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Hamas, LeT, they are the same. India has to make the ultimate choice.
Israel tried everything possible to end this constant barrage. It left Gaza of its own volition in 2005, introduced economic inducements to assist institution-building in Gaza, used the good offices of foreign states to impress upon Hamas to cease targeting civilians and tried to reach a long-term truce. All attempts were refuted. The time comes, sadly, that when all efforts to bring security fail, the only recourse possible, after years of restraint, is the military option. The primary duty and obligation of any government is the security of its citizens—and Israel is no exception. No government can stand idly by when half a million of its civilians are permanently forced to reside 15 seconds away from a bomb shelter.
Israel isn’t the enemy of the Palestinian people. They are our neighbours and we ardently desire to live in peace and harmony with them. Hamas has brought this crisis on itself, consciously choosing terror over coexistence, extremism over moderation. Part of the Iranian-Hezbollah terror axis, Hamas is a violent and extremist Islamist organisation and is recognised as such by the European Union, the United States and, in fact, around the globe. Its adherence to an extremist religious doctrine, its total unwillingness to compromise and its avowed aim to eliminate the state of Israel are enshrined in its own manifesto, which actually calls for the murder of Jews, not just Israelis. It has blown up buses with their passengers, and sent suicide bombers to kill Israelis in discotheques, shopping malls and synagogues.
True, use of military force must always be the very last resort, and is clearly never an end in itself. Israel’s sole objective is the permanent cessation of the reign of terror that Hamas has wreaked on innocent Israelis. Allegations of lack of proportionality are unfounded. Indeed, by the principle of proportionality, what if Israel had been compelled to fire over 30,000 rockets into Gaza, even crude ones, to compensate for the numbers fired at it? Wouldn’t that have had shocking repercussions? Israeli forces are making every effort to prevent collateral damage despite Hamas placing themselves in the heart of civilian populations, in hospitals, mosques and schools. The death of any civilian is truly a tragedy, yet by all accounts the overwhelming majority of the casualties are Hamas extremists.
Comparison has been made of the Israel-Hamas situation and India’s struggle to rid itself of extremist terror, which the Mumbai atrocities so vividly symbolised. Indeed, comparisons between Hamas and the Lashkar-e-Toiba are valid; both are terror organisations dedicated to the slaughter of innocents to achieve extremist political objectives. However, each and every situation has its own characteristics, timelines and possible systems of response. No two situations are identical. While Israel stands solidly behind India’s efforts to rid itself of terror emanating from abroad, the Indian government will make its own decisions as to how best to achieve its aims. Israel was forced into making the ultimate choice—of using the military option.
Hamas could have used the truce period to build schools, hospitals and welfare institutions in Gaza. Instead, they squandered millions on weaponry. If they thought Israel would succumb, they were sorely mistaken. Now the strategic equation must change. The moment Israel is certain Hamas will never launch further attacks, the military confrontation will end. And when there is a complete stoppage of Hamas terror, Israel, the Palestinian leadership and the Arab and wider international community can reapply themselves to building real peace in West Asia. This is attainable sooner than many think. The principled agreement of two states, Israel and Palestine, to live side by side in peace, security and respect isn’t a pipe-dream but a reality. The weakening influence of Hamas may well contribute to building a future of peace, hope and accommodation between two peoples who have for so long been locked in conflict.
(Mark Sofer is Israel’s ambassador to India.)