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The reports of a deal with Hamas brokered by its state sponsors in Qatar are a disaster and a disgrace. But such a deal was tragically inevitable.
A deal with Islamic terrorists is always a mistake. One of the reasons it’s a mistake is because the real terms of any deal give the terrorists control over your decision-making process. That is their goal.
Israel has suffered 30+ years of escalating terror because it made a deal with Arafat.
Oct 7 happened because Israel made deals for quiet with Hamas.
When you think of terrorists in diplomatic, not military terms, you can’t win.
Modern nation-states prefer diplomacy to conflict. They use military force as leverage for reaching a diplomatic solution. Terrorists, guerrillas and such however use diplomacy as leverage for military victories.
The failure to grasp this simple point led to the disaster in Vietnam and various defeats against Marxist guerrillas in Latin America. Israel was relatively immune to this until, under pressure from the Bush/Clinton administrations, it began negotiating with the PLO. But rather than bringing peace, Islamic terrorists used diplomacy to expand their sphere of influence, build up their arsenal, and attack Israel. When Israel tried to fight them in the international arena, it failed.
Terrorists can only be defeated ‘politically’ when they have no international standing. But when they have international support, they can only be defeated militarily. The more Israel tried to win the ‘war of ideas’, much like our efforts to win the ‘hearts and minds’ of Muslims, the worse things got. Israel’s international status declined and the violence increased.
Exhausted by decades of fighting, Israel decided to ignore them. This was the position of Israeli conservative leaders like Sharon and Netanyahu. Walls were built up. Jews were forcibly removed from Gaza. Negotiations dropped off. But while this was a diplomatic success as the world paid much less attention to the terrorists, it was not a military success.
Israel had not defeated the terrorists, it had tried to physically isolate them. And this wasn’t really possible. So the fiction that they could be isolated was propped up by ceasefires and deterrence. Oct 7 should have ended that.
Any agreement with Hamas puts Israel right back on the diplomatic track at the expense of the military one.
When you negotiate with terrorists, you’re no longer trying to defeat them. And at that point you’re losing both diplomatically and militarily.
The only way to defeat the terrorists is to destroy them.
RAM says
The deal under consideration is insane in every way.
1. If you promise days off from battle and freedom for imprisoned murderers in return for hostages, you’re begging to lose more hostages. Since when do winners give losers a pause that refreshes?
2. In this case, only a fraction of the hostages is even involved. The others can be held for later return subject to still more days off from battle and still more released murderers.
3. Hamas can take new hostages when they run out of the previous ones
4 The apparent deal shows again that America under current management wants Israel gone, and that Bibi still lacks the fortitude or moral strength to reject improper orders from America. Bibi’s leftist opponents who are now in the War Cabinet will eagerly play ball with the American plan to depose Bibi, so they’re worse yet.
5. Gaza should get no outside assistance or supplies of any kind until Hamas is dead or driven out
6. Remember Amalek.
Algorithmic Analyst says
Burton said you have to pay them double or use force.
Fred says
I can think of only one reason for political actors to support a deal with Hamas in return for hostages: they are complicit with the evil ends of Hamas. Certainly no one with half a brain would believe that releasing hostages doesn’t incentivize further taking of even more hostages. And having Israel pause their fighting in exchange for the release of some hostages is just additional idiocy. Talk about stupid policy all around!
Raymond in DC says
Israel’s negotiators have seemingly learned nothing from previous hostage agreements. Nor do they seem to appreciate the ‘shuk’ as a model for how bargaining works in their neighborhood. Sometimes no deal is better than a bad deal. And this IS a bad deal.
But consider the structural nature of the negotiation. Seemingly, it’s Israel vs. Hamas. But in reality, it’s the US and others pressing Israel to reach a ceasefire, while Qatar is promoting a bargain on behalf of Hamas. So it’s already three to one.
And let’s not minimize the awesome power of the “families” – those whose loved ones are being held captive. Much of the nation, and most of the media – as with the Shalit family a dozen years ago – are with them, pressuring the country to “pay the price”, one which others will ultimately bear, to bring them home. We don’t have leaders strong enough to resist them.
