Middle East - Netanyahu: Hamas destruction a prerequisite for peace
For Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the destruction of the Islamist Hamas and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip are prerequisites for peace in the area. "Hamas must be destroyed, the Gaza Strip must be demilitarized and Palestinian society must be de-radicalized. These are the three prerequisites for peace between Israel and its Palestinian neighbors in the Gaza Strip," Netanyahu wrote in a guest article for the Wall Street Journal published on Tuesday.
The USA, Germany, Great Britain, France and many other countries support Israel's intention to smash the terrorist group, which is an "important proxy of Iran". The leaders of Hamas have vowed to repeat the massacre of October 7 in Israel, in which more than 1,200 people were killed, "again and again". "Therefore, destroying them is the only proportionate response to prevent a repeat of such horrific atrocities. Anything else guarantees more war and more bloodshed," writes the Israeli Prime Minister.
Life in the Gaza Strip
Israel is "continuing to act in full compliance with international law" in the war against Hamas, it continues. Israel is doing its best to keep casualties among the Palestinian civilian population "as low as possible". According to the Hamas health authority, more than 20,600 people have been killed in Gaza so far. In view of the high number of civilian casualties, Israel's military operation has been heavily criticized internationally.
Netanyahu writes: "Unjustly blaming Israel for these casualties will only encourage Hamas and other terrorist organizations around the world to use human shields". He continued: "To make this cruel and cynical strategy ineffective, the international community must fully blame Hamas for these casualties. It must recognize that Israel is fighting the greater battle of civilized war against barbarism," writes the head of government.
Netanyahu writes that the establishment of a "temporary security zone on the edge of the Gaza Strip and an inspection mechanism on the border between Gaza and Egypt" is necessary so that the coastal area can no longer be used for further attacks on Israel and weapons can no longer enter it. For the foreseeable future, Israel will have to retain "ultimate security responsibility" for Gaza. And in order to finally "de-radicalize" the people, children must be taught "to value life and not death, and the imams must stop preaching the murder of Jews".
Guest contribution by Netanyahu
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Source: www.stern.de
