by Iqbal Jassat
“Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir accused the Israeli regime of Benjamin Netanyahu of ‘a complete surrender to Hamas’, calling the Gaza ceasefire agreement a ‘surrender deal’.”
For once he was right, says Ramzy Baroud, Editor of Palestine Chronicle.
Public sentiment in the settler colonial entity on the ceasefire as gleaned from its various media outlets is categoric:
“The peace deal it just cut with Hamas was clearly a win for Hamas and a loss for Israel.”
The joy and cheer among Palestinians in Gaza—despite colossal destruction and a huge loss of life—reflects a mood of victory for steadfast resilience, patient forbearence and profound faith that truth will vanquish falsehood.
Withstanding and resisting zionism’s 15-month-long brutal, scorched-earth military policies that saw destruction of lives and properties, the evil inhumane deprivation of water, food, medical care and displacement of the entire population, is a remarkable feat.
Netanyahu and his criminal gang of warlords have failed to dislodge and dismember Hamas.
His failure is shrouded in shame, humiliation and despair.
And worse, along with his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, he faces arrest warrants on war crimes charges at the International Criminal Court.
With the colonial regime’s reputation in tatters, Hamas and all the Resistance factions are right to celebrate victory emanating from the momentous Al Aqsa Flood of October 7, 2023.
Undoubtedly world opinion has turned against Israel inspite of enormous resources it expanded in Hasbara (propaganda) projects.
The success of the Resistance can be measured by the fact that Hamas negotiated the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, many of whom have been sentenced to life imprisonment.
In contrast, Hamas will only have to release three prisoners of war (PoW).
Four more will be released a week later.
In total, during the first phase, a total of 33 PoWs will be released.
The trade off in prisoner exchange is tilted in favour of Hamas, metaphorically adding salt to zionism’s wound.
Crucial to emphasise that Israel has failed in its objectives as stated at the beginning of the war, which included the total elimination of Hamas in Gaza.
Having survived and added thousands of fighters to its ranks, Hamas and the Resistance groups including Islamic Jihad, have outsmarted Israel and its western backers led by the US.
As recently as a few days ago, Antony Blinken publicly acknowledged this fact, much to the dismay of his zionist cohorts in the US as well as in Israel.
Pro-Israeli media have grudgingly admitted that the cost of Netanyahu’s genocide to the apartheid regime has been colossal.
Not only has Hamas been able to kill hundreds of Israeli soldiers and wounded thousands more in Gaza since October 7, 2023, the regime’s national debt has also spiralled out of control.
Estimates by economists reveal that its economy and labour market have been severely dented.
Emigration is at an all time high, eroding the misplaced romantic ideal of a land of milk and honey.
Israel is much weaker today than it was 15 months ago.
Cases of genocide at the International Court of Justice and war crimes at the International Criminal Court; outstanding UN Resolutions in respect of illegal settlements and the potential of its membership being stripped is a scenario that will haunt it as rogue regimes deserve to be sanctioned.
The world, especially the youth at university campuses across western capitals have come to understand and revolted against zionism as a racist, expansionist political ideology—far removed from Judaism.
Not surprising that Jewish historian and widely acclaimed author Ilan Pappe has described the current state as neo-zionist.
“The old values of zionism are now more extreme, [in] far more aggressive form than they were before, trying to achieve in a short time what the previous generation of zionists were trying to achieve in [a] much longer, more, incremental, gradual way,” he asserts.
“Historically, I’m willing to say with some caution, that this is the last phase of zionism.
“Historically, such developments in ideological movements, whether they are colonials or empires, it’s usually the final chapter [that is] the ruthless one, the most ambitious one. And then it’s too much and then they fall and collapse,” added Pappe.
However, Israel’s sordid reputation as far as its contempt for International Laws particularly International Humanitarian Law is known, it is likely that Netanyahu and his criminal gang of warlords, will do their damnest to scuttle the ceasefire agreement.
Already there are signs of disgruntlement among them and despair too that a ceasefire means defeat and failure to attain any of Netanyahu’s military goals.
Palestinian population in the besieged Gaza Strip has, despite suffering unimaginable losses, pain and suffering over the last 15 months of relentless bombings around the clock, have remained steadfast in their determination to free themselves from decades of zionist occupation, persecution and terrorism.
Hamas and the Resistance groups are committed to the ceasefire deal but are aware that as in previous arrangements, Israel has the propensity to undermine it.
But the world is watching and in South Africa we are fully aware of the dirty tricks Israel is capable of, to derail the deal and blame Hamas.
Iqbal Jassat is Executive Member at the Media Review Network, Johannesburg, South Africa