Israel has been waging a war against Hamas terror for two weeks. In the ARD talk show Anne Will on Sunday evening, guests discussed, among other things, the question of whether and how peace could be achieved in the region. But it still seems too early for that.
More than three weeks ago, the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas attacked Israel. For more than a week, the world has been waiting for Israeli ground troops to enter the Gaza Strip to destroy Hamas terrorist cells. But Israel is taking its time. Defense expert Florence Gaub explains why on the ARD program Anne Will this evening. There the guests once again discussed the current situation in the Middle East.
Hamas and Israel are asymmetrical opponents, emphasizes: The Israeli army is much stronger than Hamas. But Hamas can hide among the population. “If the Israeli army goes into the Gaza Strip, it will have to expect tunnels, mines and booby traps (booby traps). This will be a complicated, lengthy and bloody undertaking, even if you are a strong army. The longer Israel takes its time, this The more you implement an offensive, the greater the chance of success, because then you can prepare better. The fact that nothing has happened so far is a good sign to me that the Israeli army is fully aware of these risks and that it is not acting out of anger , but that she calculates what can happen.”
“I saw that in Wedding”
Arye Sharuz Shalicar feels anger. The Israeli military spokesman grew up in Berlin-Wedding. He sees similarities in the Middle East conflict to what he experienced in his youth, he says to Anne Will. “There are those among the Muslims who want peace and did not grow up indoctrinated with hatred of Jews. Israel has made peace with them in recent years: the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco. But there is also friendship with the Kurds, the Azeris and the people of Kosovo.”
“But then there is also the other side of the coin, and I got to know it in my youth in Wedding,” explains the military spokesman. “These people are indoctrinated from the start with very bad ideas about Jews and Israel. Hatred and aggression are sown at a very young age. I saw that in Wedding, and I see that here. When people are 20 or 25 years old “Invading Israel from the Gaza Strip, executing families, burning babies – you can’t do that if you weren’t prepared for it at a young age.”
“More firepower than some NATO countries”
The Israeli ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, is also angry. He criticizes the supposedly overly positive picture that is painted in Germany about the terrorist organization Hamas. Some media have described “the barbarians of Hamas” as freedom fighters, said Prosor. “I believe that not only Israel should wake up here, but also you in Germany. The trivialization of Hamas, which wants to wipe out Jews and throw them into the sea, has led to the terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah having more firepower than some NATO states . And we all turned a blind eye.”
But it doesn’t seem to be that easy, according to “Zeit” journalist Yassar Musharbash, who has just returned to Germany from the region. He says he has observed a clear anti-Israel sentiment in Palestine. However, the focus is on horror and sadness over the civilian victims. “The mood can change and turn against those in power in the region,” says Musharbash. “At the moment I don’t see a realistic scenario as to how this can be recaptured overnight.”
People think differently than states
In general, according to guests who know the region, there is a clear difference between the official view within the Arab states and the opinion of people “on the street”. CDU foreign policy expert Norbert Röttgen explains it this way: “I think the Arab states have a desire for peace. But they have incredible pressure from the population.” Half of the Jordanian population consists of Palestinians, who are very susceptible to false reports. Maintaining a balance here is a huge problem for the region’s governments.
It is then the military expert Florence Gaub who asks the really exciting question: “You have to break the relationship that the civilian population of Palestine has with Hamas. But to do that you need time. That takes years. That’s why it’s important to reach the final political goal plan. From a military point of view, it’s clear: You can destroy 75 percent of Hamas. But what is the political goal?”
“That went wrong”
At this point the guests are at a loss. For Musharbash it is clear that Hamas must lose its power over the population. According to the journalist, there are two possible solutions: a peace treaty or intensive police work.
Ambassador Prosor has a very honest and pragmatic answer: “We have been at war for two weeks now. We have been trying to contain the conflict for years. That has failed. Now our priority is to destroy Hamas’ leadership and military “This is our most important priority now. But one thing is already clear: Israel will never look the same again as it did before October 7th.”