Yeah Israel clearly want to level all the hospitals, schools, mosques etc. people can’t stay there without any of that. They don’t need to bulldoze buildings just because they’ve found guns inside or a tunnel underneath.
It’s sick.
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The people are deeply connected to the land. The only way to drive them off is to kill them all
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What I don’t understand (and there is much I don’t) is how a deal can take place to free the hostages? Surely any deal can only be cash and/or an exchange to release Israeli held Hamas prisoners… Is there another transaction that can be in “good” faith. Even the exchange is likely in bad faith anyway as both sides will carry on their dealing in death.
Sadly previous deals have involved release of Hamas prisoners. Not the hundreds of kids that Israel have locked up
I saw an interview (AJ or France 24) with the Deputy PM of Jordan some days ago and he sort of indicated that one of persons Hamas want released is Marwan Barghouti. But it was very cryptic.
If all of this blood was for this end game then I hope someone somewhere feels justified.
They always will. It’s never their blood being shed, is it?
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Or the other political leaders who might have enough clout to lead a post hamas gaza
That really isn’t an option though. If Egypt were to open that border crossing, hundreds of thousands would cross. As it is, my understanding is that less than 2000 have been allowed to cross since October 7.
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I can’t see them letting Barghouti go tbh. His release would probably herald the end of the PA and the quisling Abbas’ reign. His popularity and legitimacy amongst ordinary Palestinians would be seen as far too much of a threat by the current Israeli administration.
Of course if anything good is to come out of this episode , and a new centrist govt. were to take over , then releasing Barghouti and giving the Palestinians some real agency over their own affairs (while simultaneously marginalising Hamas / Islamic Jihad , would be a sensible move.
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Hamas probably demanded his release so that Israel accepts anything less than that.
I don’t think Israel, Hamas, Abbas, and even the regional players want him free. He just isn’t anyone’s puppet.
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I don’t know much about him. Who is he and why was he arrested(as if they need any reason to arrest any Palestinian)
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He was fairly unambiguously one of the leaders of the second Intifada.
Prior to that though he was considered by Israel and the west as one of the most viable partners in a peace process. He rose to prominence as a member of Fatah who was voicing opposition to Arafat for corruption in the PA. While he developed close ties to Israel as a viable future leader of a negotiated settlement, the lack of progress after Oslo saw him lose faith in Israel’s willingness to participate in a peaceful process, causing him to turn to (back to?) violent opposition in an attempt ot force Israel back into negotiations.
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Just to add …he’s widely seen as the most popular figure in Palestinian politics and somebody who could be a unifying force. He’s been in jail serving life for murder (which he denies) for the last twenty years. If I’m not mistaken one of the reasons that Abbas cancelled elections was that he was going to run from prison and would likely have beaten him.
What’s his links with Hamas ?
I’m sure he’s seen as a credible force , but the fact that Hamas wants him released makes me a bit leery.
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Considered by some as the “Palestinian Mandela”, as some view him as a uniting figure that could help bring about a Palestinian state and human rights.
He always denied Israel’s charges of leading attacks on civilians, stating he only directed attacks on military targets, and only within the West Bank.
No idea how much truth there is in any of that. Also thought it was strange that Israel didn’t assisinate him like they’ve done to many other potential leaders
I don’t think you can equate him with a Mandela.
This is from Le Monde last week ;
That’s why I added quotation marks