Israel says it wants to destroy Hamas and make sure it never again has power in Gaza. The problem is, no one else wants to run the territory.
As Israel presses its military operation in the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country will never again let Hamas rule the territory.
But here’s the problem for Israel: Right now, no one else wants to rule the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s immediate goal of removing Hamas is a major military challenge that’s likely to take two to six months, according to Yaakov Amidror, a former general and national security advisor in Israel.
« We will not allow an organization to be on the other side of the of the fence with capabilities to attack the civilians and to launch rockets into Israel, » said Amidror, who is now a military analyst at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security.
Israel launched its ground operation on Oct. 27, and troops have swiftly taken over much of northern Gaza, and encircled Gaza City, the largest urban center.
But taking full control of the territory may be the easy part. The more daunting challenge could be finding a replacement who’s willing and able to run Gaza.Israel insists it doesn’t want to remain in Gaza for long
Israel withdrew all its troops and Jewish settlers from Gaza in 2005 after nearly four decades. There’s no desire for another extended stay, said Amidror, expressing a sentiment that many current Israeli officials have also stated.
« We don’t want to take responsibility for 2 million Palestinians to rebuild Gaza, » he said.
So who might take on such a monumental task?
Orna Mizrahi, a former deputy national security advisor, concedes there’s no clear candidate.
« If you want to replace Hamas, who is going to come afterwards? What is going to be ‘the day after?’ This is the big question, » said Mizrahi, now with Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies.
