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December 15, 2023

President Obama’s Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, once said, “Never let a crisis go to waste.” 

The Biden administration is following this dictum by nominally supporting Israel’s goal of destroying Hamas in order to advance the Two-State Solution.

It matters not at all that neither the Palestinians nor the Israelis wanted such a solution.    

Only 17% support a two-state solution while 77.7% want to destroy Israel and replace it with a ‘Palestinian’ state.  

 The Israel Democracy Institute reported on Dec. 5, 2023, that on the question “Should Israel agree or not agree to pursue the two-state solution in order to continue to receive American assistance?” brought this response: 

52 % of Israelis said “no” compared to 35 % that said “yes.”  

To my mind, a much higher percentage of Israelis would have said “no” had “in order to continue to receive American assistance” not been included in the question.   

Nevertheless, the Biden administration is doing everything it can to advance the two-state solution on the back of the Gaza War. 

Ensuring, therefore, that the United States continues to stand steadfastly by Israel means continuing to be attentive to American interests in terms of the humanitarian elements of the conflict – and perhaps especially those interests related to the preferred US solution for Gaza and its integration in a broader regional arrangement, as part of US efforts to advance a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  

The administration also misses no opportunity to bring up the principles that it believes must form the basis for rebuilding Gaza “the day after” the war. These principles, which were drafted at the start of the war in internal dialogue and in conversations with the United States’ regional and international allies, are: no forcible displacement, no reoccupation, no siege or blockade, no reduction in territory, and no use of Gaza as a platform for terrorism. Similarly, the United States stresses that it wants to see the Gaza Strip and the West Bank unified under the control of a “revitalized” Palestinian Authority.  

Aside from this goal, the massacre of 1,200 innocent Jews on October 7 was so horrific Biden was compelled to stand with Israel in her stated desire to destroy Hamas. But the reaction of much of the Democrat party and his Muslim base in key states forced him to walk back his initial response, at least in part.  

Biden’s dilemma was that on the one hand he wanted to assuage his base and on the other hand, he was entering into another election and found it necessary to align with the pro-Israel crowd, too.  

He decided to have it both ways. He continued to support Israel’s right to defend herself and her desire to destroy Hamas. At the same time, he called for Israel to restrain herself.

At first, this call demanded that Israel abide by the rules of war. But this wasn’t enough of a restraint, so he began demanding humanitarian corridors and massive resupply of not only food and medical supplies but water and gasoline too. Of course, this aid was for the people, but he knew full well that Hamas would commandeer such essentials, which it did. He also knew that the more he hobbled Israel with such demands, the more casualties Israel would suffer on the battlefront and so it did. But Jewish lives didn’t matter at least to him and his leftwing base. 

In support of such demands, he had to conjure up the false notion of the “innocent civilians.” This notion justified his calls for humanitarian aid because, after all, the Gazans were “innocent”.   

A recent poll of Arab Muslim residents of the West Bank and Gaza, known as ‘Palestinians’ circa 1967, conducted by the Arab World for Research and Development (AWRAD) asked them.  

74% supported the Hamas atrocities of Oct 7. Of these 59% “extremely” support them and another 15% only “somewhat”. Only 7% were “extremely against” and 5% somewhat against.  

That’s 74% in favor of murdering, raping and kidnapping Jews and only 12% against.  

Only 7% were ‘extremely’ against murdering and abducting children.  

Is this a moral or a tactical objection? Let’s look at the breakdown by region.  

83% of those in the West Bank, ruled by the Palestinian Authority, said that they supported the Hamas atrocities. Only 7% were opposed. In Gaza, there was notably less enthusiasm at 63%. But after weeks of bombings and raids, only 20% seem to have decided it was a bad idea.  

98% in Gaza and the West Bank said that they felt ‘pride’ as ‘Palestinians’ over the war. 

 This intense hatred was instilled by Palestinian propaganda promoted by the Palestinians Authority, Hamas. and Imams preaching in the mosques in Gaza and the “West Bank” and throughout the Arab world.  

It was also abetted by the UNRWA schools in both Gaza and the “West Bank” in which two million “refugees” are taught to hate and kill Jews.

These schools are financed by both the U.S. and the EU, both of whom turn a blind eye to what is being taught. Be sure to watch this video. Askar : UNRWA: Cradle of Terror – review of a must see video as evidence thereof. 

Remember these “innocents” participated in the October 7 atrocities and celebrated the same throughout Gaza by distributing treats and dancing for joy.  

