Schumer is right: Netanyahu, Hamas and Abbas must go

controversial speech In a March 14 announcement, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (New York) identified obstacles to peace between Israel and Gaza, particularly those of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government.

Schumer: “After October 7, the Netanyahu coalition no longer meets Israel’s needs.” declared. “At a time when so many Israelis have lost confidence in their government’s vision and direction, new elections are the only way to enable a healthy and open decision-making process about Israel’s future.”

According to a January 2 poll, 15 percent of Israelis want Netanyahu to become prime minister.

he was adamant oppose the two-state solution and led brutal military operations that killed more than 30,000 The Palestinians left Gaza in ruins, losing the moral high ground that Israel held on October 7th.

Those who criticize Schumer’s comments as interference in allies should consider how often the Israeli government in general and Prime Minister Netanyahu in particular have sought to influence American politics.

In 2012, Washington Report on Middle East Situation Prime Minister Netanyahu accused him of “a conscious effort to influence the US election by criticizing the Obama administration’s failure to counter Iran’s supposed nuclear threat.”

Thomas Friedman, Jewish American journalist and ardent supporter of Israel declared The standing ovation that Netanyahu received after his 2011 speech to parliament was “bought and paid for by the Israel lobby,” he said.

Last March, Friedman described a pro-Israel lobbying group. American Israel Political Action Committee As “Bibi-san” [Netanyahu’s] sock doll ”

Like it or not, U.S. and Israeli politics are closely intertwined, so it can be expected that people in both countries will comment on the other’s election.

Schumer rightly identified Israel’s hard-right government as an obstacle to peace. Like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and America’s Donald Trump, Netanyahu considers himself essential to the country’s survival and well-being, and he appears to do whatever it takes to stay in power.

Just like Trump, he’s below. indictment And they may think that staying in office is a way to avoid prison. However, as Mr. Schumer pointed out, the Israeli prime minister is not the only obstacle to peace.

Hamas must go too.

Harakat Al Muqawamah Al Islamiyah (Islamic Resistance Movement) was founded in 1987 as an offshoot of the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egypt-based organization that spawned al-Qaeda.

Hamas charter It calls on Muslims to “annihilate” Israel and replace it with an Islamic state governed by strict Sharia law.

Hamas has ruled Gaza since 2007 and in 2017 new charterinstead of calling for the destruction of Israel, declared that “the legitimacy of the Zionist entity cannot be recognized.”

Any illusions that the group had softened its goals disappeared on October 7th. The systematic massacre of 1,200 Israelis, regardless of age, gender, or non-combatant status, as well as calculated acts of rape and mutilation, were not legitimate forms of resistance. Some people claim thatbut an act of pure terrorism.

Schumer too called out “Radical Right-wing Israelis in Government and Society.” Among this constituency, settler communities in the West Bank pose the biggest obstacle to peace.

As of December 31, the number of settlers in the West Bank was 517,000 (according to Israeli sources) 3 percent increase from the previous year and more than 15 percent increase compared to five years ago.

The territory, captured by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War, is home to many more people. 3 million Palestinians.

The United Nations and the international community believe that the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza should be returned to the Palestinians. 1993 oslo agreement It outlined the process of transforming them into a Palestinian state.

But negotiations have stalled in the years since, with Netanyahu, who has been prime minister for 16 of the past 27 years, staunchly opposed to a two-state solution.

by united nations human rights The size of Israeli settlements “significantly increased” from November 1, 2022 to October 31, 2022.

Palestinians have citizenship rights and security, even though the Palestinians have more than five times the population of the settler community. 18 percent control of the West Bank and civilian control over an additional 22%.

The combative nature of many settlements has exacerbated tensions, particularly since October 7.

about one third Some of the Jewish settlers in the West Bank are religious Zionists who want to give the entire territory to Israel.

Even before the Hamas attack, these settlers attacked and threatened Palestiniansburned cars and houses, assaulted, and even murdered.

October 7th to December 17th, 288 Palestinian Many were carried out by the Israel Defense Forces, but some were carried out by settler vigilante groups.

The colonists have powerful defenders. Itamar Ben Gvirleader of the Jewish Power Party, whom Prime Minister Netanyahu appointed as Minister of National Security.

Eliminating the settlers would be a daunting task, but it would be preferable to a state of perpetual war if Israel continued to reject a two-state solution. There is nowhere else for Palestinians to go.

Schumer too called The dismissal of Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas. 88 years old is really amazing. unpopular He was seen as out of touch among his people.

fed up corruption Given Abbas’s government and its failure to advance the peace process, most Palestinians would be happy to see him go.

In the end, Mr. Schumer presented the most convincing argument for a change in Israeli politics.

“The Torah teaches us that every human life is precious, and every innocent life lost, whether Israeli or Palestinian, costs the entire world, as the Bible says. It’s a devastating tragedy.” he observed.

“What frightens many Jews in particular is the feeling that Israel has failed to uphold the distinctly Jewish values ​​that we hold so dear. We must be better than our enemies.”

Tom Mokaitis is a professor of history at DePaul University and the author of the following books:“Conventional and unconventional warfare: A history of conflict in the modern world..