Israelis and Palestinians Must Confront Their Own Spoilers

Ever since the US-brokered ceasefire in Gaza began on October 10, it has been under attack. Hamas has vowed not to disarm, which undercuts the very central premise of the ceasefire. Meanwhile, radical fringe groups among the Israeli settlers in the West Bank have rampaged through Palestinian villages, which only inflames the situation in Gaza. Spoilers, each with their own incentives, seek to wreck the nascent effort to establish stability in Gaza. For any chance at progress toward peace, each side must stand up to its own spoilers—unambiguously, firmly, and publicly. Arab governments, including the Palestinian Authority, are uniquely positioned to insist to Hamas that its armed rejectionism must end. Similarly, Israeli leaders must confront the ongoing settler violence, which deeply undermines Israel’s own governance and foreign relations. Outsiders cannot effectively police a community’s radicals. Only insiders can. Responsible leadership on both sides is essential to marginalizing the extremes...

Read the full article on the National Interest website.