Last month, an Israeli Defense Force Rear Admiral said “Hamas cannot be destroyed. Hamas is an idea”: this statement is at odds with the previously stated military objective of “total destruction of Hamas.” Meanwhile, the Israeli Defense Minister shared his concerns over the lack of a broader political strategy, and recently, the US urged Israel to link its military strategy with a political strategy—something the prime minister seems reluctant to do. It appears that Israel doesn’t have a plan for after the war. So, what would such a plan look like?
At a minimum, the plan should contain the following:
- Right away, Gaza needs a version of the Marshal Plan. It would provide immediate access to food, water, and health care; reestablish sewage systems; and open a corridor to the West Bank, where people could migrate. Israel cannot do this alone—it will need UN sponsorship and coordination.
- The plan needs to re-establish a government in Gaza. The Palestinian Authority is the obvious candidate—no one else is even positioned for it and now is not the time to hold elections and try to build a new government from scratch.
- The plan needs to acknowledge a two-state solution and commit to developing a framework toward one. The problems that led to this war will not be resolved without it and everyone needs a government that is going to look after his/her interests.
- Finally, the plan needs to clarify the narrative. It needs to emphasize that the war was never against the Palestinian people, but against an evil regime. Because people will say that Hamas wasn’t a regime, the plan needs to describe how Hamas was indeed the de facto government and failure to understand this allowed the group to take over and bring destruction.
Israel is on the verge of making the same mistake the US made in Iraq and the EU made in Libya—tearing down a regime without a plan for building a replacement. Military and reconstruction strategies must be viewed as two parts of a whole; otherwise, death and chaos will continue for years to come.
The next three to six months are critical, not only for Gaza but also for the entire Middle East. The plan must give hope to the Palestinians and ensure Israeli security. And it is needed now—waffling in this time of crisis will lead to another generation of bloodshed.
Source:
Adela Suliman, Susannah George, Bryan Pietsch, “Rift Grows Between Netanyahu and Israeli Military over Hamas Elimination,” Washington Post, APO, 10 July 2024, A12; see also https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/06/20/idf-hamas-netanyahu-gaza-israel/
Photo: Said Khatib, AFP