Israel's Battle in Gaza: Why It Will Make Their Country Less Secure

Before I make my argument, I'd like to just say that I support both Israel's right to exist and the right of the Palestinians to have their own state. I think it's been a horrible, bloody conflict for both sides and I only wish that peace could come to the region through mutual cooperation. Peace won't come easy, and it does require sacrifice.

Still, I am baffled by why Israel thinks their offensive against Hamas will weaken the organization and other anti-Israel entities throughout the Middle East. Though some may see it as logical to attack one's enemies to knock out their ability to attack, Israel seems to be forgetting that war isn't only about bombs and killing Hamas leaders. It's also about psychology.

First of all, let's take a trip back a couple years when Hamas won the Palestinian elections. Many of us in the West and elsewhere were utterly confused. Why would these people turn to a militant organization to govern them? They had to have known that this would only hurt their chances at having a Palestinian state!

What most don't realize is that Hamas is not merely a militia. Hamas, along with Hezbollah and other radical Islamist groups in the Middle East, provide services to their people. They keep the streets safe, build hospitals, maintain infrastructure, feed the hungry, help the poor, and, most importantly, they stand up to those who many in the region see as a threat to their prosperity. Hamas and Hezbollah are not terrorists in the eyes of their supporters. They are freedom fighters.

Israel has not treated the Palestinians very well throughout the occupations of Gaza and the West Bank. They are treated as second class citizens. They aren't able to get health care, education, and other essentials from the Palestinian Authority because they don't even have a state to call their own yet.

Now, I am not glorifying or legitimizing Hamas or Hezbollah in any way. I am merely trying to understand why they have support. I certainly believe that both groups would better serve their people and their causes if they would renounce violence and work towards peace. In their eyes, though, they don't see that they have any other choice.

Israel's attacks on Gaza might be considered a military victory when it's all said and done. They may wipe out Hamas, or at least damage it enough that it can't attack Israel again for some time; however, does Israel think that this campaign will win them support from the people of Gaza? Do you think Gazans will think that the destruction of their homes and schools and the deaths of their friends and family members was simply "collateral damage" and for the greater good of peace?

Somehow, I doubt it.

The Israeli government has made itself an enemy in the eyes of the Palestinians. If Israel gave more support to the Palestinian people and provided them with food aid, medical supplies, employment, and serious negotiations that would bring about the creation of a Palestinian state, perhaps groups like Hamas wouldn't need to exist. Perhaps Israel would then no longer have to worry about rockets being fired at it from Gaza or the West Bank. Maybe they would find themselves with more friends and fewer enemies in the MIddle East.

Maybe someday peace will come to this region that has seen more bloodshed over the centuries than any other. In the meantime, all we can do is hope that the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority will both work towards peace and understanding so that groups like Hamas will no longer be necessary or supported by the Palestinian people.