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Gurvinder Singh
Nov 2, 20235 min read

Sympathise with Israel, Palestine or Hamas?

Updated: Nov 24, 2023



On the 7th of Oct 2023, Hamas launched a deadly and vicious attack on Israel. In the context of barbaric terrorism, it was a very well-planned and executed attack. 1400 Israelis were killed, 200 taken hostage and many raped, tortured and brutalised in the most horrific way. As far as the rules of war, civilisational behaviour, and concern for the elderly, women and children it brazenly defied all laws of acceptable human behaviour.


Not only were the acts terrible they were triumphantly broadcast worldwide with relish, and great pride by Hamas, the Palestinian leadership in Gaza, their fighters and their citizens.


What is going to be the outcome of these brutalities?

"We reap what we sow". Reprisals, and more brutality in a never ending spiral of violence.


India was the first country in the world leader to proclaim India's solidarity with Israel and simultaneously announce India support for Palestine. There is no contradiction.

India strongly condemns acts of terror being carried out by Hamas a designated terrorist organisation. However with its long held belief of universal brotherhood, India supported the rights of Palestinian people to live free and with dignity in their own land.



Palestine exists in two parts, the large 'West Bank' and 'Gaza'.

Hamas a terrorist organisation is the most virulent and radical of the numerous Palestinian factions. Hamas a totalitarian authority rules the Gaza part of Palestine with an iron fist. Hamas's primary financier is Qatar, a tiny, energy rich country with aspirations to dominate the Islamic world by promoting radical Islam through proxies. Turkey another aspirant for Islamic leadership through terror also backs Hamas as they did ISIS etc.


There is a huge outcry that Israel is randomly targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, which is simply not true. It is Hamas that have embedded themselves in civilian populations and infrastructure such as in hospitals, schools and residential places from where they launch rockets and attacks on Israel. The idea is to inhibit Israeli retaliation against their attacks.


Attacking civilians is a war crime, but so is using humans as shields or operating war equipment from civilian facilities. For 10 days Israel has been relentlessly warning civilians to evacuate the combat zone. Many civilians have left from the war zone in the north for the south of Gaza where refuge and supplies have been arranged. However Hamas orders and forces them to stay.


On 17th Oct an Israeli precision attack on the Al-Ahli Arab hospital parking lot killed many Hamas fighters but also civilians. The Anglican Diocese that manages the hospital claimed that approx. 200 people died.


Hamas has continued to rain down thousand of shoddy rockets (range of approx. 200 kms) upon Israel. These unguided rockets have a high failure rate and are very dangerous not only for Israelis but also Palestinians as many fall within Gaza itself killing local people.


The United Nations and every sensible leader and country is demanding another cease-fire. But what has happened to all the previous cease-fire agreements signed over the decades? These agreements have been observed more in the breech than in their compliance with Hamas mainly responsible.


The global community is asking for implementation of the UN endorsed two state agreement to give Palestinians their own homeland. Unfortunately, whilst Israeli agrees and complies, the disunited Palestinians accepted the solution but never allowed its implementation.


So war goes on and innocent people die and hatred continues to spread. Israel supported by its allies is definitely much more powerful and organised so are conveniently seen in the wrong. The Palestinians have the Muslim and Leftist world supporting them, irrespective of whether Hamas is right or wrong.


There is a worldwide trend towards de-radicalisation and as protests erupt governments are identifying radical elements for appropriate action.





The current situation of the conflict in Gaza

Israel has after massive bombings have entered Gaza, but Hamas has the terrain advantage in urban warfare. Hamas plans to lure Israelis into myriad traps and pick them off. Israel has mitigated this situation by massive bombing of urban space in Northern Gaza, converting it into flat land in which they will be able to operate and neutralise Hamas's advantage.


At the time of writing this article, Israel has already entered 5 kms into Gaza in the north and in the centre in a bid to surround Gaza City. Israel has started capturing or killing Hamas fighters and destroying their military infrastructure.



Hamas as a military force will certainly be destroyed shortly, though Hamas the terrorist idea will be more difficult to destroy because of support from countries like Qatar.


Some Arab countries, and Turkey have threatened to act unless Israel ceases its ground offensive, but they dare not intervene. They maybe able to confront Israel to some extent but with America standing behind Israel, these threats amount only to sabre rattling and scoring of brownie points.


The clock is ticking both for Hamas and Israel.

The Israeli boycott and attacks deplete Hamas of supplies and manpower, access to funds, fuel and energy and thus their ability to continue fighting.

Israel is also fighting in a new style, going slow and purposefully to minimise loss of human life and supplies but the economic costs of 300,000 reservists called up will affect Israel a lot.


Hamas is not Palestine and Hamas does not reflect the aspirations of the majority of the Palestinian people.

Whilst the people of Palestine need our full support, Hamas deserves none.


The ball is in the Palestinian court. If they renounce their demand of death to Israel and all Jews and accept the UN resolutions of the 2 states solution then we can have peace and prosperity soon.


Should the Palestinians further delay the acceptance of the 2 state UN solution if ever, attitudes within Israel will have hardened to such a level so as to reject the solution.


The world will move on, and the Palestinians will be left behind, only to exist in a twilight zone functioning as the pawns of powerful political, military and economic forces.


Divided into numerous factions, well financed and trapped by religious ideology it will be difficult for the Palestinians to change.


Personally even I, an eternal optimist visualise a bleak future for the Palestinian people.


 

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