How the hostage crisis broils Israel

Think the U.S. is politically divided?

We are, pretty much 50-50 (or 52 Kamala, 46 Trump, in the most recent poll).

In Israel, it is far worse, because Israel lives in a much worse neighborhood, where bad decisions have lethal consequences.

Military, intelligence and government ineptitude resulted in the 10/7 massacre, for which Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu has never accepted full responsibility. 

There are only a couple of things keeping him in office — a frail majority coalition that includes the most radical Israeli splinter parties, and the notion that nations should not change horses while at war.

The second reason is seriously frayed, as hundreds of thousands of Israelis, as I write this,  are protesting Netanyahu’s policies, and the nation’s largest trade union, Hisadrut, started a national general strike, which ended after a court order.

A decent overview of the facts is presented by Al Jazeera, whose English-language branch is generally reliable, although somewhat tilted against the government.

The issues involved with a cease fire are very tricky, with both Israel and Hamas maneuvering to get the best possible terms. 

And while that is happening, hostages are dying, such as the most recent six that kicked off the massive protests.

From the start, Netanyahu has insisted Israel’s goal is to achieve “total victory,” defined as Hamas being defeated and driven from power. On October 8, Israelis agreed with him.

The majority no longer does, it seems.

Natanyahu, who goes by Bibi, is open to a temporary cease fire, like the one, in November of last year, during which some hostages were returned and a greater number of Palestinians jailed in Israel were released.

He is opposed to a permanent cease fire, as that would leave Hamas in control of Gaza. Leaving Hamas in power is also opposed by the U.S., as recently stated by Vice President Kamala Harris (see photo above). Importantly, a cease fire between Hamas and Israel was in effect on Oct. 7. That did not stop the massacre.

However, it seems Bibi is not supported by Israelis, two-thirds of whom want him out of political life.

Like Bibi, and Kamala, I am in the “total victory” camp, and had to grapple with why most Israelis would be willing to call off the war without achieving the destruction of Hamas.

Even though most Israelis are not religious, they are imbued with the notion from the Talmud (Jewish oral law). that anyone who saves a life is thought to have saved the world. 

That is why Israel routinely exchanges massive numbers of Arab prisoners for a handful of Jewish soldiers, such as the 2011 exchange of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit for 1,029 Arab prisoners, some of them implicated in crimes, up to murder.

That has been the tradition of Israel, and that is what many Israelis want now.

I can’t put myself in the shoes of the families of the hostages, I don’t know how I would feel if Hamas were holding my son or daughter.  I would probably want them released, and damn the consequences.

But those consequences might be death for someone else’s son or daughter.

Leaders of Hamas have vowed they will replicate the Oct. 7 massacre — the largest killing of Jews on a single day since the Holocaust — again and again. As Maya Angelou wrote, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them.”

If left in power, Hamas will kill again. There is no question about it. And not just Jews. On Oct. 7, 71 foreign workers were killed, mostly Thais. Arabs were killed and taken hostage, too.

Israelis know about the savagery of Hamas, but the majority are willing to take the risk.

I disagree, but it is their country, and their lives.