Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country’s military operation against the Hamas terrorist group will not end until the Gaza Strip and Palestinian society as a whole are “radicalized” — citing the example of the defeat of Germany and Japan after World War Two.
“Gaza needs to be radicalized,” Netanyahu wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed published Tuesday. “Schools must teach children to value life over death, and priests must stop preaching for the killing of Jews. Palestinian civil society needs to be changed so that its people support the fight against terrorism instead of funding it.”
“Successful deradicalization took place in Germany and Japan after the Allied victory in World War II,” added the Israeli leader. “Today, both countries are great allies of the US and promote peace, stability and prosperity in Europe and Asia.”
The Allied Forces occupied Germany for four years following the defeat of the Nazis in May 1945, while the occupation of Japan following the country’s surrender lasted until April 1952.
Benjamin Netanyahu (center) wears a protective vest and helmet as he receives a security briefing with commanders and soldiers in the northern Gaza Strip. AP
The purge of Palestinian terrorist ideology is one of the three “preconditions for peace” Netanyahu laid out in the op-ed, along with “Hamas must be destroyed” and “Gaza must be destroyed.”
On Monday, the 74-year-old paid a visit to northern Gaza to meet ground soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
“First thing – we will do everything to keep you safe,” Netanyahu told the troops. “Secondly, we don’t stop. Anyone who talks about quitting — no. We don’t stop. This war will continue until the end. Until we get it done. Nothing less than that.”
A Palestinian celebrates near a burning Israeli civilian car. AP
In a WSJ op-ed, Netanyahu defended the IDF’s behavior, saying it “did its best to minimize civilian casualties by dropping leaflets, sending text messages and using other means to warn Gazans to get out of harm’s way. In contrast, Hamas did its best to keep Palestinians in danger – often at gunpoint.
“Unjustly blaming Israel for these deaths will only encourage Hamas and other terrorist organizations around the world to use human shields.”
Netanyahu also called for a “temporary security zone on the Gaza perimeter and an inspection mechanism on the border between Gaza and Egypt that meets Israel’s security needs and prevents arms smuggling into the territory.”
Palestinians celebrate their return after crossing the border fence with Israel from Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP via Getty Images
The prime minister also reiterated his objections to giving future control to the Palestinian Authority in the area, the result of the Biden administration’s choice.
“The expectation that the Palestinian Authority will destroy Gaza is a pipe dream,” Netanyahu wrote. “It currently funds and glorifies terrorism in Judea and Samaria and educates Palestinian children to seek the destruction of Israel. Not surprisingly it has shown neither the ability nor the will to destroy Gaza. It failed to do so before Hamas drove it out of the region in 2007, and it fails to do so in regions under its control today.
“For the foreseeable future, Israel needs to maintain a security responsibility that transcends Gaza.”
Palestinian militants surrounded a truck reportedly carrying an Israeli citizen who was arrested after crossing the border fence. ZUMAPRESS.com
Israel launched airstrikes and a ground invasion of Gaza following the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas, which killed about 1,200 people, including 33 Americans.
Hundreds more have been taken back to Gaza as prisoners and only a few have been released.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
