The possibility of an agreement with Hamas is reigniting the question of whether Israel is repeating past mistakes when it puts trust in a terrorist organization that some say sees deals as merely a tactical means and not a binding obligation.
In an interview with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News, Middle East expert Dr. Mordechai Kedar warns that the safest way to avoid falling into a trap is to refrain from signing deals with Hamas.
"They have a long history of violating agreements," he said. "As far as they're concerned, particularly when it comes to non-Muslims, deception, hiding, stalling for time, and cheating are legitimate means to reach a goal. This modus operandi is based on the Hudaibiya Pact (signed by Mohammed in 628 AD), which they see as merely temporary.
According to Kedar, the Hudaibiya Pact, which various Islamic organizations rely on, is seen as an arrangment which may be violated the moment the balance of power changes. "As long as they don't have power, they sign, but the second they gain power, as far as they're concerned, the agreement is no longer binding. Therefore, anyone who signs with them has to understand that the agreement may be broken the moment they have an interest to do so."
That being said, Dr. Kedar does not rule out signing a deal for diplomatic reasons if it serves a broader Israeli interest. "If we want to make a move that enables diplomatic achievements with the White House or in preparation for another move, we can sign. But we can not make a mistake and think that this is true peace. We have to understand that this is a game."
According to Kedar, one of the mistakes that Israel and the West repeat is the assumption that the other side aspires to the same objectives. "We assume that they want peace, welfare, and a good economy just like we do. But to them, the goal remains the destruction of Israel. As long as they can't do it, they accept temporary agreements."
Kedar believes that, in any case, if a deal is signed, it must be backed by especially tough enforcement mechanisms. "We must state that any violation, even the entry of one rifle into the Gaza Strip, immediately cancels the agreement and allows Israel to return to war. Not to wait until they bring in thousands of weapons and only then to claim that the agreement was violated."
He says that it is not enough to simply prohibit the entry of weapons, but rather the agreement must include clauses that would prevent Hamas from rebuilding its military capabilities. "We have to also ban the weapons training, even with fake wooden weapons. We can not allow them to rebuild their military infrastructure under the guise of other activities. We have to close every possible loophole."
To demonstrate the importance of enforcement, Kedar points to the peace agreement with Egypt. "An agreement at the end of the day is just paper. The question is how it's enforced. If every violation is answered with a fierce and unrelenting response, the other side will understand that there's a real price for violating obligations."
Regarding the possibility that senior Hamas officials could be expelled from the Gaza Strip as part of a future arrangement, Kedar said such a move would be valuable but cautioned against viewing it as a complete solution. “If the commanders leave, that would certainly be a success," he said. “But we must not think the problem ends there. There will always be replacements. At first, they may be less experienced, but within a short time, new leaders will emerge and continue down the same path."