Netanyahu, require the erection of an efficient and reliable security fence along the Jordan River, both in order to combat dangers from the east and northeast and in order to effectively control the movement of the Palestinian residents living between the western security fence and the new eastern one.
His premise is that Israel will carry on its own the security responsibility for the entire area of the Land of Israel, as this is the only way to guarantee its citizens' safety. This situation will continue without an expiration date – and even if some day ways will be found to provide the Palestinians with a sort of state within these or other borders, it will be an entity lacking many characteristics of political independence.
War on Hamas
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The premise indicated in his speech is that the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria will get accustomed to this situation, whether due to lack of choice or because of simultaneous efforts to provide them with improved living conditions, a thriving economy and a certain degree of self rule, subject to Israel's security needs.
Israel, according to Netanyahu, will continue its uncompromising battle against the terror led by Hamas and will claim prices which may be greater and harder, as long as it takes. At the same time, it will develop an initiated regional policy and team up with countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, and will especially be loyal to Jordan.
In this framework, Netanyahu devoted a specific, unequivocal statement to Kurdistan, which is still a district in northern Iraq, and publicly declared his support for its political independence.
But there is no certainty whatsoever that this policy can be implemented. The Palestinian public in Judea and Samaria is starting to wake up, and the clashes developing between Jews and Arabs are multiplying and intensifying. Mahmoud Abbas' control of his people is growing weaker, both because of his own failures and because in the past few months Israel has been operating against him both publicly and in other ways to force him to take the road we are outlining.
In this state of affairs, individuals and groups may initiate acts of revenge, some of which will be thwarted while the others will inflame the situation even more.
As it is clear that the Palestinian side will not be able to receive the suggested outline, Abbas will be forced to fight it or get out of the arena. The Palestinian Authority's collapse will be an inevitable outcome.
On the regional level, the Kurdish move is filled with problems. Netanyahu made his comments shortly after US Secretary of State met with Massoud Barzani, the president of the Kurdish district in northern Iraq, and begged him not to push for the region's independence. Netanyahu's declaration pushes Israel one step further away from its American friend and joins other moves of estrangement from its ally.
The Israeli move likely aims to encourage the establishment of a Kurdish state in territories where significant Kurdish publics live. We are talking about a future annexation of lands from northern Iran, Turkey and Syria to the new state. There is no idea which is further away even from Russia's policy on this issue.
In case of a strong regional opposition to the establishment of a Kurdish state, I doubt that Israel, with all its abilities, will be able to carry the responsibility for the move on its shoulders. Let us just mention that during the Yom Kippur War, Israel had hoped that the Kurds would open a front against the Arabs in northern Iraq, but that hope was shattered.
Netanyahu also spoke about the radical Islamic forces – ISIS – which are moving fast towards Baghdad. He likely wrapped them in the same bundle with Hamas, but that's not the case. Hamas is the most bitter and efficient rival of ISIS.
Khaled Mashaal declared Wednesday that Hamas was interested in maintaining its agreements with Israel which ended the two recent rounds – Operations Cast Lead and Pillar of Defense. Hamas in Gaza is preferable to ISIS in Gaza.
This is probably the worst timing to talk about the interests shared by Israel and Hamas, as we mourn the teens killed in a despicable murder. The heart says "never," but what does the mind say?
Efraim Halevy is a former head of the Mossad.
