Palestine, Israel, and Hamas - the long view
Thursday, October 12, 2023 6:23 PM
I have actually spent a lot of time thinking about what the right and moral way for Israel to handle Hamas, Gaza, and the Palestinians would be. The terrorist and Islamist element in Gaza and the West Bank must be wiped out. However, no one should be advocating for genocide against the Palestinians or the complete displacement of Palestinians from their historical land. The United States has a key strategic National Security interest in keeping a strong and secure Israel in the Middle East as a bulwark and ally for any future conflicts in the area.
The most apparent option, which appears to be underway, is a total warfare purging of Hamas from the Palestinian lands by building-to-building, street-to-street fighting. This will likely compare or even exceed the tally of KIA and wounded during Fallujah or Mosul. It is horrific but necessary. But what happens afterward?
Gaza and the West Bank should be administered by Israel as territories, akin to DC or Puerto Rico here. Palestinians pay taxes, enjoy freedom of speech and religion, social services and entitlements equal to all Israeli citizens, etc. There is no Palestinian Authority. They can elect municipal leaders, city councils, and non-voting delegates to the Knesset. Should they be able to vote in General Elections in Israel? Should they be able to move out of the Palestinian territories to other parts of Israel and vote for other offices? To say “yes” would jeopardize Israel’s Jewish identity in the long-term. To say “no” would turn Israel into the apartheid state that liars already call it as.
Weapons must be prevented from entering the Palestinian territories at all costs. There would be no Palestinian militia or police force. The Israeli government would have to control all ports of entry – land, sea, and air. There would have to be special courts and tribunals set up to review possible violations of the laws restricting Palestinian weapons possession. They should be free from unreasonable search and seizure, but enforcement agencies should be able to move quickly and discreetly when trafficking or planning is reasonably suspected.
All the free world will benefit from Hamas being wiped from the face of the Earth. As such, the UN should establish a fund to assist Israel and the Palestinians in the rebuilding of Gaza. To leave them impoverished and destitute will only make the next generation of Hamas worse – more bitter and more violent. If the United States could heal from the Civil War, as did Europe and Japan from the Second World War, then it is reasonable to expect that Palestine and Israel can heal after this conflict IF the human dignity of both parties is taught and respected to all generations.
Those are my thoughts, I would love to hear yours (some trolling expected and will be ignored)
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