Hamas Terror and Israel’s Greater Terror

Netanyahu has used his mastery of dramatization and propaganda to create the plot of a theatrical tragedy on the international stage: Israel has been enduring the terror of sporadic Hamas rocket attacks for months despite a ceasefire. Therefore, the Prime Minister is left with no choice but to order the great defense forces of Israel to respond firmly and forcefully to stop these attacks once and for all. Just like a good drama, Netanyahu’s twists and turns are well thought of. Israel’s upcoming general elections are scheduled for January 22, 2013. Through committing Israeli troops to some of the worst barbaric atrocities in history, he intends to propagate an image to the world that this is a war between Israelis and Arabs in general and Palestinians in particular. He shall act ruthlessly to exhume an air of confidence and rekindle Israel’s old luster as untouchable and undefeated after its disappointing performance against another of its enemies, Hezbollah, in 2006.

Netanyahu knows that he can count on the blind support western media reserves for Israel. He knows many credible outlets will gladly repeat his scenario to the word, while maintaining a fake sense of balance by reporting with the utmost skepticism any other side of this drama.

Internally, Netanyahu’s dramatics are very targeted as well. His actions and rhetoric are meant for Israeli voters to see him as the ruthless and unwavering leader, the ultimate defender of Israel’s security from all those villains and enemies lurking around it. Come January 22, there shall be in the minds of Israelis across the nation, no better Prime Minister but he, the great savior Benjamin Netanyahu.

Just like that, Netanyahu is acting like one of the selfish kings out of an ancient tragedy; intent on keeping his reign at any cost in total disregard to the fact that he’s dragging Israel into an abyss not befitting of a country that claims to be democratic. He’s taken the Israeli army down a new path of violence and giving it orders to act more like a Nazi army than the modern organized army it is. Just read testimonies of young soldiers who served during the 2008 incursion into Gaza to understand the gravity of those deeds. Or ask the many Israelis who refuse military service why they are turning their back on this national honor.

Hamas on the other hand is a band of thugs that rules the Gaza Strip. They are not representative of the Palestinians in any way. They have even lost their legitimacy as a resistance with so many of their old supporters. They are desperately trying to terrorize Israelis by launching rockets into Israel. Their targets keep getting deeper, one of them reached as far as the capital Tel Aviv. Although the damage and casualty do not come close to those Israel has caused in response, still the emotional and psychological effects of the constant threat are immense.

Hamas is also trying to keep itself relevant in this atmosphere of change in the Arab world. With nothing to offer but terror against Israel, it is dragging the entire Palestinian population into an unnecessary and very costly confrontation as it did many times before.

As we bear witness to this new drama, let us remember that this is a real life tragedy not one coming out of a book. On both sides the dead are real, the wounded are real; so is the psychological and material damage, the pain, the agony, and the fear. Those human emotions are what make the universe one. The protagonists of this tragedy are the innocent Palestinian and Israeli civilians. But to succeed in their mission, antagonists must keep our focus on what divides us, not what unites us. Antagonists seek conflict; they take pride and feel satisfaction in inflicting damage. They are extreme and they represent only those who are like them.

The problem here is that one man is dragging a country into destruction, while a terror group is dragging an entire people into annihilation. With or without ceasefire, with or without mediation, with or without results, it is a guarantee that Hamas will continue its hatred and Netanyahu will continue his campaign. Will anyone stop them? Just like a good tragedy that has endured for decades, this will likely continue. With the upcoming Israeli elections, we might be heading towards the dénouement. There is no telling whether this will end in some form of resolution or a catastrophe!