[Interview with Israeli] Ex-PM: First 'get rid of' Hamas, then Netanyahu
26m video interview. Blurb:
"Netanyahu is history, he's done," Ehud Olmert told DW. He called the current Israeli leaders "violent, messianic thugs" and said that long term, Palestinians must be able to "exercise their right to self-determination." The center-right politician and former prime minister added that there was no alternative to the two-state solution with the Palestinians. On the issue of the scores of Israelis taken hostage by Hamas, Olmert said there was "no basis for negotiation" with Hamas — since, in his view, the Islamist militant group was not interested in negotiations. Olmert also told host Tim Sebastian that he thought there was little likelihood of direct military action against Iran, even though Tehran had "coordinated" the attacks and that a derailment of a US-sponsored diplomatic and security accord between Israel and Saudi Arabia would serve Iran's interests.
Not sure whether this counts as "news" in the strict sense but I think it does in the loose sense also I wouldn't know where else to post it.
You won't get rid of Hamas, or organizations like it, until you get rid of Netanyahu and people like him. Their control and influence is what drives recruitment for terrorist groups.
And you won't get rid of Netanyahu until you get rid of Hamas and groups like them.
The reason the conflict hasn't been resolved after decades isn't a lack of hot takes, it's because it's stalemates the whole way down.
Except there's more the Israeli populace can do to get rid of Netanyahu than the Palestinians can do to get rid of Hamas. There's at least a framework of democracy for the former.
I don't disagree that they feed off each other... but the apathy or hostility of the Israeli populace is a major factor in their government.
On paper. The war in Iraq involved the largest anti-war protests the world had ever seen, across multiple democratic countries.
They pushed forward with the war regardless, a policy that was continued by subsequent governments, regardless of party.
The Iraq war made many people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.
Hamas came into power when Bibi wasn't PM. And when Israel was planning their withdrawal, Bibi actually fought against it saying exactly this would happen.
While I'm a big supporter of Israel (so I know I'm biased), I can't stand Bibi and especially don't like this current coalition. But Bibi isn't the maker of this current situation.
Emphasis mine. You're not wrong that it's more than just one person that's the cause of these issues. That doesn't mean that keeping them in power will fix the issue, though. In fact, it makes it worse.
Look up what was offered during the camp David accords. They could've had 98% of the land they wanted. And a path connecting the two areas. It was Arafat who refused.
Then when Gaza was demobilized, the people backed Hamas and left the PA. Hamas promised violence. Blockade then began.
Hamas must be removed before peace can happen. Perhaps this ends with an agreement that certain countries in the Arab league will take over government and security in Gaza to stabilize it. Let the PA and Israel negotiate again. But obviously the requirements for security and peace will be much stronger demands now.