Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that “the vast majority of Israelis” have not been fooled by Hamas' psychological warfare tactics revealed last week aimed at dividing the country.
Netanyahu made the remarks following a terror attack on the Allenby Bridge across to Jordan that killed three Israelis.
The night before, tens of thousands of Israelis protested in Tel Aviv against Prime Minister Netanyahu, demanding that he agree to the terms of a hostage deal with Hamas. Those protests have continued but failed to slow the country last week.
Breitbart News reported that Netanyahu showed reporters documents seized by the Israeli military from Hamas that showed the terrorist group was planning to use the hostage-related propaganda tactic to divide and pressure Israel.
German Newspapers Build The Jewish News Syndicate published details of the plan. Reported Sunday:
The secret document highlights several key aspects the terrorist organization plans to take into consideration in negotiating a ceasefire. For example, it emphasizes the need to preserve “Hamas's capacity to act against Israel,” to “wear down” Israel's political and military institutions, and to weaken Israel through international pressure.
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According to the document, Hamas does not intend to seek an early end to the war. On the contrary, it explicitly states that “the essential terms of the agreement must be improved, even if negotiations take longer.” Although Hamas acknowledges that its “military capabilities have been weakened,” it does not believe it is necessary to seek an immediate cessation of hostilities, despite the suffering of Gaza's residents.
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The document also reveals how the terrorist organization plans to use the hostages captured on October 7 during the negotiations. The essence of the problem is expressed in a clear instruction in the document: “Psychological pressure on the families of the prisoners must continue now and during the first phase. [of hostage release as part of a deal and ceasefire] May public pressure against the enemy government increase.”
In a statement to his cabinet, which was translated in full and released through the Government Press Office, Netanyahu said:
“This is a difficult day. A heinous terrorist attacker killed three of our citizens in cold blood on Allenby Bridge. On behalf of my government and myself, I offer my condolences to the families of those killed.
We are surrounded by a brutal ideology led by the Iranian axis of evil. Recently, abhorrent terrorists murdered six of our hostages and three Israeli police officers in cold blood. The killers do not discriminate between us. They want to kill us all, right or left, secular or religious, Jew or non-Jew, down to the last man.
As always, what keeps our people from being destroyed is the strength of the State of Israel and the power of the IDF. The heroism of our soldiers, the men and women of our police and security forces, the supreme sacrifice of our fallen heroes, and the perseverance of our people make all the difference. If we are united, our enemies cannot defeat us. Therefore, their main goal is to divide us and sow discord among us.
Last weekend, the German newspaper Bild published an official Hamas document revealing its plan of action: to sow discord among us, wage psychological warfare against the hostages' families, exert political pressure from within and without on the Israeli government, divide us from within, and continue the war until further notice, until Israel is defeated.
The vast majority of Israelis have not fallen for Hamas' trap. They know that we are committed to achieving our war objectives: to remove Hamas, to return all hostages, to ensure that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel, and to allow residents of both north and south to return safely to their homes.
We will face it together. Together we will wield the sword of David, and with God's help we will prevail.
Another thing: Some people ask, “Does the sword consume forever?” [II Samuel 2:26]In the Middle East, there is no “eternity” without the sword.
Many Israelis are concerned that the Biden administration is being manipulated as part of Hamas' election campaign, and some feel that a Kamala Harris administration would continue and expand that practice. In an interview last week with Harris' running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Revealed The Democratic candidate said he would increase pressure on Israel and use US “influence” against Prime Minister Netanyahu, but made no mention of Hamas.
Joel B. Pollack is executive editor of Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday Airs Sundays from 7-10pm (4-7pm ET) on SiriusXM Patriot. He is the author of “Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days,” available for preorder on Amazon, and “Trumpish Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump's Presidency,” now available on Audible. He is the 2018 recipient of the Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter Joel Pollack.
