Observation: Gantz's Commitment to Destroy Hamas May Surprise Americans

Observation: Gantz’s Commitment to Destroy Hamas May Surprise Americans
Dr. Aaron Lerner, March 3, 2024

American officials, whose perception of the Israeli mainstream is driven by
their contacts with former senior Israeli security officials and overviews
of Israeli media coverage, may be in for a surprise when they meet with
Bennie Gantz in the coming days.

A large number of former senior Israeli security officials, who fervently
(religiously?) believe that the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state
will bring peace in our time, have been continuously lobbying their American
contacts to exploit the October 7th massacre and its aftermath to impose the
“two-state solution.”

Israeli mainstream media coverage of the hostage story has been a nonstop
rally on the air, advocating that Israel accept any and every Hamas demand
to gain the immediate release of the hostages.

Gantz’s decision to fly to America without PM Netanyahu’s explicit
permission only adds to American expectations that Gantz will reveal a huge
gap between his views and Netanyahu’s.

Mr. Gantz’s American interlocutors may very well discover that behind closed
doors, he remains committed to the destruction of Hamas as well as his
belief that a sovereign Palestinian state is a nonstarter for the
foreseeable future.

These positions align with those of the overwhelming majority of Israelis.

So, I am cautiously optimistic about Gantz’s visit overseas.

If the visit undermines the credibility of the Israeli “peace in our time”
lobbyists, then it was well worth the trip.
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