Negotiations in general, and more specifically in the Middle East, are a game of pressure levers. Each side uses all the pressure levers in its hands to the limit in order to reach optimal conditions from its point of view. Throughout the negotiation process, each side tries, among other things, to find new levers of pressure that will tip the balance of the negotiation in its favor.
Hamas has been asking for months to exert more and more pressure on the Israeli side in the negotiations. It invests a lot in psychological warfare content and constantly tries to exert pressure in different directions.
There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that since it became known that the abductees were murdered shortly before the IDF located them, the pressure exerted on the Israeli side in the negotiations has increased greatly.
In other words, Hamas discovered a new significant lever of pressure on Israel – bodies of abductees who were known to be alive until recently.
What prevents Hamas from using this powerful lever of pressure again? Israel needs to act quickly and reverse this dangerous interest in Hamas.
Hamas should immediately pay for the murder of the abductees, a price that will deter it from doing it again.
Israel is a law-abiding country and it will not be able to behave like Hamas and execute Palestinian prisoners. What’s more, the degree of effectiveness of the pressure this will create on Hamas is not clear.
So what can be done?
Here are some examples that I find effective and deterring:
1. Cutting off the Strip between Deir al-Balah in the center of the strip and Khan Yunis in the south of the strip – this is also based on a logical argument – preventing the movement of abductees. After all, we learned that the 6 abductees found in Rafah were moved from the center of the Gaza Strip to the south.
2. Dissecting Deir al-Balah on the main axis – a-Shuhadaa’ axis from east to west – after a population evacuation alert. Beyond the punitive effect, there is a tremendous military advantage here that will allow quick access to points inside Deir al-Balah where the IDF has not yet maneuvered.
3. Suspension of the polio vaccination campaign that began today until further notice.
4. Reducing the humanitarian space in Khan Yunis and Deir al-Balah – more pressure on Hamas and the population.
5. Segmentation – division of the current humanitarian area stretching between Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis into several cells with separation.
6. The construction of visible permanent structures in areas far from the border of the Gaza Strip – for example on the coastline in the center of the Gaza Strip.
7. Population movement in large volumes and at short intervals (accompanied by artillery fire, during the night).
These are some of the possibilities. Of course, with creative thinking you can achieve more things.
In any case, the very important thing is to make Hamas understand that there is a significant price for murdering abductees, this is to dissuade it from repeating its heinous actions, which at this point in time, absolutely serve its interests.
And for the Israeli front, the unity of the line, unity against a cruel enemy is key. From unity will come comfort for those who have no comfort. The connection and love of man for his brother is what will ease the terrible pain a little bit.
Our strength is in our unity and love for each other.
Without them it will be difficult for us to win.
We have no choice but to win, however long it takes.
It is an existential matter for us.
First published in Abu Ali Express.
