Israel at War – and a Solution by Barry Shaw

A possible strategic solution to solving the hostage solution, ending the war in Gaza, and opening Gaza to a better future.

The answer to all these dilemmas in one word – Qatar.

Qatar is the Islamic Arab state that has paid Hamas and the people of Gaza billions of dollars.

When Israel complained that Qatar money was being seized by Hamas and not going to the people of Gaza, Qatar changed the rules and supervised the next distribution of money directly to the people.

Qatar is the luxury location in which the rich leaders of Hamas reside and supervise Hamas actions. Qatar is a rich Arab country that has a well-deserved bad reputation as being the hotbed of radical Islam.

Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the spiritual leader of violent jihad and Palestinian terrorism died in September 2022 in Doha.

It would greatly benefit Qatar to moderate its tarnished reputation by transitioning into a pragmatic peace partner.

Qatar could be the ideal negotiators with Hamas for the release of the hostages in return for listed Hamas terrorists being allowed to leave Gaza alive and be relocated in Qatar.

This would achieve two of the prime aims of Israel’s operation in Gaza. To destroy Hamas facilities and properties and kill every Hamas member and affiliate.

Better for them to relocate to Qatar than live in fear of an Israeli revenge.

If this is achieved, Gaza would be a political and administrative vacuum in which Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, with the help of the United States, will be able to partner in selecting a new leadership and rebuild Gaza into the Arab Monte Carlo we would all embrace.

The new Gaza leadership must not be the corrupt failed rejectionist Palestinian Authority.

The territories of the PA must be cleansed of all embers of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

My candidate to be the temporary leader of the new Gaza should be Mohammed Dahlan. Born in Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip, a pragmatic Palestinian billionaire businessman who lives in Abu Dhabi in the UAE, with which Israel has an Abraham Accord partnership.

Dahlan opposed Mahmoud Abbas knowing his leadership would be corrupt and would not contribute to peace and would not benefit the Palestinian people.

Dahlan moved to the UAE as a result of his right-headed understanding of the current Palestinian leadership.

I try to find a flaw in the logic of my argument, particularly from an Israeli perspective.

I can’t find any, even from a Palestinian viewpoint.

Barry Shaw,

International Public Diplomacy Director,
Israel Institute for Strategic Studies.