In search for peace

Israel appears confused about what to do next in its war on Gaza, now in its fifth week.

Israel is only used to having a few days of armed conflict with its Arab neighbours, which usually end in its favour.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be under considerable pressure from his party, as well as from most of the Israeli public, “to finish the job” on Israel’s own terms.

Most Israelis do not seem to be able to accept a stalemate in the armed conflict with Hamas and are pressing the government to bring the war to an end in Israel’s favour.

This explains why Israel rushed to break the truce with Hamas at the first instance and targeted Hamas leaders immediately thereafter.

The hawks in Israel fail to comprehend that in the kind of war that Israel is waging against Gaza there can be no winner.

Losers are many, of course, both among Palestinians and Israelis. Yet the two sides are determined to continue their armed struggle, hoping to achieve a decisive victory, which is not forthcoming.

No matter how much stronger than Hamas Israel is militarily, the Palestinian faction has been able to inflict heavy damage on Israel’s vital targets and sensitive locations.

What complicates the search for a durable truce as a prelude to a peace accord is the fact that Hamas does not speak or act as a state.

Hamas is basically a military force ruling the Gaza Strip after wining an election fair and square against the mainstream Palestinian faction Fateh.

Hamas has most of the attributes of a government, but not all.

There was a glimmer of hope that in the wake of the formation of a Palestinian unity government comprising both Fateh and Hamas, the Palestinians would deal with the Gaza conflict in one voice. This did not happen.

The much-acclaimed unity government has yet to be able to have a say in the war between Israel and Hamas.

As long as Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas remains on the sidelines and is ignored by Hamas, Israel will continue to hope to divide the Palestinians, to serve its ends by playing one Palestinian group against the other.

Peace in Gaza can be achieved only when Abbas rules on behalf of all the Palestinians.

He holds the key to peace. He alone can end the Israeli blockade over Gaza.