Taylor says
Even worse than there details of this deal is the additional impetus, beyond the original attack on 10/7, it will give to the far left and trend, now accelerating, of Marxist/impressionable youth converting to Islam in North America. We will all pay for the last 70+ years of burgeoning leftist extremism.Bad moon rising.
commonsense says
Hamas is losing militarily, and is seeking a hudna to rearm and regroup, calculating that release of the hostages is Israel’s foremost concern, rather than Hamas,s complete obliteration and unconditional surrender. Shame on the Israeli leadership to take the bait, if in fact they agree to the deal. Muslims have used this tactic, the hudna, with great success, since Muhammed’s time. I remember just a month ago that Israeli leaders called the Hamas subhumans “dead men walking.” Hopefully, the Israelis will come to their senses and fight relentlessly until the Hamas monsters are all dispatched.. This time, no prisoners should be taken. All should pay the ultimate price for their atrocities. And besides – don’t these undulating Morlocks, in their subterranean tunnels, always declare their love of death? Israel should generously oblige.
commonsense says
Erratum: I meant “ululating Morlocks.”
TruthHurts says
Let’s face it Israel doesn’t have the will (and American permission under Biden) to do what is necessary to preserve its future. When you have Jews on the side of the terrorists chanting ceasfire you can only pity the Jews in Israel that truly understand the nature of the threat and their neighbors’ thirst for a final solution and not a 2-state solution. Why are the lives of the hostages who were unprepared to defend themselves more important than the many more Israelis that will be slaughtered by the terrorists Israel will release and the future hostages that will be taken because of rewarding the practice of hostage taking? Hamas has not been remotely dismantled and won’t be with this woke apologetic war forced upon Israel by Biden and Blinken. There will be a fake peace delegation like the PLO brought forth, a period of calm while the new regime merged with Hamas and called something else stockpiles money and weapons: and then a future attack worse than 10/7. Meanwhile the overt antisemitism in America will be the new norm as those that hate the West continue to funnel into America under the name of multiculturalism and diversity. This is an astonishing course of events and the ultimate display of weakness which will do nothing but empower the enemy. Deterrence through strength is, has been, and will be the only answer.
Cat says
Little comfort that everyone here agrees with me.
Hamas just won. It is in control. “Stop fighting” says Hamas whenever it wants to “ we have 10 more hostages. Oops they’re dead, wait,.we have 10 more”
This can be never ending. Meanwhile can displaced Israeli families move back home? No. They cannot because they can always become the next hostage.
If Bibi can’t go it alone without America (America under Obama that is – at least everyone is now using Obama’s name) then there is no Israel.
If there is no Israel, no Jew in Israel or on earth is safe. I’m old so it’s not about me but what about the rest of the world’s Jewish children?!?!?!
(btw, Christian’s, you’re next).
James says
this deal is the only way israel can get hostages from hamas, other than hostage rescue but that is incredibly risky and hamas would likely murder the hostages if they thought israel was trying to rescue them. israel can secure the release of some hotages, then resume fighting Hamas, and then hopefully hamas will ask for another ceasfire and israel will get the rest of the hostages. once they have all the hostages, they can then resume totally destroying hamas.
SPURWING PLOVER says
As long as Biden the Blunder continues to Kiss the Rings of Hamas they will continue their Kidnapping
Miranda Rose Smith says
My mother, may sbe rest in peace, used to say “You lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.”
Una Salus says
Maybe it’s all inevitable. If so then this has been a blunder of epic proportions. When Netanyahu and his ministers were told by the media that the Hamas leadership was jubilant over the agreement what was significant was the satisfaction with which the message was delivered. That is the triumph of diplomacy.
Caroline Glick recently appeared on the BBC. I’m not sure why. She will find them implacable. As implacable as anybody in Gaza. It does not matter what the facts are. It does not matter what the truth is. If Glick proves persuasive she won’t be invited anymore. At the moment she only facilitates the shudders with which her interviewer greets the truth.
Una Salus says
Catastrophic failure of epic proportions. It’s been said many Israelis on the left view themselves as citizens of the world. It seems they don’t understand much of it.
They don’t understand Hamas. They don’t understand America. They don’t even understand the international left. They don’t understand war. They don’t understand the international community. The only thing they seem to understand is the conversation they’re engaging in.
Una Salus says
Now their question is will Hamas honour the agreement? They’ll do whatever they want. They already made it clear what that is.
Una Salus says
After Glick they have some mild mannered guy from BBC Arabic who comes across like the voice of reason because he avoids reality. He’s their guy, they’re much more at home with him and a reassuringly analytical tone is set to smooth over the Glick nastiness. That’s how they do it at the BBC.
Una Salus says
Apparently Netanyahu said “we need this” when shown the deal by the Biden “cell”(appropriately named).
Not sure if that’s reliable but reportedly so, The other thing that concerns me is the complete 180 degree turn as if all of this is completely natural, As if nothing said before counts for beans and it’s all good because the military chiefs that didn’t see Oct 7 coming are in agreement. I assume the political climate in Israel has changed.
Una Salus says
Markedly so probably, so it won’t do any good blaming politicians whether blame is deserved or undeserved.