Hamas carried out the attacks on Israel on October 7 and it has been 28 days now that the Israel-Hamas war continues to rage on. The Israel-Palestine issue has existed for decades and despite many efforts to find a peaceful solution, the conflict persists. In this exclusive chat with The Daily Guardian, the Consul General of Israel to South India, Tammy Ben-Haim, opened up about the conflict, whether peace was achievable in the Middle East, and why Israel believes the time for action is now. Excerpt.
TDG: Before the October 7 attacks on Israel, what were the efforts taken by Israel in the last few years to resolve the Israel-Palestinian issue?
The Israel-Palestinian negotiations, talks, and peace process are an on-going important process. Israel has resolved to reach out in peace to anyone who is interested in living peacefully side-by-side with us, and we have done so again and again. 1979, with the Egyptians, 1994 with the Jordanians, 2020 with the Emiratis, Bahrainis, and the Moroccans. We have tried numerous times to reach a compromise and an agreement with the Palestinian Authority, with Yasser Arafat and President Mahmoud Abbas. Regrettably, the Palestinians have rejected offers and settlements each and every time.
TDG: Why have peace efforts between Israel and Palestine stalled since 2014? What has contributed to this historically?
I would be happy to discuss this history from the 1937 Arab rejection of the Peel Commission’s partition suggestion to the 2008 rejection of Prime Minister’s Olmert’s plan. But we can do this at another opportunity, after Israel wins the war against the Hamas ISIS-like terror organization. After we restore the peace and security in Israel, after we destroy the Hamas terror organization, and after we bring home the 242 kidnapped babies, children, teens, men and women who have been brutalized and kidnapped by Hamas terror organization into Gaza.
TDG: In 2020, four peace treaties were signed by Israel along with the help of the United States. Now, many in the West opine that the Israel-Palestinian conflict is intractable and deadlocked.
In 2005, Israel made a unilateral decision to exit the Gaza Strip. Every Israeli and Jewish person was taken out, villages were left, synagogues (Jewish temples) were dismantled, and every last soldier and Jewish and Israeli presence was removed. Gaza was left to the full and sole authority of the Palestinians.
In 2006, they held elections; the Hamas terror organization got a majority of the votes. But Fatah and the Palestinian Authority contested this. So, the Hamas terror organization killed Fateh ministers by throwing them off roofs. They also threw off the roofs Fateh political supporters; and to make their message clear they shot at their family members (not always to kill, sometimes to harm and maim). So, Fateh and the Palestinian Authority got the message and they too got out of Gaza. Since 2007, the Hamas terror organization has been in control of the Gaza strip and its around 2 million civilians.
TDG: In September 2023, the Israeli PM spoke at the UN about a broader peace in the region and a ‘new Middle East’. Do you think this can be achieved even now?
Hamas is a terrorist Sunni Islamic organization founded in 1987 by members of the Muslim Brotherhood. Its aim is to destroy Israel and establish an Islamic state in its place. Hamas currently rules the Gaza Strip, and maintains an underground presence throughout Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) through a number of terror cells. The organization’s funding comes from Iran, as well as from Palestinians and international donors in Western Europe and North America.
In Gaza, Hamas regime diverts materials intended for use in development and construction projects; and instead uses them to construct cross-border terror attack tunnels, leaving social, educational, and health services in Gaza underdeveloped. Hamas also uses its resources to acquire weapons and missiles, which it then uses to terrorize Israeli communities near the Israel-Gaza border. Gaza’s economy has been kept afloat primarily through large transfers of aid, which together with contributions from the Palestinian Authority, amounted to approximately 80% of Gaza’s GDP in recent years. However, these two sources of donor aid significantly declined in 2018, resulting in an 8% decrease in economic activity in Gaza in 2018.
Hamas’ method of accomplishing its objectives is “jihad” (armed struggle), which translates as violence and terror against Israeli civilians: suicide bombings, rocket and mortar bomb attacks, shootings, and abductions.
TDG: Historically, what is Israel’s position on Iran’s involvement in this conflict?
In the past few years, we see increased ties between Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror organizations in Gaza to Hezbollah terrorist organizations in Lebanon and Iran. Iran is the main funder of Hamas. In addition, Iran is supplying weapons, training, sharing knowledge and other assistance including manufacturing rockets and mortars.
In recent years, there has been a considerable reconciliation between Hamas and Palestinian-Islamic Jihad, Iran and Hezbollah, which is manifested in the tightening of economic and military ties, and in the coordination of messages and positions. Both Hamas and Palestinian-Islamic Jihad maintain an ongoing dialogue with the Iranian elite and Hezbollah’s leadership.
TDG: Why does Israel believe the time for action is now?
On Saturday morning October 7th, the Hamas terror organization, did what it has time and time again said it will try to do – kill, harm, brutalize Israelis, Jews, and civilians in their attempt to annihilate and destroy Israel. Barrages of rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, while over 1000 Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel from a number of different points, from land, sea, air, and through terror-tunnels.
This deplorable terror attack was aimed at families going to Jewish temples, in their homes, and their towns. It is aimed at babies, children, women, and civilians. This extensive terrorist attack on the civilian population in Israel in the midst of Simchat Torah, when hundreds of thousands of Israelis were on their way to the synagogues to celebrate with their communities and families.
As part of the attack, which continues at this moment in full force (as Hamas is still firing rockets at Israeli cities and villages and is still holding 242 kidnapped civilians hostage), the terrorist organization is firing missiles towards cities in the south and center of Israel and towards Jerusalem – indiscriminate fire intended to hit civilians.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) went to the towns and villages to confront the terrorists and gain control of the situation. In addition, the IDF is in the midst of a large-scale operation to ensure the safety and security in Israel as well as targeting Hamas command posts, weapons storages, and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. Israeli security forces are working to protect civilians on all fronts. The IDF will protect Israeli citizens. Hamas and all terrorist organizations will pay heavily for their actions.
Hamas has no value and no regard for human life, Israeli, international, or Palestinian. The terror organization has not done a thing to help out the citizens of Gaza in the 16 years that they control the Strip. They have taken funds given to them by the international community, and in addition to the funding they have received from the Iranian regime they have – built over 500 km of terror tunnels and bunkers to hide in and to store food, water, fuel and supplies; they have taken supplies and materials meant for housing and schools for the tunnels; they have stolen supplies from UNWRA schools, from hospitals, and have amassed in this way nearly 1 million liters of fuel; energy that is needed for hospitals in Gaza. Despite continued IDF calls for the citizens to leave Gaza City, Hamas has tried to keep them there, in their own words to “die as martyrs”.
TDG: What would Israel like to see in the Middle East in the coming years?
The Middle East in the coming years and in the future will be better off once the Hamas terror organization is destroyed. The world will be a better place once this terror organization is destroyed. The people of Gaza will be better off once Hamas is destroyed and they are no longer a tool for a terrorist organization. The Middle East will keep thriving as more countries come together and as we combat common challenges (terror, climate crises, food security, water issues) and we thrive together. Having like-minded friends and countries such as India, the US, the UK, and others supporting us means a whole lot; it helps keep us strong in our fight against this evil against this terror, for Israel and for the world.
