Bombs are pounding Gaza as Israel goes all-in on destroying Hamas once and for all. Hamas is on the backfoot, but Israel will not find the success it hopes for.
Israel has hardly been secretive about its desire for a total victory over Hamas. The first step is recovering all remaining hostages, dead or alive. The second step is trickier: Destroying Hamas’ military capabilities and rule in Gaza.
Back when Israel first declared its war goals, former President Joe Biden’s administration cast doubt on their viability, citing the U.S.’s experience in wars since 9/11. For example, violence and moving civilian populations failed to destroy the Taliban, who overthrew the Afghani government in 2021, after 20 years of war.
Another example of a war with unachievable goals is the Vietnam War. Israel has the “advantage” of being located right next to the territory it’s attacking, preventing issues the U.S. suffered in past wars, such as the public wondering what the point of a war on another continent was.
However, that hasn’t ended the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians in the past.
“The war between Israel and Palestine has been going on for a very long time; this is one of the oldest wars in the world,” Abu Bakarr Bah said, a presidential research professor of sociology at NIU. “Someday, somebody’s going to get up and start fighting again.”
Indeed, the war in Gaza is not new. Armed conflicts between Israelis and Palestinians extend as far back as 1948, when Israel was attacked by five Arab nations after declaring independence. Another war erupted during the 1960s; 20 years later, Hamas formed.
Even if Israel succeeded in destroying Hamas today, they would still have to contend with many hostile neighbors and resentful civilians. The Houthis, Hezbollah, Iran and other groups have formed the Axis of Resistance, which directly opposes Israel. Recent actions such as an Israeli strike in Qatar has further isolated Israel from its neighbors.
Moreover, starving Gaza’s population and bombing civilian targets will only cause more people to turn to Hamas or other means of retribution against Israel. Though Israel blames civilian deaths on Hamas using human shields, the reality is that Israel has chosen to fight a bloody war.
“Modern warfare is urban in nature, and as such, it produces a lot of civilian casualties,” Bah said.
In truth, both sides are responsible for the deaths of thousands of Palestinian citizens due to the very nature of war in the 21st century.
Even if Israel succeeded in relocating Gaza’s population, that wouldn’t prevent Palestinians from becoming enraged at and attacking Israel. In fact, it would give them more reason to do so and harm Israel’s standing on the global stage.
Like Russia with its war against Ukraine, Israel has the means to end the war whenever it wants. Both countries are on the offensive and either outnumber or outmatch their opponent, yet both have also chosen to foolishly chase after “total victories.”
Yet, if the U.S., the most powerful country in the world, couldn’t accomplish something similar after 20 years in Afghanistan, what hope does Israel have for a lasting peace through military force after nearly 80 years of the contrary?
