Clarion Content

An unexpected find this week at the BBC News, an article titled, "Gaza ruins beg questions of Hamas." The BBC News is not exactly considered pro-Israel in some quarters. In our collective minds eye, it is rather noteworthy to see them asking questions about Hamas's standing and popularity in Gaza.

As for the action that just ended, inevitably the Clarion Content is dismayed by a policy of "disproportionate retaliation as a deterrent". We find no solace in Israel demonstrating to Hamas that it can kill 100 of theirs for every one of ours you kill. The Clarion Content sees no end game in that thinking, for the enemy is probably provoked to want to get back at you (likely in the most deadly and hurtful way that he/she can.) Hamas however, steadfastly refuses, as Barack Obama put it to "unclench its fist." Israel is right that there can be no negotiating with a party who refuses to recognize your right to exist.

Ultimately the success of this battle for Gaza will not be judged on whether or not certain Palestinians keep shooting rockets into Israel. Unfortunately, they likely will. (Hopefully, the volume will be significantly decreased.) Israel's success in this campaign will be judged on whether Hamas becomes more or less popular in the Gaza strip, a point the BBC article seems to recognize. Did Israel convince enough ordinary Gazans that is a bad idea (from a utilitarian perspective) to support Hamas? Will that rally support for Fatah? Or did it harden more hearts, earn Hamas more recruits and make the people even less willing to negotiate? Remember farcically enough, (truth is stranger than fiction) Hamas was democratically elected in a western monitored election, then shoehorned into a coalition government with Fatah which eventually left Mahmoud Abbas running the West Bank and Hamas running Gaza.

The beat goes on.

The Clarion Content fears it is too much to ask of Obama that he start off his foreign policy with Israel-Palestine negotiations.

Labels: Middle East, Politics