Ceasefire endangers peace, security

ITAI BARDOV

IN TIMES of peace, evaluating questions of morality is a far more straightforward process than after the onset of armed hostilities. However, when the inevitable fog of war is at its thickest, the need for moral clarity is at its greatest.

Unfortunately, even after the acute peril posed by Hamas became painfully apparent after the October 7 massacre, the absence of moral clarity in many, as seen in their calls for an immediate ceasefire, also became evident.

Some of those demanding a ceasefire are unrepentant supporters of Hamas, and their goal is to deny Israel the right of self-defence afforded to every other nation. In common with that internationally-recognised terrorist organisation, they are motivated by hatred and want to see the Jewish state destroyed.

Many others have more respectable and ethical goals. However, they are greatly mistaken about the consequences of ending the military campaign without eradicating Hamas.

A ceasefire imposed prematurely would imperil Israeli lives on a daily basis, doom Gazans to being ruled by a repressive regime, weaken region stability, and endanger individual security across the globe by inspiring other Islamist terrorists.

It would constitute a blow to anyone who dreams of peace between Israelis and Palestinians. As long as the Gaza Strip is ruled by the fanatics of Hamas, whose prime objective is to replace Israel with an Islamist caliphate, coexistence is impossible.

Most significantly, allowing for this genocidal terrorist organisation to retain its military and political capabilities will ensure that further conflicts are inevitable, with all that entails for both Israeli and Palestinian civilians.

Sadly, civilians suffer in every war. Israel mourns every loss of innocent life and, in contrast to the Hamas, does its utmost to safeguard the uninvolved population in Gaza.

Beyond strictly adhering to international law, Israel has taken unprecedented measures to mitigate harm to innocent Palestinians. These steps include issuing warnings to evacuate dangerous areas and then guiding civilians to safe zones, despite the damage caused to the element of surprise and the associated risk to Israeli soldiers.

Hamas, on the other hand, targets civilians in Israel, launches attacks from within densely populated areas in Gaza, prevents the evacuation of uninvolved Palestinians, and exploits Palestinian civilians as human shields. It commits a double war crime by intentionally endangering Palestinian civilians and deliberately targeting Israeli civilians.

The loss of uninvolved lives on both sides is fully the responsibility of Hamas. In addition to starting the war, this terrorist organisation also places Gazans in the line of fire in the hopes of generating enough international pressure to force an untimely ceasefire.

Instead of treating Israel like every other victim of a massive and brutal attack on its population, Israel is expected to lay down its arms before it can remove a deadly threat.

After the US was attacked at Pearl Harbor, there were not widespread calls for a ceasefire, and the war ended with the complete capitulation of Japan.

After Nazi Germany conquered most of Europe, democracies did not call for a ceasefire. They united to fight, recognising that World War II would only be won subsequent to defeating the Nazis.

After al-Qaeda murdered nearly 3,000 people on 9/11, Americans rightfully demanded forceful action to prevent further terrorist attacks.

After the atrocities perpetrated by ISIS were known, the international community did not support that terrorist organisation’s right to continue murdering, abducting and enslaving women.

In all these cases and countless more, aggression was met with a determined response, as well as with public support for those actions. Israel has the same inherent right of self-defence.

The October 7 attack should have been an international wake-up call, demonstrating that the jihadi fanatics in Gaza will never come to terms with Israel’s existence in any borders. Hamas always choses death over life, and its terrorists took glee in raping, torturing and murdering, while abducting the survivors, from babies to the elderly, for use as hostages.

Hamas leaders proudly declare that they will repeat these inexcusable acts whenever the opportunity arises. Given their unremitting threats and horrific deeds, it has become crystal clear that Hamas cannot be allowed to regroup, rearm and attack again.

Those now calling for a ceasefire are actually saying that Israel should ignore this constant danger to its civilian population. Well, Israelis cannot live like that, and they refuse to relinquish their right of self-defence or their dreams of living in peace and security.

Itai Bardov is the Ambassador of Israel to Panama, non-resident to Barbados, Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago