URGENT: An Israeli Strategy for a Post-Hamas Gaza

BESA Center
October 25, 2023
Paper No. 2225

Israelis have united around the goal of toppling the Hamas regime, but little has been said about what would come after. This issue is critical to Israel’s security and must be addressed. Israeli interests are best served by establishing in Gaza a PA-linked administration alongside a massive reconstruction program backed by the US and other international and regional actors. Israel’s declaration of support for establishing such a regime in Gaza as soon as possible would provide a political direction to the military operation and enhance its international legitimacy. Defeating Hamas must ultimately mean not only its military destruction but the empowerment of a moderate Palestinian alternative.

The End of Mowing the Grass: If Israel Wants to Continue to Exist, It Must Uproot Hamas from Gaza

On October 7, 2023, Israeli deterrence completely collapsed. As a result of a surprise attack by Hamas, Israel suffered a severe defeat in terms of casualties and property losses. The enemy infiltrated Israeli territory, captured cities and towns, decimated their populations, and held them for many hours. The only way to turn this achievement by Hamas into a pointless endeavor is for Israel to dismantle the Hamas regime in Gaza and destroy its military capabilities. This is for two reasons. First, in order to ensure the safe return of Israeli citizens to the Gaza periphery, the threat must be removed completely and their sense of security fully restored. Secondly, an end to the war without the destruction of the Hamas regime in Gaza would be considered a success for the terrorist regime and serve as a model and inspiration for other actors in the radical axis who seek the elimination of Israel.

Hamas Is a Jihadist Organization Committed to Israel’s Total Destruction

In order to understand the nature of the strategic surprise inflicted by Hamas on Israel on October 7, it is essential to understand its jihadist orientation, which was formulated on the movement’s founding and has never changed. While Israel employs a Western military concept that avoids war and sanctifies the value of life, the jihadist concept aspires to self-sacrifice, death, and a cosmic religious struggle against “Jewish infidels.” Hamas has no concern whatsoever for the welfare of the local Gazan population, which means it does not have the Achilles’ heel of the Israeli side: the commitment to uphold the sanctity of life for both its citizens and its soldiers. Israel continues to operate using a Western democratic approach in the face of an eternal jihad. It will have no choice but to fight the jihadist mindset without any containment or restraint.

Hamas Terrorist Invasion of Israel and Its Possible Implications for Ukraine

One cannot fail to notice that the conflict between Israel and Palestinian Arabs occupies a distinct place in the ideological and political discourse accompanying post-Soviet armed conflicts, primarily the Russian-Ukrainian and Armenian-Azerbaijani conflicts. This can involve the use of allusions and symbols associated with the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation, aimed at ideologically justifying one's position and demonizing the opponent. It also pertains to the attempts of direct participants in post-Soviet conflicts and/or external actors to leverage fluctuations in Israel's relations with the "Palestinian National Authority" (PNA) in Ramallah, which governs the Arab enclaves in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley (or, the “West Bank of the Jordan River”, in international discourse) on one hand, and the enclave of Islamic fundamentalists in the Gaza Strip on the other.

Israel At War

Domestic Politics = International Politics: The US-Israel Relationship

The long delay preceding Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s invitation to the White House reflects significant issues concerning Israel’s security and international position. President Joe Biden does not hide his distaste for the structure of the current Israeli government, even as Israel faces rising security tensions on all fronts. The potentially historic breakthrough of a peace agreement between the Jewish state and Saudi Arabia, largely motivated by Biden’s electoral considerations, has been delayed by Netanyahu domestic problems. The rule that internal and external politics are not to be linked has apparently been breached by the world power that carries the international system on its shoulders. Moreover, the crisis is between two allied nations that are considered liberal democracies. What are the implications of this linkage between domestic and international politics?

Israel in Africa: Old and New Partners

Israel is making a serious political-diplomatic effort to strengthen relations with African countries, particularly several key northern and sub-Saharan states. The parties are seeking enhanced cooperation in trade, energy, food security, climate security, water security, agriculture, cyber security, and defense. These efforts come at a time when Israel’s global diplomatic network is expanding significantly. The political realignments taking place in the Middle East could open up opportunities for trilateral or multilateral partnerships involving Israel, its African partners, and other like-minded countries from the region and beyond.

Why Israel Approved Development of the Gaza Marine Gas Field

Elai Rettig
July 17, 2023
Paper No. 2207

In June 2023, Israel quietly approved the development of Gaza Marine, a small offshore gas field near Gaza that will benefit both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas in terms of revenue and energy independence. Why was the deal approved by the most right-wing Israeli government to date, and how does this relate to the Lebanon maritime border deal from October 2022?

Israel-Hellenic Forum

Lost Between Recognition and Rejection: Tunisia’s Relations with Israel

Tunisia’s relationship with its historic Jewish community and the Jewish state has been marked by sporadic progress and unfortunate setbacks. There has been a Jewish presence in Tunisia since before the Roman Empire; there remains one there today, and Tunisia is proud of this part of its history. Other Western-aligned moderate Muslim states like Egypt, Morocco, and the UAE have normalized relations with Israel. Others, like Saudi Arabia, have had longstanding not-so-secret relationships with Israel. Yet Tunisia lacks either, and is signaling that this will remain the case for the foreseeable future.

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