Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar’s Death Can Bring the Middle East Closer to Peace

Just as the elimination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah a month ago catalyzed new opportunities for Mideast peace, the death of long-elusive Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar Thursday turbocharges the transformation of the Middle East towards a more secure and prosperous future.

To appreciate the possibilities, it is vital to understand the significance of the Sinwar as a leader. There should be no doubt that the elimination of Sinwar is an opportunity, not a tragedy. Sinwar was no ordinary terrorist. He was renowned for his brutality towards Gazans and Israelis alike. An early Hamas member, Sinwar became known as the "Butcher of Khan Younis” in the 1980s among fellow Gazans for his singular savagery punishing Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel. After Israel arrested Sinwar in 1988, Sinwar spent two decades in Israeli prisons learning to read and speak Hebrew fluently, studying Israeli history and society, and mastering how the Israeli political and military systems functioned.