As I noted before, the Post today has dueling op-eds about Israel’s war against Hamas. Needless to say I wasn’t much impressed with Diehl’s defense of Hamas. It continues a disturbing trend in the Post’s opinion pages to argue that Israel has a right to defend itself, but still it shouldn’t.
Charles Krauthammer on the other hand, gets things right in Endgame in Gaza (or here).
After recounting how Israel squandered its gains in Lebanon by trusting the international community to protect it, Krauthammer argues that Israel must not repeat that mistake. What must Israel do?
Which is why the only acceptable outcome of this war, both for Israel and for the civilized world, is Endgame B: the disintegration of Hamas rule. It is already underway.
This is not about killing every last Hamas gunman. Not possible, not necessary. Regimes rule not by physically overpowering every person in their domain but by getting the majority to accept their authority. That is what sustains Hamas, and that is what is now under massive assault.
Hamas’s leadership is not only seriously degraded but openly humiliated. The great warriors urging others to martyrdom are cowering underground, almost entirely incommunicado. Demonstrably unable to protect their own people, they beg for outside help, receiving in return nothing but words from their Arab and Iranian brothers. And who in fact is providing the corridors for humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians? Israel.
This makes sense. Though I wish Israel would engage in a bit more mocking of Hamas’s leadership. Gazans need to be reminded that Haniyeh isn’t facing the danger, so when he survives and claims victory, he will look silly.
I don’t necessarily agree that Fatah is the answer though.
The fall of Hamas rule in Gaza is within reach, but only if Israel does not cave in to pressure to stop now. Overthrowing Hamas would not require a permanent Israeli reoccupation. A transitional international force would be brought in to immediately make way for the return of the Palestinian Authority, the legitimate government whose forces would be far less squeamish than the Europeans in establishing order in Gaza.
Perhaps Egypt could be brought in (extremely reluctantly). While there are certainly solid objections to Egyptian rule, it is likely a better choice than the ineffectual PA.
Finally Krauthammer reminds us of what Jackson Diehl would just as well overlook:
The one-step-from-madness gangster theocracy in Gaza — just four days before the fighting, the Hamas parliament passed a sharia criminal code, legalizing, among other niceties, crucifixion — is teetering on the brink. It can be brought down, but only if Israel is prepared — and allowed — to complete the real mission of this war. For the Bush State Department, in its last significant act, to prevent that with the premature imposition of a cease-fire would be not just self-defeating but shameful.
It is not just the Bush administration that would save the terrorists. There are plenty of mischief makers in the media, academia and the diplomatic corps, who are just not that bothered by when Islamists flout international law and do away with democratic niceties like due process, freedom of religion and respect for minorities. Krauthammer’s op-ed appeared on the same page with one such fan of Hamas.
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.
