Common Ground •
December 7th, 2023
Our Politics May Be Different, but We Agree on These 3 Israel-Hamas Arguments
This is a perspective from authors with a Lean Right bias, Center bias, and Left bias.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the most polarizing and complex geopolitical issues since the Second World War.
There have been protests for both sides in almost every major country, resulting in many altercations between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protestors. As the weeks since the atrocities of October 7th pass, unified solidarity in support of Israel has splintered into a fiercely polarized debate. With extremists and propaganda from both sides flooding the internet, it feels like there’s no way to see eye to eye on this complex issue.
Nonetheless, polling on the issue reflects a different reality. There is a broad consensus against Hamas, in support of a two-state solution, and against the death of civilians.
Civilian Death
First and foremost, the death of innocent Israeli and Palestinian civilians should be universally condemned. Hamas’ attack on October 7th was abhorrent, and Palestinian civilians who were not involved should not be held responsible for it. While Gazans did elect Hamas in 2005, most people currently living in the Gaza Strip did not vote in that election and a majority were not alive for it.
Civilian death should never be justified. All of the hundreds of hostages taken by Hamas should be allowed to return home, and likewise, Israel must hold itself to the highest standard in avoiding civilian casualties. The protection of innocent life should be the utmost priority, and “human shields” can not and must not be reduced to “collateral damage.”
In America, there is very mixed public opinion on Israel's response to Hamas. According to a poll conducted by NPR (Lean Left Bias) and PBS NewsHour (Lean Left), 38% of Americans think the Israeli offensive has been “too much” with an equal amount saying it is “about right.” Young people and democrats had a significantly higher likelihood of responding that Israel has gone too far.
In America and abroad, there have been troubling calls by lawmakers and others to bomb the Gaza Strip with no regard for civilian death. On the other side, many Palestinian and Islamic extremists have called for the destruction of Israel and have supported or justified Hamas’s actions on October 7. Both of these positions are morally reprehensible, and are in blatant conflict with international law and basic human dignity.
Anti Hamas
As the two sides of this conflict become more polarized, many people have brushed a simple truth under the rug: Hamas must be dismantled before there is any hope for peace in the region. Americans are unified in their disdain for Hamas, which the EU and America label a terrorist group. Polling shows that 1% of Americans support Hamas, a number that is within the 3% margin of error of the poll.
Hamas is not a true representative of the Palestinian people. While more than 80% of Gazans live below the poverty line, the leaders of Hamas live safely in Qatar having lined their pockets with billions in overseas cash. Hamas siphons fuel, fertilizer and other resources meant for Palestinian civilians to support their terror machine in the Gaza Strip and abroad. They have refused peace offerings on numerous accounts and openly state they hope the Israeli war will “become permanent on all the borders” and that they will repeat October 7th. This statement is particularly sinister following the reveal of the atrocities committed by Hamas on that day, including rape and the murder and torture of children. Hamas is also funded by Iran, enabling the largest sponsor of terror in the world to use innocent Palestinian civilians as pawns in their global "axis of resistance".
The Hamas founding charter enumerates the specific goal of the destruction of the State of Israel. The land of Israel is extremely important to the Abrahamic religions (Jews, Christians, and Muslims), and it would be a tragedy for this land to become a barren wasteland from war. This would be an inconceivable consequence of a Hamas victory. For Palestinian suffering to end Hamas must be uprooted from the government so that the people can elect their own leaders free from outside influence.
While there were terrorist groups in this region before Hamas, and there likely would be after, unseating Hamas from power is an important first step towards any long-lasting peace.
Two State Solution
The eventual goal of this conflict should be sovereignty for the Israelis and Palestinians. Palestinians have never had the opportunity to control this land free from any outside interference. In the absence of Hamas, the Palestinians should be given the opportunity to set up their own government. Polling shows broad support for this initiative in America and globally. Unfortunately extremists on both sides have hijacked the narrative on this issue. The phrase “from the river to the sea” has grown in popularity among pro-Palestinian groups. This phrase is a genocidal call for the full annihilation of Israel, and its replacement with a Palestinian state.
There have been competing proposals for what should govern the strip if Israel successfully eliminates Hamas. Some have proposed control by nearby Muslim nations, but the inconvenient truth is that nearby countries have turned on the Palestinians. No nearby nation will take Palestinian refugees, or wants the responsibility of governing the land. The Palestinians should be given the opportunity to fully control this land and begin to rebuild.
As time goes on, the likelihood of a peaceful solution seems to dim. Under the influence of intense anti-Semitic and anti-Israel propaganda in schools and the media, 75% of Palestinians expressed support for Hamas and the October 7th attack. Israelis have increased settlement in the West Bank, encroaching on Palestinian sovereignty in a region that has been largely peaceful in comparison to the Gaza Strip.
Both sides must understand that efforts for Jewish safety and Palestinian sovereignty in the region are intertwined, and one cannot fully exist without the other. Palestinians and Jews should work together to create a better future for both peoples. Americans broadly support a 2 state solution. In a poll, over half of respondents who had an opinion on the issue agreed that the best outcome for the land would be a 2 state solution.
Conclusion
Achieving peace in this region is one of the most complicated geographical challenges of the last millennium, but a dedication to the preservation of life and basic human decency will be an important first step. While the points mentioned in this article are just a piece of the endlessly complex puzzle of this conflict, both sides uniting under these principles would be a first step towards a better future for both Israeli and Palestinian people.
Written by:
Ethan Horowitz, News Assistant (Lean Right bias)
Leo Necheles, Content Assistant (Center bias)
Zach Dickstein, Video Producer (Left bias)
Reviewed by:
