W.Minh Tuan

In recent days, US President Biden has loudly declared that “The Gaza war will only stop after Israel has ensured that Hamas terrorists cannot again cause terrorism similar to the massacre last October 7, 2023“.

And Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu even more aggressively declared that “Ceasefire now means surrender, it means creating time and conditions for Hamas terrorists to be able to reorganize, regrouping to consolidate forces, so there can be no ceasefire until the Israeli army destroys all the power of Hamas forces.”

Both Biden and Netanyahu struck a similarly aggressive tone.

But that’s a mistake.

Because right after Mr. Biden and Netanyahu made such an aggressive statement, the Israeli side immediately ridiculous criticized the International Red Cross Organization: “Why don’t you will you go to meet with that group of Hamas to negotiate the release of our hostages?”

Oh well, the International Red Cross is just a volunteer humanitarian organization, does not have any legal responsibility, nor does it have any power to negotiate the return of hostages.

If the Israeli side does not cease fire, how can the International Red Cross negotiate the release of hostages?

Mr. Biden and Mr. Netanyahu were wrong to set the ultimate goal of the Gaza war as defeating the terrorist force Hamas first, not freeing all the hostages first.

Defeating terrorist forces is a long-term war, and requires the total force of the entire peace-loving world, and not only defeating terrorists in Gaza, but also dealing with all terrorists that involved, and defeating all the forces supporting them are staying behind it.

It was a long war that lasted for many years.

And moreover, that war must ensure the conditions as Jordanian King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein said, that “There must be recognition of the two States of Israel and Palestine“.

The war in Gaza has lasted for decades, and will continue for many more years, with major concessions from both the Israeli and Palestinian sides.

But freeing all the hostages, about more than 240 people, including Israeli citizens and citizens of many other countries, is the immediate work, the most urgent and most hot work today.

And without a temporary stop firing, there could be no release of the hostages in Gaza.

The ceasefire is the decision made by the Israeli Government and the majority of public opinion in Israel.

How did the International Red Cross decide on that ceasefire?

Yet the Israeli Government continues to unjustly and brazenly criticize the International Red Cross.

Israelis are inherently smart, brave, and agile, but in this Gaza war, it was shown that Israelis also make many foolish mistakes.

The Israelis were wrong, negligent, and subjective when let the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023 occurred.

They were too lacking in vigilance, too subjective in their contempt for the enemy, and too careless.

Israelis must reflect, re-criticizing themself on the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023.

After that, they attacked the terrorists hastily and impatiently, not knowing that the ultimate goal was to first free all the hostages, and then completely defeat them later and permanently the power of terrorists and related forces.

And Israelis also need to proactively take goodwill actions with Palestinians, to improve the image and relations of Israelis with Palestinians, for example, Israelis should proactively help Palestinians develop economically, scientific, education,,,.

Israelis should build hospitals and schools to help Palestinians, Israelis should help Palestinians build roads, bridges, infrastructure, power plants, water plants,,,,.

These humanitarian actions of Israelis towards Palestinians will help improve the image of Israelis towards Palestinians, and that is an immediate and long-term condition for improving the Gaza conflict, and improving bitter relations of more than 3,000 years of hatred between Palestinians and Israelis.

Both Mr. Biden and Mr. Netanyahu need to understand that simple truth.

Both Israeli and Palestinian religions teach that you should not take revenge on others, but instead raise your right cheek for the enemy to hit, if you are hit on the left cheek.

Only those kind-hearted, non-hateful actions can completely and permanently resolve the Israel-Palestine war.///