The British Broadcasting Corporation (“BBC”) is reporting on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments regarding Israel’s security plans for Gaza following the war – which were Netanyahu’s first comments about post-war security since the war began on October 7, 2023.
During an interview with the US’ NBC News Network, Netanyahu said that Israel will have “overall security responsibility” for the Gaza Strip “for an indefinite period.”
Regarding future control of Gaza, Netanyahu said “I think Israel will, for an indefinite period, have the overall security responsibility because we have seen what happens when we don’t have it.” He further stated that “when we don’t have that security responsibility, we have the eruption of Hamas terror on a scale that we couldn’t imagine.”
The goal of Israel’s war is to destroy the Sunni Islamist militant group Hamas, which took control of Gaza in 2007.
The BBC article may be read HERE.
History.com provides a quick summary of leadership in the Gaza since the founding of the Palestine Liberation Organization (“PLO”) in 1964, and how following the 2006 election, Hamas won the majority in the Palestinian Legislative Council elections.
Conflict between the ruling Fatah and Hamas led to violence in 2007, when Hamas defeated Fatah in a battle for Gaza, resulting in Fatah ruling the West Bank and Hamas ruling Gaza.
In 2014, Hamas and Fatah agreed to a deal that would form a unified national Palestinian government, as it exists currently.
Many countries, including the United States (“US”), consider Hamas to be a terrorist organization, although others regard Hamas akin to a political party. Hamas has been on the US State Department’s list of terrorist organizations since 1997.
The History.com summary may be read HERE.
My brothers and sisters, under the Biden Administration, the US is, once again, following a path of confused foreign policy, with President Joe Biden stating less than a week after Hamas’ murderous and merciless October 7, 2023 attack upon Israel that a “cease fire” should be considered.
War is hell. War is never to be desired or waged in a callous or cavalier manner; however, a war cannot be fought and won without a certain number of innocent casualties. An unprovoked attack against men, women and children (including the reported rape, torture, kidnapping and even beheading of children) seems to be an unambiguously moral justification for the actions being taken by the Israeli government – especially considering the repeated history of attacks against Israel by the Palestinians in recent decades.
There is absolutely ZERO reason to believe that if Israel packed up and went back to the status quo, that Hamas would respect this and forgo its evil ways and never again attack Israel. Hamas is dedicated to eradicating Jews and Israel from the face of the planet. You can’t negotiate your way out of conflict with an opponent who wants nothing less than your annihilation and embraces, and teaches its own children, a culture of death.
As this writer has mentioned before, wars should not be fought unless they are being fought TO WIN – which requires a moral and justifiable reason, with clear operational goals that identify, without ambiguity, what is to be accomplished and when the war is to be ended.
It seems that if Israel doesn’t currently have the moral justification to do whatever it takes to protect is citizens (as well as its very existence), then there is no such thing as sufficient justification. Woe to those who murder and attack God’s chosen!
Some scripture to consider:
Genesis 12:3 (NKJV)
The LORD said to Abram (later Abraham): “I will bless those who bless you, [a]nd I will curse him who curses you; [a]nd in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Deuteronomy 7:6 (NKJV)
“For you [the Jews] are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.”
Psalm 132:13 (NKJV)
“For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place…”.
Isaiah 5:20 (NKJV)
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; [w]ho put darkness for light, and light for darkness; [w]ho put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
Ephesians 6:11-13 (NKJV)
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, [and] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore[,] take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (Amplified Bible)
A Time for Everything
“There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven—[a] time to be born and a time to die; [a] time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; [a] time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; [a] time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones; [a] time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; [a] time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; [a] time to keep silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; [a] time for war and a time for peace.
And as a very important reminder:
1 Corinthians 1:18 (NKJV)
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Praise Jesus forevermore!