For years, the international community viewed the conflict between Israel and Hamas through a binary lens: a sovereign state defending itself against a radical terrorist proxy. However, inside Israel, a far more cynical strategy was at play. Behind the public vows to ‘crush Hamas’, a hidden doctrine guided Benjamin Netanyahu’s governments for over a decade – one that viewed the jihadist group not as a threat to be eliminated, but as a ‘strategic asset’.

The assertion that Hamas is an ‘asset’ – a sentiment echoed by various members of Netanyahu’s successive governments – was no mere slip of the tongue. It was a foundational principle of a deliberate strategy, conducted through the deception of the Israeli public. While Hamas was presented as a bloodthirsty foe, no genuine effort was made to dismantle its rule. On the contrary, the Netanyahu years were the golden age of Hamas’s consolidation in Gaza. This strategy was never intended to bring about a decisive victory; its true goal was the avoidance of decision. By keeping Hamas in power, Israel........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)