Does Trump Have To Finish Hamas?

Today is 288 days since Israel went to war with Hamas and other Islamic terrorist groups. This conflict is taking much longer than anyone expected. Initially, we hoped that the war would end within six months and Hamas would be eradicated.

The long war is harmful to both Israel and the peace-loving civilians in Gaza. However, the prospect of a peaceful resolution once Hamas is defeated will bring hope for a peaceful future for civilians on both sides, and children will play happily with smiles again.

Sadly, Western countries, including the Biden administration, are not providing Israel enough support to decisively win the war. This reluctance is due to domestic political considerations.

Among these domestic political considerations, we often hear two major reasons from Western leaders.

Firstly, there is a big concern about the high number of civilian casualties. Western countries are advocating for a ceasefire to prevent further civilian deaths. So, they push for peace treaties to stop the war and protect innocent lives.

Secondly, Western countries are wary of escalating the conflict. They fear that full support for Israel could trigger a larger regional war involving more countries and causing greater devastation. They focus on deterring attacks rather than fully engaging in the conflict to avoid this.

Are they telling the truth, or are there some more reasons behind it?

Of course, there are more reasons.

Western leaders do not say the real reason why they are not fully supporting Israel to win the war. A deeper analysis reveals more complex motivations.

The Western countries that are allies of Israel include the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. These are, no doubt, very powerful countries in the world.

All these countries have strong economic, cultural, political, and security ties with Israel. Despite this, their leaders pretend to be concerned about escalation and civilian casualties.

However, the main reason for the lack of decisive support is the division among the leaders of these countries. They are tasked with balancing the different opinions of their citizens, some of whom strongly support Israel, while others are more sympathetic to the Palestinians. This division makes it challenging for governments to offer Israel strong support without facing backlash at home.

Look at the United States. It is Israel’s closest ally. We see a clear division within the Biden administration. Many Democratic Senate members show strong sympathy towards Hamas.

The Democratic Party seeks votes from the Muslim community. Many members of the Muslim community support Hamas. This political reality complicates the party’s stance on the conflict, especially as they prepare for the next November election.

If the Biden administration were fully committed, it could potentially eliminate Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. We all know that Iran is the significant backer of these groups and seems reluctant to engage in direct war with Israel anymore after rocket attacks.

But who knows? Iran may take action suddenly again. It can be anytime.

Now, this situation raises the question of whether the Biden administration is waiting for Trump to take office and deal with Hamas.

Besides, Trump will also face the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The pressing question remains- how long does Israel have to endure this war? Islamist groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran continue to attack Israel directly and indirectly. Why should Israel wait for a change in the U.S. administration? Why do hostages have to wait so long to return home?

Sat July 20, 2024
From Tokyo