Gaza: a disaster in the making

Moreover, while imposing the blockade was necessary to prevent the smuggling of weapons and explosives, Netanyahu in particular made no effort to change the hostile nature of Israel's relationship with Hamas. Instead, he deliberately chose to manage the conflict by maintaining a tense atmosphere to serve his political base and stay in power.

Furthermore, the Netanyahu government uses Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza and the security hazard it poses to justify the continuing occupation and consolidate its hold on the West Bank (presumably for security reasons) through the settlement enterprise, while playing the PA and Hamas against one another.

Hypocritically, while Netanyahu condemns Hamas for striving to establish a Palestinian state over the entire land, he claims the Jews' right to the entire biblical 'land of Israel' that includes the West Bank, of which several of his ministers openly seek annexation.

When will Netanyahu accept the fact that Hamas is not going anywhere and that the status quo is simply untenable? Yes, Israel can go into Gaza again and even decimate Hamas' leaders while inflicting massive destruction, as it has three times in the past. But what then? New, even more extremist leaders will rise in short order. Nothing will fundamentally change other than maintaining the vicious cycle of violence from which neither can come out unscathed.

Both sides must come to terms with their reality. Yes, this is the logical and practical thing to accept. But sadly, logic and realism often give way to misplaced emotions, misguided ideology, and blind belief. But look where these lofty precepts have led them to-hell is lurking in the darkness of their own creation.

The majority of Israelis and Palestinians want to live in peace. There is no need for another Israeli or Palestinian child to die because of the ill-advised leaders who made a career of defying time and circumstances to the detriment of their people, when the solution is there for them to grasp.