 |
| Senator Lindsay Graham (Matzav) |
Now that I’ve gotten that unsurprising bit of news out of the way, I can discuss how American leaders have reacted to it.
Once again, it largely depends on whether you are a Democrat or a Republican. Although there are exceptions on both sides, that’s essentially how reactions to Israel’s strike against Hamas leadership in Doha, Qatar, break down: Republicans mostly supported Israel, while Democrats largely did not.
I have often said that there has never been a stronger supporter of Israel than President Donald Trump. And yet, he seemed critical of this action, at least as portrayed by the mainstream media. ABC, for example, reported the following:
President Donald Trump voiced his discontent over the Israeli strike targeting senior Hamas leadership in Qatar on Tuesday, telling reporters he was "very unhappy" with the attack.
"I'm not thrilled about the whole situation," Trump told reporters Tuesday evening, saying he would give a full statement on the matter on Wednesday.
"I was very unhappy about it, very unhappy about every aspect, and we’ve got to get the hostages back, but I was very unhappy about the way that went down," Trump said.
The media couldn’t wait to portray this as a condemnation. But it was hardly that, as ABC further noted:
Earlier, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared a statement she said reflected Trump’s views—one that, while not condemning Israeli action, used strong language that showed some rare daylight between the president and Israel. The statement described the strike as an "unfortunate incident" that doesn’t benefit the U.S. or Israel…
"However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal," Leavitt added.
When asked about it, Ambassador Mike Huckabee responded:
Huckabee declined to comment directly on the attack, deferring to the White House. But he said that “countries make decisions based on what they think their best interests are, and that doesn’t mean everyone agrees.”
The Prime Minister made it very clear that the U.S. had zero to do with the operation, emphasizing that Israel takes full responsibility for the action, which was carried out in response to the terrorist attack last Sunday that killed eight people. The strike was authorized after Hamas claimed credit for that massacre.
Speaking of “daylight,” it should be noted that the attack in Qatar initially had the full-throated support of Netanyahu’s opposition, as reported in the Jerusalem Post:
Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) said he commended the Israel Air Force, IDF, and Shin Bet “for an exceptional operation to thwart our enemies.”
When Lapid and Ben Gvir agree on anything, it’s hard to argue that it was a mistake. But, again, I digress.
There are several issues to discuss here: How this will affect negotiations for the hostages; how it will affect Israel’s relationship with its only true remaining ally, the U.S.; and did Israel actually accomplished its goal. If so, was it worth it.
Hard questions to answer. But here’s how I see it.
When I hear the naysayers claim this strike hurt hostage negotiations since Qatar was in the middle of mediating a deal between Hamas and Israel, I almost had to laugh. Almost - because the issue is far too serious for laughter. But the notion that Hamas would suddenly accept a deal proposed by the U.S. - one that Israel has already accepted, just as it has accepted countless others that Hamas rejected - is about as likely as Canada becoming the 51st state.
That simply isn’t going to happen. If two years of rejecting deal after deal hasn’t convinced people of that, nothing will.
In my view, Israel lost nothing in terms of the hostage situation by attacking Hamas leadership in Qatar. In fact, Qatar has already said it remains open to returning to the negotiating table, even after the strike.
As long as Republicans remain in power, the U.S. -Israel relationship is on firm ground. Even though the president wasn’t happy about this strike, I think his displeasure was more about reassuring Qatar that the U.S. had nothing to do with it, thus maintaining good relations with a nation that hosts America’s largest military base in the region.
It’s also about his ego: He wants to be the president who finally makes peace between Arabs and Israelis. The Abraham Accords began the process. If he can end the war in Gaza, secure the hostages’ release, and add a few more Arab countries to the Abraham Accords, he may very well get the Nobel Peace Prize.
As the president recently noted:
“I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning. There will not be another one,”
Did Israel accomplish its goal? They targeted Hamas’s political leadership in Qatar after Hamas claimed responsibility for the terrorist murder of 8 Jews a few days ago. Whether Israel succeeded in eliminating them is not yet clear. But even if not, the attempt itself was surely worth it. And even though there was ‘global outrage’ NOTHING was lost!
As noted in Matzav, Senator Lindsey Graham summed up the moral clarity of Israel’s defensive posture:
“To those who planned and cheered on the October 7 attack against Israel, the United States’ greatest ally in the region: This is your fate.”
He then addressed the Palestinian people directly:
“Your future depends on the political and military demise of Hamas. If Hamas lays down their weapons tomorrow, one of the most promising chapters in the history of the Palestinian people can begin.”
In his comments, Graham stressed that those seeking an end to the conflict should demand Hamas disarm. “To those who want this war to end: insist that Hamas surrender now,” he stated.
Turning to Israel, Graham expressed unwavering support for its right to defend itself:
“To my Israeli friends: I understand your determination to ensure there are no more ‘October 7’ attacks and that those who want to destroy the Jewish state are denied that capability. I will always be your partner in this endeavor.”
To this I say, Amen!
Comments to this post can be made at Emes VeEmunah II where it is cross-posted.
