OPINION:
JERUSALEM — In answer to a question from The Washington Times, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said not all Muslims have Hamas-like terrorist tendencies and that cultivating the more moderate voices among the Islamic faithful is a sure step toward bringing peaceful coexistence between Palestinians in Gaza and the Jewish people.
He has a point. Not all Muslims want to kill Jews. Not all those of the Islamic faith aspire to destroy Jerusalem.
Then again, pursuing too heartily an atmosphere of “peace,” “tranquility” and “coexistence” — as Herzog described his goals — and failing to properly respect the realities of evil seems a perilous approach to Israel-Palestinian relations. Evil, by nature, can never — will never — be good.
To tip too far toward diplomacy means, bluntly, death.
Toward Herzog’s view: According to 2024 data from the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, Jerusalem “had the largest number of Muslim residents (380,000) who comprise 21.3 percent of all Muslims in Israel, and 38.1 percent of the city’s residents.” Many already live in “peace” and “tranquility” and “coexistence” with Jews.
But how to discern the devils?
With the Palestinians in Gaza — many of whom had crossed into Israeli territory pre-Oct. 7, 2023, to farm the fields and work the land, side-by-side with Jews, in apparent friendship with Jews — this is a difficult matter to determine.
The website Mapping Palestinian Politics, citing Central Elections Commission Palestine data, reported that the 2006 elections in Gaza went this way: 74 seats for Hamas (also called the Change and Reform party); 45 seats to Fatah; four for Independents; three for Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa, or the PFLP; and two each for Third Way, or Fayyad; an alternative, such as DFLP, PPP or Fida; and Independent Palestine, i.e. Mustafa Barghouti.
Hamas won the overwhelming number of seats. Stolen election? Nope.
“The Carter Centre and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) considered the 2006 elections to have ‘compared favorably to international standards … with polling results reflect[ing] the will of the people.’ The EU held a similar view,” Mapping Palestinian Politics wrote.
Hamas was duly elected.
The Wilson Center reports that “since its creation in December 1987, Hamas has invoked militant interpretations of Islam to spearhead a Sunni extremist movement committed to destroying Israel.” EBSCO.com reports “the purpose of Fatah was to support and mount armed struggle for the creation of a Palestinian state” and that the group in 1964 “launch[ed] its first terrorist strike on Israel.” The European Council on Foreign Relations reports the PFLP is “the second largest faction and the main opposition force to Fatah with the PLO,” and “styles itself as a revolutionary socialist group” that “calls for the creation of a democratic Palestinian state” “through armed struggle.”
Seeing the pattern?
Getting the picture?
Even those Palestinians in Gaza who didn’t vote for the terror group Hamas nonetheless voted for other leadership with members who advocated for the same anti-Israel actions.
Innocent Palestinians — civilian Palestinians — these are terms that require considerable contemplation. And ‘lest it be forgotten: Nobody from Gaza expressed shock and outrage and horror and compassion at the savagery committed by Hamas against Israel on Oct. 7.
Meanwhile, there’s this, from Stimson.org — a headline from Oct. 17, 2023, just days after the terror attacks: “Can Arab States Help De-escalate the Israel-Gaza Crisis?”
This is Herzog’s question. This is Herzog’s point of view.
This is certainly a reasonable, diplomatic, more sensible and yes, even optimistic pursuit to “peace,” “tranquility” and “coexistence” — and it’s one shared by many thought leaders around the world.
“Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt are seeking ways to de-escalate the situation,” Stimson reports. So, too, the United States.
But sometimes too much optimism can prove dangerous.
While the idea of holding discussions with peace-loving Muslims to help pressure Islamic terrorists to drop their terrorist ways makes sound and political and policy sense, on paper and in the halls of governments around the world, and in the diplomatic channels that lead to discussions among global leaders, fact is, some evil is evil for evil’s sake. Some evil can never be persuaded; rather, only eradicated; only destroyed by force.
Failing to recognize this — and act accordingly — is perilous for all civilized society. Remember, the chant is “death to Israel, death to America, death to the West.” In the hearts and minds of radical Islamists, the destruction of Israel is just a stepping stone to the destruction of America and ultimately, the destruction of Western civilization.
In other words, the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack against Israel was just a stepping stone to Islamic terrorists’ dream of conquering the world.
Hasn’t peace for Palestinians in Gaza already been given a chance? Yes. Yes it has. Two decades ago, Israel totally withdrew from Gaza and ceded the land to the Palestinian people. Governments of the world, meanwhile, poured millions upon millions of dollars into Gaza to help the Palestinian people build infrastructure, develop an economy, source food, build housing and create health care and education systems.
Terror resulted.
Oct. 7 came.
And now Israel, for the good of Israel and for the good of civilized society, must end the war — by totally eradicating Hamas and taking control of Gaza. Then, and only then, should diplomatic channels be opened and the cultivation of moderate Muslim voices begin.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “God-Given Or Bust: Defeating Marxism and Saving America With Biblical Truths,” is available by clicking HERE.
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