Who won the war Hamas or Israel ?

By Sybhan Samat

(January 21, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Both Israel and the Hamas a claiming victory in the 22 day Gaza war. The objective of the Zionist regime in Israel was to halt the launching of rockets into Israel by Hamas and liquidate the Hamas movement altogether. They in fact wanted to occupy Gaza if that was not possible to hand-over power to the Fatah faction led by Mahmoud Abbas who collaborates with Israel, US, Europe and the reactionary Arab regimes in the region.

In fact the invasion of Gaza was implemented with the prior approval of the US, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. Hosni Mubarak gave his approval two days before the attack when Tzipi Livni the Israel foreign minister met Mubarak in Cairo.

Israel deliberately attacked the unarmed civilians of Palestinian men, women children and babies, hoping that they will rise against Hamas and discard their leadership and blame them for the war. To achieve this end they not only used conventional weapons like tanks, guns, planes and helicopters but also depleted uranium, phosphorous bombs and cluster bombs. Daily images on television screens of injured, burnt and dead Palestinians shocked viewers. The destruction of schools including a UN school, mosques, hospitals and ambulances taking the injured to hospitals horrified viewers world-wide.

Demonstration in the capitals world-wide protested at the Holocaust the cruel Zionist regime was inflicting on the unarmed Palestinians in the Gaza. World public opinion and sympathy increased by leaps and bounds for the Palestinians.

Israel leaders backed by the US who gave them arms and the latest chemical weapons behaved like Hitler. Influential circles in Europe accused Israel of war-crimes and demanded that the leadership be hauled before an International Criminal Court.

The overall death toll of operation Cast Lead stood above 1,300, including more than 400 children. Another 5,300 were wounded. Israel reported a death toll of 13. Hamas officials said 5,000 homes, 16 government buildings and 20 mosques were destroyed and 20,000 houses damaged in the three-week war.

Despite all this brutality, Israel could not halt the delivery of rockets by Hamas. During all days of the 22 day war Israel even for one day could not halt Hamas rockets falling into southern Israel. Public opinion against Israel metamorphosed into rank hatred. Two embassies of Israel in Venezuela and Bolivia were closed by their government. The Israel Army on the ground could not defeat the Hamas army. Not being able to achieve its objectives and in the face of growing public-opinion against it, Israel declared a unilateral cease –fire and now claims victory in the war!

On the other hand the episode has enhanced the prestige of Hamas for standing up to the superior Israel forces armed with modern state – of- the-art weapons. The massive effort of the US, Israel and Europe to marginalize Hamas by naming it a terrorist organization despite it being elected in a free and fair election in January 2006 has failed. The prestige of the allies of Hamas, Iran, Syria and Hizbullah in Lebanon has grown spectacularly. Further the invincibility of the Israel armed forces for the third time has been proved to be a myth In the first time in 2000, Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon then again in July/August 2006 it retreated in Lebanon and now in Gaza declaring a unilateral cease- fire. In the space of 8 years Israel has retreated thrice.

Hamas, Hizbullah backed by Iran and Syria are determined to see that Israel retreats altogether from the whole of Palestine or on the alternative agrees to settle for a one state solution where Jews, Christians and Muslims can live in a democratic state, where the Palestinian refugees in the diaspora have the right of return to their legitimate lands.

In fact what happened in Gaza was an unexpected debacle for Israel. How can Israel claim victory when every thing has gone against it. To keep its morale up the Kadima party that governs Israel and declared the war is compelled to exhibit bravura, braggadio and bluster. In the forthcoming election the people of Israel will not be fooled they will kick Olmert & his Kadima party into the dustbin of Israel political history. Most probably moderate elements in Israel will be elected to sue for peace. They will indeed have to negotiate with Hamas. - Sri Lanka Guardian