The Israel-Hamas War: History, Intelligence Failures, and Moral Equivalency in the West | Dr. Jonathan Schanzer
Oct 12, 2023
auto_awesome
Dr. Jonathan Schanzer, an expert on the Middle East, joins Rep. Crenshaw to discuss the Israel-Hamas conflict, including the intelligence failures, power dynamics in the West Bank, and moral equivocation in the West. They also explore the history of Israel's occupation of Gaza, challenges of intelligence gathering in the Gaza Strip, and the sophistication of Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Hamas' recent attacks on Israel have raised questions about intelligence failures and the need for a constant presence to prevent their growth.
Israel's restrained approach towards Hamas has allowed the terrorist organization to persist and grow stronger over time, raising questions about the effectiveness of restraint in the face of an existential threat.
The conflict with Hamas in Gaza has significant implications for the West Bank and the Palestinian Authority, potentially leading to further unrest and multi-front warfare involving other threats.
Deep dives
The Background and Brutality of the Recent Attacks on Israel
The recent attacks on Israel by Hamas terrorists have led to significant bloodshed and violence. The attacks involved breaching the border wall, utilizing paragliders and by sea to spread terror among civilian communities. Hundreds of Israelis were killed, thousands wounded, and many abducted. These attacks are particularly brutal, with reports of babies being massacred and beheaded. Israel has been forced to respond to Hamas aggression in the past, but this recent attack has been the worst. The attacks have prompted a reevaluation of Israel's stance towards Hamas and its reign in the Gaza Strip.
The War and Israel's Objectives
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas is likely to be a protracted one. Israel aims to end the reign of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, as they view the terrorist organization as a significant threat due to its incessant attacks on Israeli civilians. The conflict can be traced back to the 2007 civil war when Hamas seized control of Gaza. The uneasy situation with Gaza, being run by Hamas and posing security challenges with rockets and tunnels, has led Israel to make the decision to no longer tolerate this terrorist organization ruling the region.
The Complexity and Challenges of Intelligence Gathering
The recent attacks by Hamas on Israel have raised questions about intelligence failures. Gathering intelligence in the denied environment of Gaza is exceptionally challenging. Even with the capabilities of Israeli intelligence services, information collection is difficult due to Hamas' sophistication, reliance on unconventional communication methods, and embedding their military infrastructure within civilian areas. This makes it harder to penetrate the organization and uncover critical information. The operational difficulties further highlight the need for a constant presence to prevent Hamas from growing stronger.
The Restraint and Influence of the US
Israel has shown restraint in dealing with Hamas despite the terrorist organization's brutality. This restraint may have been influenced by the US, as they advocate for measured responses and discourage escalation. However, this approach has allowed Hamas to persist and grow more powerful over time. This conflict also brings attention to the need for a reevaluation of the US approach to international relationships and the understanding of deterrence. The US role in Israel's response to Hamas raises questions about the effectiveness of restraint in the face of an existential threat.
The Implications for the West Bank and Future Scenarios
The conflict with Hamas in Gaza has significant implications for the West Bank and the Palestinian Authority (PA). The PA has struggled with corruption and stagnant governance, making Hamas more popular in the West Bank. A potential collapse of the PA and a Hamas takeover could lead to further unrest in the region. The prospect of multi-front warfare involving Hezbollah and other threats looms, with potential devastating consequences. The intensity of the current conflict and its impact on the surrounding nations calls for a reassessment of international engagement in the region and potential future scenarios.
Dr. Jonathan Schanzer is senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and an expert on the Middle East. He joined Rep. Crenshaw to cover the new war between Israel and Hamas. Dr. Schanzer gives an overview of the recent history of Israel and Palestine/Hamas, how Hamas conducts terrorist operations within the Gaza Strip, and the power dynamics playing out in the West Bank. They also cover the intelligence failures that caused Israel to miss Saturday’s massive assault and what it looks like in practice to run a successful Israeli spy network in one of the most dangerous, closed-in territories on Earth. And they discuss the “what about-ism” and moral equivocation by people like Tucker Carlson who disparage American involvement in the war.
Dr. Schanzer is also the author of “Gaza Conflict 2021: Hamas, Israel and Eleven Days of War”, "State of Failure: Yasser Arafat, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Unmaking of the Palestinian State", "Hamas vs. Fatah: The Struggle for Palestine", and "Al-Qaeda’s Armies: Middle East Affiliate Groups and the Next Generation of Terror". Follow him on X at @JSchanzer.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode