Yossi Schwartz ISL (RCIT section in Israel/Occupied Palestine), 20.12.2023
Hamas has won in this war in spite of the very high price: the genocide by Israel and the massive destruction of Gaza. In an article by Foreign Policy a mouthpiece for American imperialism. It says that “Hamas won real gains: the first one is that it shutters the confidence of the Israelis Hamas’s attack brought pain to Israel and shattered its sense of security—both Hamas goals. The attack exposed the Israeli government’s ingrained belief that Hamas lacked both the intention and capabilities to launch a full-scale assault on Israeli soil. This assumption, despite evidence to the contrary, left Israel unprepared for Hamas’s devastating incursion” [1]
The second one, managing the occupation, has suffered defeat. “Until Oct. 7, and with the exception of sporadic rockets fired into Israel from Gaza that Israel’s missile defenses largely handled, Israelis could largely ignore Hamas and the Palestinians in general. When the occasional crisis flared up, as happened every few years, both sides eventually agreed to go to some version of the status quo ante. From Hamas’s point of view, however, the status quo was slowly suffocating the Palestinian cause, with Israel triumphing on the ground. Each year, settlements expanded in the West Bank, while Gaza at best stagnated, with little hope for its people. Now Israelis must reckon with the unfinished conflict with the Palestinians rather than ignore it” [2]
The third one has proven to be a fighter against oppression. FP writes on this point: “Hamas has restored its so-called resistance credentials among the Palestinian people. After Hamas took over Gaza in 2007, it found itself confronted with the day-to-day demands of governing Gaza. This often required avoiding conflict with Israel to ensure that the country’s already considerable economic pressure on Gaza did not increase and that Israel did not conduct destructive military strikes on Gaza. This, in turn, led Hamas to limit its own attacks and at times stay out of the fighting when Israel struck the more radical Palestinian Islamic Jihad. As a result, Hamas found itself in the position of being Israel’s police officer rather than its most-feared enemy, angering its military wing and leading to criticism from militant circles that the group was slowly abandoning armed struggle The devastatingly effective Hamas attacks increased support for resistance in general and restored Hamas’s credentials in particular.” [3]
The fourth one is the return of the Palestinian oppression to the center of the world political map. “For years, the Palestinian-Israeli dispute seemed to be on the world’s back burner. The United States focused on China and on Russian aggression in Ukraine, while Arab governments were content to largely ignore the issue despite the occasional lip service. Now the Palestinian issue is front and center.
Israel’s retaliation to Hamas’s attack furthers Iranian narratives painting Israel as an occupying power brutally repressing Palestinians. The continued conflict and subsequent humanitarian crisis in Gaza undermine Israel’s image in the region and bolster support for those, like Iran, who oppose it. Although Iran denies direct involvement in the attack, the success of the operation may embolden Iran to invest even more heavily in its “axis of resistance,” a regional network of militant groups aiming to destabilize Israel and its allies” [4]
In addition, this war isolated Israel in the Middle East and globally. On this the FP writes:
“The attack also temporarily halted U.S.-backed normalization talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia.If Riyadh recognized Israel, it would lay the foundations for other Arab nations to do the same. Following the attack, however, Saudi leaders distanced themselves from Israel and issued statements supporting Palestinians. These actions were largely to appease the country’s overwhelmingly pro-Palestinian population after months of negotiations with Israel, rather than a pro-Palestinian turn in Saudi policy. However, they suggest that the political cost to Riyadh of normalization with Israel, always high, is now far higher” [5]
Our analysis of the AI has proven correct in the war on Gaza. The AI was used to destroy the forces of production – the most important segment: the human labor force and the infrastructure.
It is of interest how the war affects the outlook of the Israeli Jews and of the Palestinian citizens of Israel.
“More than 80% of Israeli Jews believe that the suffering of Gazan civilians should only be taken into account to a small extent in the context of the war to demolish Hamas, while a large majority fear that more than 100 Israeli hostages held in Gaza will not be saved, according to a poll published by the Israel Democracy Institute on Tuesday” [6]
“In complete opposition, 83% of Israeli Arabs believe the Gazans should be taken into account to a large extent” [7]
“91% of Jews believe that the IDF is making an effort to follow international laws in its fighting, as opposed to only 24% of Arabs who believe the same. Two-thirds of Arabs believe that the IDF isn’t trying at all”
“Since October 7, there have been many protests across the world accusing Israel of committing war crimes and even genocide in Gaza.Respondents were asked whether these accusations were due to antisemitism and hatred of Israel or because of the large number of civilian casualties, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, and the extent of property destruction in Gaza. Just under two-thirds of Jews put it down to antisemitism, while 52% of Arabs said it was the latter. The opinion of the other 48% was not included in the poll” [8]
It is even more interesting what the Palestinians in the occupied territories think:
“A wartime opinion poll among Palestinians published in December shows a rise in support for Hamas, which appears to have ticked up even in the devastated Gaza Strip, and an overwhelming rejection of Western-backed President Mahmoud Abbas, with nearly 90% saying he must resign” [9]
“The majority of Palestinians support Hamas’ armed resistance to Israel, according to a poll conducted by the Ramallah-based Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) jointly with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
According to the report posted on the center’s website, seventy-two percent of those polled (82% in the West Bank and 57% in the Gaza Strip) approve of the actions by Hamas’ armed wing, including the October 7 attack on Israel and hostage taking.
Twenty-two percent of respondents (12% in the West Bank and 37% in the Gaza Strip) said they disapprove of Hamas’ actions, while six percent put the blame for what was happening on Iran.
As many as 70% of those polled in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip said they are convinced that Israel will fail to reach its declared goal of exterminating Hamas. Twenty-two percent believe that Hamas will sustain losses but will not lose its influence, while only eight percent said that they think Israel will accomplish its goal.
Fifty-two percent of respondents laid the blame for the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza on Israel’s aggression, 26% blame the United States, 11% – Hamas, and nine percent – the Palestinian administration in Ramallah.” [10]
Down with Zionism!
For a free red Palestine!
Endnotes:
[1] Daniel Byman, Foreign Policy https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/12/18/hamas-success-israel-gaza-war-achievements-cost
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-778742
[7] Ibid
[8] Ibid
[9] https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-palestinians-opinion-poll-wartime-views-a0baade915619cd070b5393844bc4514
[10] https://tass.com/world/1721349