PURELY COMMENTARY ANTI-ISRAEL MEDIA Also, the complexities of attempting to thwart a terror-state’s rocket fire, cynically launched from the midst of a civilian pop- ulation, have undermined Israel’s international stand- ing, with numerous world leaders and opinion-shapers maliciously or lazily compar- ing death tolls and conclud- ing that because Israel’s is lower, it must be the aggres- sor. The likes of HBO talk show host John Oliver, whose views influence mil- lions, seem to be blaming Israel for devoting resources to the protection of its citi- zens, while Hamas subverts Gaza’s resources for war and, with heartbreaking consequences, uses Gazans as the human shields for its indiscriminate rocket fire. How dare Israel have an Iron Dome rocket defense system, these critics object, imply- ing that if only Israel were suffering more fatalities, this might be a fairer fight and Israel might merit less casti- gation. Doubtless to Hamas’ fur- ther delight, Israel’s public diplomacy efforts remain as lamentable as they have been for decades, if not more so. Today, we lack so much as a polished English-speaker as our ambassador to the U.S., and the prime minister has no coherent frontline English-language spokesman. Also, the IDF has learned little about the need for rapid explanation and response. If there is a military imperative to demolish a Gaza tower where several leading for- eign media outlets have their offices, it is not sufficient to warn and give them time to leave. It is also necessary to immediately provide credible evidence that the building is indeed a Hamas military asset. Also, to Hamas’ delight, the tide of hostility to Israel, which even the best public diplomacy could only par- tially alleviate, is playing out in displays of antisemitism, deeply troubling and dis- comfiting diaspora Jewry. While much of the world clamored for Israel to accept a ceasefire, the United States, under the Biden administra- tion, gave Israel a few more days to continue to weaken Hamas militarily — the bet- ter to try to deter it from the next round of hostilities. But Biden fought off a rising tide of Israel criticism within the Democratic Party. Five, 10 or 15 years from now, it is far from fanciful to worry that a Democratic presidency would be less dependable. IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi has spoken in the past of the unique challenges the Israeli army faces with so many active and potentially active fronts. And that real- ity goes to the heart of the dangers facing an Israel that lacks a strategy for Hamas and Gaza. This round of conflict has apparently conclud- ed. As deeply problematic, though, it has proven for Israel, it could have been considerably worse. The internal Israeli protests have subsided though the scars will take a long, long time to heal, and the root causes extend far deeper than this conflict. West Bank vio- lence and terrorism have not reached First or Second Intifada dimensions, but that threat remains. Crucially, Iran chose not to unleash Hezbollah, whose missile capabilities dwarf even Hamas’ upgraded arsenal. WHAT OPTIONS? Does Israel need to recon- quer Gaza, oust Hamas, at a likely terrible cost, and remain there? Should it initiate a nego- tiating process with the Palestinian Authority, boost- ing the deeply problematic Mahmoud Abbas and seek- ing to vindicate Palestinian diplomacy over Palestinian terrorism? Would it be wise to encourage the internationally funded development of Gaza, with significant infrastruc- ture projects to rehabilitate the Strip, giving Gazans more to lose and thus poten- tially complicating further Hamas assaults on Israel? None of these strategic options is good. But the cur- rent absence of a strategy is worse. From round to round of conflict, Hamas has grown from a dangerous terrorist organization to the ruler of a terrorist state with what amounts to an army — fund- ed in part by the money that Israel has allowed Hamas’ Qatari patrons to deliver. It is increasingly dominating the Palestinian cause, harming Israel’s international standing and demonstrating the capac- ity to stoke violence against Israel on multiple fronts. It is indeed possible that the IDF, as Netanyahu said, has set back Hamas militarily for years. But intermittent hostilities, launched at the enemy’s convenience, batter- ing the Israeli home front, with pauses in which the enemy develops a capacity to wreak still greater havoc, add up to an untenable real- ity. And when that enemy, determined to destroy this country, proves capable of galvanizing a widening array of hostile forces, it becomes a strategic, not just a mili- tary, threat. The people of Israel are indeed strong and coura- geous, and disciplined and resilient under relentless fire. But our enemies in Gaza have not yet concluded that they’re wasting their time. They must be disabused. What’s required is a sea change in which, rather than allowing Hamas to cast us into rounds of chaos at moments of its choosing, with ever-widening reper- cussions, Israel determines its long-term goals, sets about achieving them, and reasserts control of its own reality and destiny. HAMAS HAS GROWN FROM A DANGEROUS TERRORIST ORGANIZATION TO THE RULER OF A TERRORIST STATE WITH WHAT AMOUNTS TO AN ARMY. 12 | MAY 27 • 2021 ISRAEL MUST continued from page 6