Palestinian Authority chief negotiator Saeb Erekat recently expressed concern that Israel will launch a new large-scale attack on Gaza, following escalated rocket attacks on Israeli civilian areas.
Dear Mr. Erekat,
Your expressed fear of possible large-scale retaliation by Israel against Hamas gives me a tingly, warm feeling. I feel your concern and empathize with what such action might do to Hamas and the Gazans living under their boots.
However…
You know, I’m sure – how can you not know – that Hamas has been lobbing rockets into Israel for months and has been escalating the frequency and number of such deadly projectiles. One of those missiles barely missed a kindergarten.
But have courage and faith, Mr. Erekat. Your concerns are echoed by many if not most countries around the world whose favorite entertainment is the delegitimization of Israel.
You really need not be concerned with what Israel may or may not do. Look around you. Listen for a moment. Do you hear anyone protest the ongoing bombardment of Israel by Hamas? Have you heard a sound from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon?
Did you hear any protest or rebuke from the UN concerning Hamas’s attempts to murder Israeli citizens? Did you hear any loud protestations from England, France or Russia? You didn’t? Neither did anyone else.
But should your fears of an Israeli operation against Hamas be realized, rest assured that indignation and condemnation (of Israel, of course) will suddenly burst out all over the world. “Israeli War Crimes” will again scream from headlines and become a hot topic in the UN Security Council.
Remember the last time Israel and Hamas fought? Do you recall all the rebuke and condemnation Israel received? You must have had a field day with all the talk of Nazi-like Israeli murderers and poor, suffering Palestinians.
So you see, Mr. Erekat, there is absolutely no need to fret over a possible Israeli attack against Hamas. If it occurs, the UN, the EU, the Arab League – just about everyone – will stand with you shoulder-to-shoulder and force Israel to stop its ugly aggression.
Of course, once a cease-fire is forced on Israel, the launching of rockets from Gaza into Israel will resume, and after the inevitable Security Council anti-Israel resolution and the equally inevitable arm-twisting by the United States, whatever is still left of the so-called blockade on Gaza will be completely lifted – which will allow Hamas to freely import more armaments to be used against Israel.
And the cycle will continue. Hamas bombards, Israel eventually retaliates, the world condemns Israel.
Fret not, Mr. Erekat. Hamas is in good hands.
Isaac Kohn is senior vice president of Primecare Consulting Corporation. His articles and op-eds have appeared in The Jewish Press and other media outlets.