Hamas’ Failed Foreign Policy

War is an extension of a nation’s foreign policy when diplomacy fails. War occurs when one nation cannot obtain what its goals from another nation.

 

In the Middle East, war is what is happening right now because Hamas cannot get what it wants from Israel. Hamas, the governing authority in the Gaza Strip, has been unsuccessful at imposing its will on Israel, but what exactly does Hamas want?

 

Hamas wants the nation of Israel to cease to exist, but that’s not all. Hamas also wants all Jews to die. This is Hamas’ stated position. They have never deviated from it. Their foreign policy is to occupy the land that has been the modern nation of Israel since 1948, nothing less.

 

From Israel’s perspective, how do they deal with Hamas’ stated objective? Creating the Gaza Strip and giving it autonomy to Palestinians fifteen years ago has not worked. Hamas still wants all Jews to be eliminated, chanting “from the River to the Sea.” Obviously, Israel can’t compromise by giving up half of its territory or allowing half of its citizens to be killed, just to satisfy Hamas. Even if they did, Hamas wouldn’t be placated. All Jews must die, nothing less is acceptable to Hamas Jihadists.

 

Consequently, when Hamas launched its unprovoked attack on Israel, slaughtering a thousand Jews, taking hundreds more hostage, Israel’s foreign policy became one of waging war. Responding to the attack, Israel has pummeled the Gaza Strip, killing thousands.

 

Taking umbrage to Israel’s response, Hamas and its sympathizers throughout the world have cried foul, but what did they expect? What did they think would happen? A slap on the wrist and little else?

 

War has casualties, often a significant number of them. Non-combatants die. This is why the decision to attack another nation is the last resort a nation should consider in its foreign policy. Going to was must be a rational decision, not one based on hatred, faux religious doctrine or the desire for ethnic cleansing.

 

Clearly, neither Hamas nor its benefactor, Iran, took what is now happening into consideration. Israel’s retaliation, based on their overwhelming military capability, has been overpowering, but Israel has every right to respond in the way they have. Unfortunately, the Palestinians who elected Hamas to lead them, are the ones paying a terrible price for the attack on Israel. That’s unfortunate, but this is what war is like.

 

Israel’s only strategic mistake has been to wait too long to launch its offensive. This provided Muslims worldwide the ability to mount a major negative public relations campaign against them. Now, Israel is fighting guerilla warfare in Gaza while simultaneously having to deal with Muslims and weak-willed Liberal activists in the USA.

 

Once again, Israel’s only friends are Evangelical Christians and others of faith in the United States. Our support remains solid, unassailable actually, and we are a powerful group.