Sinwar's Death and Ending the War

Yahya Sinwar - killed by the IDF (Reuters)

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, mastermind of the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust was killed last friday by the IDF. Sinwar was easily one of the worst terrorists on the planet. A man responsible not only for the death, mutilation and kidnapping of over 1000 Jews last year on October 7^th, but since then responsible as well for the over 42,000 deaths (according to the Hamas Health Ministry) of of his own people in Gaza. 

As if on cue, the Biden/Harris administration and likeminded liberal politicians and supporters used that milestone to suggest that this would be a good time for Israel to end the war. As though Israel was the only one doing the fighting. The media – on cue as well – was quick to report that Netanyahu has rejected that call and has chosen to continue the fight. Which of course is meant to cast him as a war monger whose sole purpose in prolonging the war is to stay in power. That he is the real obstacle to peace. That he is to blame for all the innocent Palestinians being killed there. That he is responsible for the hostages not being released. 

Nary a word about the fact that Hamas has rejected any call for them to cease fire. Promising instead to prolong the war; continue attacking  Israel; and refusing to release the hostages unless Israel surrenders to them (by stopping their part in the war and withdrawing from Gaza.)

Can anyone imagine what the reaction of the US would be to suggestions by its allies that the US should ceasefire in a  war against perpetrators of a massacre and kidnapping of Americans on the same scale as Israel?  Let’s just say it wouldn’t be - OK. We’ll stop.

I don’t think that Biden/Harris, are anti Israel. They are just ignorant about what is at stake. Instead focusing on the death and destruction in Gaza (and now in Lebanon). Which they blame entirely on Netanyahu. 

They ignore the fact that no country has the right to tell another country how to fight their wars. Those directly involved in the fight know best what is at stake and what they need to do.  Listening to what is in effect arm chair quarterbacks is not necessarily in Israel’s best interests. Israel’s leaders have the right - indeed the obligation to conduct a war against their enemies in ways they see fit. Without interference from outsiders or even political adversaries in their own country. 

But Biden /Harris and their echo chamber in the media are using the death of Sinwar to push an agenda to end the war prematurely. Which is not in Israel’s best interests  Ending the war now would not end the reign of  terror orchestrated by Iran and its proxies in the Middle East. It would only prolong it.

Thankfully there are other voices in this country that understand what Biden /Harris does not. You cannot make peace by negotiating with terrorists. That has never worked before and it will not work now. The ceasefire Biden /Harris is asking for is exactly what Hamas wants. It is a ceasefire that would require Israel to vacate Gaza. Leaving Hamas to regroup and rebuild. And then attempt many more versions of October 7^th. 

What about the hostages? Where do they fit in to all of this? 

First let me say that I don’t know a single person that doesn’t want to see them released today! This is something we all fervently pray for every day - and have been praying for - for over a year now. 

The hostage families are understandably desperate to bring them home. They also know that appealing to Hamas’s sense of mercy isn’t an option. To Hamas there is no such thing as mercy for Jews. So the hostage families focus on Israel’s leader and accuse him of ignoring the hostages in favor of winning the war. They accuse him of appeasing the right wing extremists in his coalition in order to stay in power. They want him instead to make whatever deal he can with Hamas to get the hostages out! Frankly, if it was one of my close relatives being held in Gaza, I’d probably feel the same way.

The problem is that you cannot allow the fate of the hostages to determine the conduct of the war. Especially when the only condition Hamas will accept for the release of their captives is the one that will let them survive, rebuild and re-attack! That is a nonstarter. Doing that endangers the entire country.

And yet Biden/Harris seem to think that a cease fire with Hamas and Hezbollah will be permanent if it is accompanied by an agreement on a 2 state solution. This shows just how naïve they are. Hamas and Hezbollah are part of the axis of evil led by Iran. Their Islamist theology will never accept a 2 state solution. Their goal is to eliminate the Jewish state entirely. They won’t stop until they succeed. Or until they are completely defeated. Israel must be allowed to pursue that goal and the US ought to be helping them!

Sinwar is dead. But to the axis of eveil it doesn’t matter. Until Iran and their proxies understand that Israel will do whatever it takes to defeat them - and that the US will help them achieve that, the war will continue. 

Right now they see the Biden/Harris hampering Israel rather then helping them.  That feeds their dream that victory for the Radica Islam that is Iran and its proxies is actually achievable. 

Instead of placating the axisi of evil with calls for a cease fire, the US should compeltely disabuse the axis of evil from their thoughts of victory. 

I wish Biden/Harris, would open their eyes to this reality. And allow Israel to fully do whatever they deem is necessary for their own survival without US interference. And instead offer any aid Israel needs to achieve that goal. Because if there is any chance of ending this war, it will only happen if the axis of evil is defeated.  That seems so obvious to me. Biden/Harris on the other hand seem determined to prevent Israel from doing that under the false belief that they can make peace with the devil. Can they really be that stupid?