OAN’s Taylor Tinsley
1:30 PM – Tuesday, December 26, 2023
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined his three conditions for peace between Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza.
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In an op-ed published in The Wall Street Journal on Monday, Netanyahu wrote “Hamas must be destroyed, Gaza must be demilitarized, and the Palestinian society must be deradicalized.”
The prime minister argued Hamas’ leaders have vowed to repeat what happened on October 7th “again and again.” He affirmed that anything less than their destruction guarantees more war and bloodshed.
Netanyahu echoed Israel’s vow to eliminate Hamas while speaking to soldiers in Northern Gaza on Monday, affirming they must make sure that October 7th never happens again.
“We are not stopping. Whoever talks about stopping – there is no such thing. We are not stopping. The war will continue until the end,” Netanyahu stated.
As for demilitarization in Gaza, Netanyahu said this must happen so the region won’t become the base for any future attack, axing the possibility of the Palestinian Authority governing Gaza.
“Among other things, this will require establishing a temporary security zone on the perimeter of Gaza and an inspection mechanism on the border between Gaza and Egypt that meets Israel’s security needs and prevents smuggling of weapons into the territory,” Netanyahu wrote
President Biden has previously said that the Palestinian authority should govern Gaza and the West Bank following the war.
Netanyahu wrote the expectation that they will demilitarize Gaza on their own is “a pipe dream,” arguing it has “shown neither the capability nor the will.”
“It failed to do so before Hamas booted it out of the territory in 2007, and it has failed to do so in the territories under its control today,” Netanyahu said. “For the foreseeable future Israel will have to retain overriding security responsibility over Gaza.”
To deradicalize Gaza, Netanyahu said the school system must be reformed so that children are taught to “cherish life rather than death,” and to not seek the destruction of Israel.
“Successful deradicalization took place in Germany and Japan after the Allied victory in World War II. Today, both nations are great allies of the U.S. and promote peace, stability and prosperity in Europe and Asia,” Netanyahu wrote.
Netanyahu concluded his op-ed with “Once Hamas is destroyed, Gaza is demilitarized and Palestinian society begins a deradicalization process, Gaza can be rebuilt and the prospects of a broader peace in the Middle East will become a reality.”
Approximately 1,200 Israelis were killed when Hamas attacked the Jewish State on October 7th and more than 20,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been reported dead since the start of the war.
On Tuesday, Israel’s Chief of the General Staff, Herzi Halevi, said the war will go on for many months.
“There are no magic solutions, there are no shortcuts in dismantling a terrorist organization, only determined and persistent fighting,” said Halevi. “We will reach Hamas’ leadership too, whether it takes a week or if it takes months.”
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