According to media outlets, Israel has worked out several huge breakthroughs in (gasp) negotiating with terrorists! Yes, indeed, if our sources are to be trusted, Israel is talking to Hamas, Syria, and Lebanon. Simultaneously. Two deals on Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev with Hezbollah, and Gilad Shalit with Hamas are buzzing in non-official statements by all sides.
I know, I know, this is going to come as a shock to some people out there. And perhaps it’s a little early to tell — maybe this post will jinx the whole deal — but let’s put a big, fat nail in the obstructionism that plagues the small minds of naysayers that Hamas, Fatah, the PLO and (in future Presidencies perhaps) Iran can only understand reciprocal rockets.
Seriously, I hope this isn’t surprising because people reading even the Jewish press the past two months have seen plenty of references to Egypt and Turkey’s shuttle diplomacy. And there’s plenty of analysis available on whether the biggest deal, the Gaza ceasefire, will be a class-A fuck up.
This comes at the same time as the release of an Israeli poll saying 83% believe that Hamas is stronger with the blockade of Gaza than without, 68% believe that the security situation is worse with the blockade, 78% believe the blockade will not end support for Hamas, and 60% say it increases support for Hamas. And all of this coming from respondents who 44% identified as right-wing.
It’s a moment for those of us who see that military might isn’t the magic wand in the Middle East to stand up and say “I told you so,” even if it’s a moment to hold our breath and promise to eat our yarmulkas. Then again, we could all move to Medinat Weimar and save ourselves the trouble.