Did you know that most of the world – the part that counts, that is, has called for hamas to disarm and relinquish power in Gaza?
On Wednesday I wrote about this. And, in world where journalists actually cared about journalism it would have been lead-story news. But we do not live in that world, do we?
With the above in mind, herein its entirety, is today’s editorial in the New York Post, which lays reality out with crystal clarity:
Arab nations are getting wise to Hamas — even as others foolishly squeeze Israel
Most media ignored last week’s most important Middle East development: Arab nations for the first time publicly slammed Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, massacre and demanded the terrorists surrender power, disarm, and release their hostages.
OK, it’s a low bar. But it’s progress, and a lot more meaningful than British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s threat to recognize a Palestinian state or the other maneuvering over Gaza’s food crisis.
The landmark demands came in a seven-page declaration Tuesday by 17 countries, plus the European Union and the entire 22-member Arab League, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar.
They reflect a willingness — finally! — to publicly acknowledge that Hamas’ ouster is necessary to end the war in Gaza and thus ease the suffering of its civilians.
Hallelujah: We’ve stressed since Day 1 that the conflict can’t end with Hamas in power; the group, after all, openly vows to keep attacking the Jewish state until Israel is destroyed.
Perhaps the Gaza food shortages got the Arabs’ attention — even if most reports misled readers by tacitly (or even openly) blaming Jerusalem for them.
Bigger picture: Nations like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, egged on by President Donald Trump, are now eager to normalize relations with Israel, though they want the Gaza fighting to end first.
Sadly, other parts of Tuesday’s statement are as misguided as ever, calling for Hamas to “hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority, with international engagement and support, in line with the objective of a sovereign and independent Palestinian State.”
With Gaza then seeing “the deployment of a temporary international stabilization mission upon invitation by the Palestinian Authority and under the aegis of the United Nations.”
The Palestinian Authority? The United Nations?
Neither is fit for real responsibilities: The PA is nothing but an autocratic kleptocracy that uses international-aid funds to enrich its leaders and to pay terrorists to kill Israelis; even clueless President Joe Biden insisted it would have to be “revitalized” before it could play any role in Gaza.
UN peacekeepers, meanwhile, have never managed to keep peace anywhere in the Middle East; instead, the world body’s presence — e.g., via groups like the UN Relief and Works Agency — has only fueled violence in the region.
Even more brainless is Starmer’s threat to recognize a Palestinian state, along with France and Canada’s plans to do so next month, “unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a cease-fire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.”
Why no threats to Hamas if it keeps preventing food from reaching ordinary Gazans? How about insisting that it hand over its remaining Israeli hostages?
Look: Israel has already taken “substantive steps” to aid Gaza’s civilians, and has already agreed to numerous cease-fire plans.
Hamas rejects any cease-fire unless Israel agrees to let it keep power in Gaza, even as the terrorists block the peaceful distribution of food aid. It also refuses to release the remaining hostages, knowing that if it did, it would be its last act before total annihilation.
As for a “two-state solution,” Israelis backed it (until Oct. 7, anyway); the problem is finding Palestinian leadership to agree to a deal that doesn’t put Israel’s future at risk.
So why is Starmer threatening Israel?
Oh, and here’s a reality check: The outside world can’t actually summon a state into existence; citizens of a would-be nation must create it on their own.
Fact is, neither Britain, France, nor any other country can truly claim to care about Gazans unless they focus solely on the heart of the problem: Hamas.
That Arab nations are at last starting to admit that it is the most hopeful sign yet for peace.
My reaction to this editorial, in one word? “Exactly”.
hamas’ sole objective is keeping power in Gaza, and enabling its billionaire “leadership” to continue taking aid money sent to help average Gazans so they can live like kings and queens in Qatar.
hamas could not care less about the safety, security or living conditions of the Gazan population. In fact, by warning Gazans (therefore hamas as well) before hitting civilian targets – something no other army in world history has ever done – Israel demonstrates it cares more about the Gazan people than hamas does.
But the geniuses in Britain, France and Canada (among other places) ask absolutely nothing of hamas. Nope, Israel – the country that hamas mercilessly attacked, starting this war – is the one and only culprit, and the one and only side expected to do a thing to stop it.
The Post calls Britain’s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, “brainless”. My only criticism is that the characterization didn’t include France’s Macron and Canada’s Carney as well.
Thank you, New York Post, for presenting this reality so clearly and so completely. Now watch the people who should read this editorial and learn from it, ignore it instead.
