By Rahul Dixit
Emerging differences between the United States and its trusted ally Israel over the large-scale ground campaign by Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) in the Gaza strip have further diminished hopes of a ceasefire as the Israel-Hamas war enters the third month. The Joe Biden administration has asked Israel Prime Minister Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu to end the attack on Gaza strip soon while the latter has released a statement saying the offensive will continue until “Israel completes all of its goals”. The variance in thinking between the two good friends over the military campaign now puts the Israel-Hamas war into the same “unending” category in which the Russia-Ukraine conflict has traversed in the last 22 months. The situation yet again calls for a rethinking by the international community on their staid positions vis-a-vis Israel and Palestine while keeping the role of Hamas terrorists firmly in focus.
US President Mr. Joe Biden has actually advised a wise solution by telling Israel to end the full-scale military campaign in the Gaza strip and transition to targeted actions against Hamas. It is a good strategy where Israel holds special mastery. Now with the IDF gaining ground in the Gaza strip, smaller groups of elite forces moving in and out of population centres in Gaza can prove to be more beneficial for Mr. Netanyahu. Israel’s elite forces and crack groups are already hailed as experts in carrying out precise missions. Instead of the ground offensive launched by the Army, Israel can easily opt for targeted missions to find and kill Hamas leaders, rescue hostages and destroy tunnels. Tel Aviv needs to act prudently and find a middle way out instead of making the war on terror an unending campaign.
Behind the call for change in tactic by the Biden administration are the conditions in Gaza which are truly turning catastrophic. The irony is the population in the strip has been abandoned by the same Hamas leadership who found shelter in the Palestinian settlements in Gaza. While a war spares none, the current offensive is taking too much toll on the civilians and the world has started feeling uncomfortable of the consequences, especially after the Russia-Ukraine experience. No one had imagined that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would turn into a full-scale war. Nor had anyone, including Russia, thought that Ukraine would stand up to the attacks for so long. Now, with shifting goalposts in Moscow and President Mr. Vladimir Putin’s insistence on continuing the war till “we achieve our objectives”, there seems no end to the conflict in the near future. The Israel-Hamas war, too, is on the similar path as the statement by Mr. Netanyahu indicates. In such circumstances, the world must need to bring Tel Aviv on board for a patient hearing and seek a peaceful way out.
Stretching the war too far might have political benefit for Mr. Netanyahu who is on a sticky wicket at home with a rag-tag coalition as a government. The Prime Minister is already facing criticism for ignoring warnings of a potential Hamas strike which came true on October 7. Keeping the pot boiling might work as a cover for his alleged blunder but it will definitely serve no purpose in the long run. Time is ripe now for Israel and Palestine leadership to work on the two-State solution which is a viable alternative to end decades of conflict and violence in the Middle-East.
(The Hitavada)
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