As flimsy and false as this notion was, Biden knew it would be embraced by bleeding hearts and antisemites throughout the world and would support their calls for a ceasefire, but that didn’t matter. 

A second notion that Biden conjured up was the shibboleth of “settler violence.”  

Yossi Dagan, Head of Samaria Regional Council, told Israel National News in a piece published at Israpundit titled: We refuse to accept this ‘blood selection’: 

“What the government should be doing right now is releasing a clear, factual and unequivocal statement to media outlets worldwide debunking the myth of ‘settler violence,’ a blood libel fabricated by an extreme leftist fringe organization. The Israeli government should be using the considerable resources at its disposal and its access to international media platforms to explain that the emergency first-response squads are organized IDF units dedicated to protecting communities against terrorists,” he added.

“We must not capitulate to the campaign of defamation being waged against half a million citizens of the State of Israel. While 80% of the male residents of Judea and Samaria are on emergency military duty and their families are home alone, worrying about the safety of their fathers and sons, our heads of state should not be encouraging this libelous campaign that is slandering the residents of these communities,” continued Dagan.

“Is there Jewish violence in Judea and Samaria? Yes. Most of it is in response to Palestinian violence against Jewish communities. But is there a culture of Jewish violence in these communities? No. 

“Part of this effort to limit empathy for Israel and excuse Hamas atrocities has been to point to the straw man of “settler violence.” 

It doesn’t take a genius to understand that Israeli citizens should be armed so that in the event of a surprise attack such as the one on October 7, the citizens could defend themselves. This applies equally to settlers living cheek-by-jowl with Palestinians in Judea and Samaria. They, too, are exposed to a potential mass attack by Palestinians terrorists. To make matters worse, Biden opposed arming the settlers for self-defense. 

On Nov. 6, 2023, Haaretz reported on a proposed sale of assault weapons to Israel: 

Last week Haaretz reported that the Biden administration was leery of a scenario in which National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir hands out assault rifles to defense squads in settlements. U.S. officials said they feared the guns could be used against Palestinian civilians… 

U.S. officials, in both the Biden administration and Congress, directly pushed the Israeli government to insist $34-million worth of assault rifles would not end up with Israeli settlers and civilian militias in the West Bank.

Biden understands that the advancment of the Two-State Solution, requires the destruction of Hamas and the rehabilitation of the Palestinian Authority. It is for this reason that the Palestinians must be described as “innocent civilians” and the sins of the Palestinians be ignored. 

This week, Israel’s prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu set the record straight about the day after the war. 

“First of all, we will win in the south and then we will also take care of the north. As a first step we will distance Hezbollah beyond the Litani River, and later we will also have to take care of the organization itself,” 

“After the great sacrifice of our civilians and our soldiers, I will not allow the entry into Gaza of those who educate for terrorism, support terrorism and finance terrorism. Gaza will be neither Hamastan nor Fatahstan,” 

“Only the State of Israel will be responsible for the demilitarization of the Strip. The Gulf countries will invest in reconstruction, and we will have to build an entity that does not want to destroy us that will manage the civil administration there. We will allow anyone who wants to go out, to do so. Today, Hamas does not allow that.” 

“Oslo was the mother of all sins. The difference between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority is only that Hamas wants to destroy us here and now, whereas the PA wants to do it in stages. “ 

Nevertheless, differences remain.  

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On Dec. 14, 2023, the Wall Street Journal noted: 

Netanyahu has rejected the U.S. plan, and is betting his political survival on opposing the Authority’s role in postwar Gaza and blocking the emergence of any Palestinian state. 

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…according to the WSJ, whereas Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has said it will take months. 

Finally, Israeli minister-without-portfolio Benny Gantz, a key member of Netanyahu’s war cabinet, delivered the last word. about what Israel plans to do; 

Remove the threat of Hamas, strengthen the relationship with moderate Arab countries, and build a different regional reality that will also include a framework for a solution In Gaza. In the military aspect – at the end of the next phase when the mission in the south of the Gaza Strip is completed – we will establish full security control over the area, including a seizure of territory that will allow the continuation of the operational effort.”  

“Israel will rule from a defense standpoint, preserve freedom of action, and exercise it in the entire territory. Khan Yunis and Shuja’iyya will be dealt with in the same manner as the casbah in Shechem (Nablus).”  

Image: Pexels / Pexels License