Hillary Clinton refused to join her fellow leftists in calling for a cease-fire in Gaza and said, "Hamas cannot be allowed to once again retrench, re-arm, and launch new attacks — while continuing to use people in Gaza as expendable human shields."
Clinton penned an op-ed in The Atlantic that gave a brief history of Hamas, its track record in failing to abide by cease-fires, and its regular assaults against Israeli civilians.
Clinton wrote that "a full cease-fire that leaves Hamas in power would be a mistake."
"So the Biden administration is correct not to seek a full cease-fire at this moment, which would give Hamas a chance to re-arm and perpetuate the cycle of violence. Hamas would claim that it had won and it would remain a key part of Iran’s so-called axis of resistance," she wrote. "Cease-fires freeze conflicts rather than resolve them."
"That is why I am convinced Hamas must go. On October 7, these terrorists killed babies, raped women, and kidnapped innocent civilians. They continue to hold more than 200 hostages. They have proved again and again that they will not abide by cease-fires, will sabotage any efforts to forge a lasting peace, and will never stop attacking Israel," Clinton added.
Iran is pushing the United States farther than it ever has before in this conflict between Hamas and Israel. The only part of the Iranian axis of resistance not engaged in the war has been Hezbollah, and the reasons for Hezbollah being sidelined are domestic Lebanese issues and not geopolitical ones. Iran cannot afford to have Israel obliterate the military strength of Hezbollah, which would be a certain outcome of a war with Israel.
Clinton is one of the few left-wing politicians who acknowledges the truth of Hamas's strategy: maximize civilian casualties.
"Hamas deliberately places military installations in and below hospitals and refugee camps because it is trying to maximize, not minimize, the impact on Palestinian civilians for its own propaganda purposes. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is heartbreaking—and every death means more blood on Hamas’s hands," she continued.
Clinton's strong support for Israel does not include supporting the current makeup of Israel's government.
"Instead of the current ultra-right-wing government, it will need a government of national unity that’s rooted in the center of Israeli politics and can make the hard choices ahead," she wrote. "At home, it will have to reaffirm Israeli democracy after a tumultuous period. In Gaza, it should resist the urge to reoccupy the territory after the war, [and] accept an internationally mandated interim administration for governing the Strip."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is probably fairly safe at the moment. Any move to oust him and hold new elections would be seen as a betrayal at least until Hamas is dealt with. But why should the prime minister allow the Palestinian Authority in the game in Gaza? The corrupt, incompetent PA has made a mess of the West Bank. Who says that it can do any better for the people of Gaza?
The governance of Gaza should be left to the Gazans. And only the Israelis can make sure that happens.
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