Israel launched what appears to be a limited operation in Rafah, but seven months after October 7, the situation remains unchanged. Half of the hostages have not returned, no alternative to Hamas has emerged in the Gaza Strip, Israel’s international standing has collapsed, relations with the United States are in trouble, and its economy has suffered. , anti-Semitism is soaring, and many in the country believe the government is prolonging the crisis to stay in power. That’s obviously not great.
Now imagine an alternate world where Israel was led by morally virtuous patriots who cared about the country’s reputation and the fate of Jews around the world. Imagine if the Prime Minister understood the power of words to do good and the power of public diplomacy to persuade. And imagine – why not? – that this was Benjamin Netanyahu.
Regardless of whether some form of limited hostage deal is reached in the coming days, such a prime minister should hold a press conference in English with the honest truth and easy-to-understand content for the world to see. And the whole story could be dramatically upended at any time. A message without political intrigue.
First of all, he will express deep regret for the loss of life in Gaza.
“I don’t want to believe Hamas’ numbers, but I know the situation is grim. Hamas is using its people as a bulwark of humanity, unlike anything we’ve seen in history, seeking as much ‘martyrdom’ as possible.” We did the best we could under the circumstances it seemed like. Hamas is the embodiment of evil, and I weep for the Palestinians who are in bondage to such insane rulers. ” That part of the message should be sent to every college campus in the United States.
He will make it clear that Israel has no intention of occupying Gaza or forcing its population to flee. “We are only there to eliminate the threat that attacked us unprovoked on October 7th, massacred over 1,200 people, and so arrogantly promised to do it again.
“I ask all Palestinians: What would you have recommended us do at that point?” So do you wait for them to do the same thing again? I’m really interested. is that what you did?
Breaking away from cynicism and self-righteousness
The Prime Minister will say these last words without the grinning, self-righteous cynicism we have come to expect. He sounds like a mensch and makes each listener feel like he’s being personally addressed. That’s because the prime minister is no fool and knows that empathy begets empathy, and sometimes empathy.
At this point, the prime minister will depart from Netanyahu’s previous hallmarks, not only in style but also in content. He will say that he is willing to end the war now in exchange for all the remaining hostages.
He looked into the camera and spoke slowly, words that would be played on every television station in the Arab world. This moment, this very moment. No more death or destruction. Instead, life and reconstruction. That is Hamas’s decision. ”
He will make it clear that Israel wants to involve the world, the region and the Palestinians in its plans for the next day. And it will give the Palestinians a choice after all the hostages are freed.
One option would be for Israel to withdraw from Gaza and leave the chips where they are, but that would likely mean Hamas would remain in power despite its declining military strength.
“For this to happen, there is a major precondition: this group must promise not to attack Israel from Gaza with rockets, exploding balloons and the incursion of absolutely armed barbarians. The Politburo will have to declare it in a document submitted to the Arab League.We know that this is unlikely, but we are giving you this option if you accept it. , something good will come out of this war. Let’s sell this to the people of Israel. Let the people of Gaza explain themselves.”
If Hamas is not willing to do this, and it is almost certain that it will not, it would also have a second option. The Prime Minister said that Israel is a country that agrees that the entire leadership of the organization and the October 7 participants (thousands of bloodthirsty fanatics and idiots) will leave the Strip in a platoon escorted by the U.S. Navy. He will explain that he is allowed to go to. Take them. Türkiye and Qatar are suitable candidates. Israel will continue to promise not to attack them there.
Here the prime minister will finally address what Israel wants to see happen in the Strip the day after Hamas. He abandoned his self-defeating boycott of the Palestinian Authority, which was ousted by Hamas in 2007, and said it would be invited to return to Gaza. It added that Israel wants the Palestinian Authority to revise the problematic schools. The curriculum states that students are not educated for peace and must accept aid from Israeli or Arab forces for internal security.
He added that in exchange for acquiescence in these areas, Israel would provide very large financial aid to rebuild the Strip and put it on the path to some degree of prosperity.
The Prime Minister will also address the elephant in the room: the international community’s desire for a two-state solution that also resolves the West Bank issue. Reiterating what Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders have said in the past, the prime minister said Israel does not want to rule the Palestinians permanently because it aims to be a democratic state with a Jewish majority. , he would explain. But there are pitfalls, he added.
“What happened on October 7 has made it impossible to completely withdraw troops from the West Bank, because if that territory falls into the hands of those who attacked us from Gaza Because it becomes many times bigger.”
“For this, Hamas is responsible. All who support Hamas support the continuation of a level of threat against us that does not allow progress. We are working with all partners to address this issue, but it will take some time. First, real solutions in Gaza. Let’s focus on strategy.”
He will conclude with a far-reaching message that will resonate around the world. Jews are in Israel to stay. If you work with us, you will find supporters and supporters. The past seven months have provided a glimpse of the hell that awaits us if radicals gain the upper hand. In fact, let’s make sure this never happens again. ”
The prime minister will not commit to anything that Israel itself does not want, but the deck will be completely reshuffled. Even if Hamas rejects all options, there will finally be clarity among serious people around the world and Israel will be able to assert its international legitimacy. This is a good thing, since there are no great benefits to living alone.
I understand that Netanyahu cannot be the prime minister who would do something like this. Basically nothing seems to be motivating him other than a lust for power and the crudest political calculations. That is why Israel urgently needs to hold new elections. But I hope to be proven wrong.
The author is a former editor-in-chief of the Associated Press in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, a former president of the Foreign Press Association in Jerusalem, and the author of two books on Israel. Follow his newsletter, Ask questions later, at danperry.substack.com.
