How Benjamin Netanyahu Relies on Hamas

Summary

The video delves into the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, examining the role of Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli government's strategy to control Palestinian territories, particularly the West Bank and Gaza. It highlights how Netanyahu’s tactics, including sabotaging peace talks and fostering divisions within Palestinian leadership, have led to more violence and instability. The strategy of ‘divide and conquer’ aims to secure Israeli borders while preventing a Palestinian state. However, this approach has backfired, culminating in the deadly October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, revealing the failure of Netanyahu's security strategy in ensuring true safety for Israel.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Israeli government, particularly under Netanyahu, has historically followed a strategy of dividing Palestinian territories and suppressing any attempts for Palestinian statehood.
• 😀 In 2007, Israeli officials expressed that they would prefer Hamas to take control of Gaza, as it allowed Israel to treat Gaza as a hostile entity and avoid responsibility for its people.
• 😀 The establishment of Israel as a country in 1948 was driven by the need to ensure Jewish safety after centuries of persecution, but the creation of the state displaced over 700,000 Palestinian Arabs.
• 😀 Israel's military victory in the 1967 war led to the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which created long-standing tensions and deepened the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
• 😀 The Israeli government's strategy since the 1967 occupation has involved building settlements and creating infrastructure that controls Palestinian movement, which the international community deems illegal.
• 😀 The first Palestinian uprising, or Intifada, was a direct response to the Israeli occupation, with Palestinians throwing stones and engaging in protests against the military presence in their territories.
• 😀 The Oslo Accords in the 1990s represented a significant moment of peace efforts, establishing the Palestinian Authority and granting limited control to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, though peace talks were ultimately derailed by extremists on both sides.
• 😀 Benjamin Netanyahu, elected prime minister in the late 1990s and again in 2009, has consistently opposed the idea of a Palestinian state, viewing it as a security threat to Israel and sabotaging peace talks.
• 😀 Netanyahu's strategy for 'security' involved continuing to expand Israeli settlements in the West Bank while using Hamas's control of Gaza to prevent Palestinian unity and autonomy.
• 😀 Despite Netanyahu's efforts to isolate and undermine the Palestinian cause, the Gaza Strip remained a flashpoint for violence, leading to more divisions within Palestinian factions and justifying harsh Israeli policies towards Gaza.
• 😀 The ultimate failure of the Israeli strategy was highlighted by the October 2023 Hamas surprise attack, demonstrating that the divide-and-conquer approach failed to ensure security for Israel, and instead intensified the conflict.

Q & A

What is the core issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict discussed in the video?

The video focuses on the complex struggle between Israelis and Palestinians over land, specifically the control of territories like the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and the issue of Palestinian autonomy and statehood.

Why did Netanyahu say Palestinians don't have a right to a state?

Netanyahu's view, as expressed in the video, is based on his belief that a Palestinian state would lead to more violence and instability in the Middle East, which he claims would undermine Israeli security.

How did the Israeli government respond to the rise of Hamas in Gaza?

Instead of actively fighting Hamas, the Israeli government, under Netanyahu's leadership, tacitly supported Hamas's control over Gaza, seeing it as a way to weaken Palestinian unity and prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.

What was the outcome of the Oslo Accords and why did it fail?

The Oslo Accords, signed in the 1990s, provided a framework for Palestinian self-rule in certain areas, but they ultimately failed due to violent opposition from both Israeli right-wing groups and Palestinian factions like Hamas. Netanyahu, in particular, undermined the agreements, making peace efforts ineffective.

What role did Netanyahu play in sabotaging peace talks?

Netanyahu actively opposed peace negotiations with the Palestinians, believing that any form of Palestinian statehood would endanger Israeli security. His policies included expanding Israeli settlements and undermining agreements such as the Oslo Accords.

What is Netanyahu's long-term strategy regarding Palestinian territories?

Netanyahu's strategy involves maintaining Israeli control over the West Bank, expanding settlements, and keeping Gaza under Hamas control to prevent Palestinian unity, which he believes would create a stronger case for Palestinian statehood.

How did the second Intifada influence Israeli policy?

The second Intifada, which was a violent Palestinian uprising, reinforced Netanyahu's stance that the only way to ensure Israeli security was through greater military control over Palestinian territories and the continued expansion of settlements.

What was the significance of the 2007 military intelligence leak?

The 2007 leak revealed that some Israeli officials believed Hamas taking control of Gaza was beneficial for Israel, as it allowed Israel to treat Gaza as a hostile entity and avoid responsibility for its 2 million residents.

Why did Netanyahu approve cash transfers to Hamas despite the conflict?

Netanyahu's approval of cash transfers to Hamas was part of a strategy to maintain the division between Hamas in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. This division helped prevent any unified Palestinian leadership that could negotiate for a state.

How did the settlement policy impact the viability of a Palestinian state?

The expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, as outlined in the video, made it increasingly difficult to envision a viable Palestinian state, as the settlements fragmented Palestinian territories and created permanent obstacles to a contiguous Palestinian homeland.