Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton placed the issue of a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas in a straightforward and helpful perspective. In an op-ed piece in last Tuesday’s The Atlantic, entitled “Hamas Must Go” she wrote that Israel should not be denied the opportunity to do what it has to do to defend itself and that a “ceasefire that leaves Hamas in power would give Hamas a chance to rearm and perpetuate the cycle of violence.”
If you accept her premise, like we do, which is President Biden’s view as well, her position has a beginning, middle and end. But not so with the stance of the “Squad,” the progressive wing of the Democratic Party including Reps. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib among others.
Not surprisingly, they want an end – they say on the humanitarian grounds of avoiding further deaths – to Israel’s effort to make Hamas go away. But even so, their position doesn’t work together. To be credible they should also have demanded that Hamas free all of the hostages on equally humanitarian ground and not negotiate over smaller numbers of them.
Moreover, surely once Israel adopts a ceasefire, it loses all leverage with Hamas regarding the release of those hostages still held.
The illogic is manifest and betrays a political mindset of denying Israel the right to defend itself rather than one with serious humanitarian concerns.
