Time for Hamas

U.S. President Joe Biden has apparently pushed to delay the ground invasion of Gaza in order to free more hostages. That is a double-edged development for Israel.

As expected, Israel reached the point relatively quickly where its allies intervened with friendly advice. As a latecomer among the Western front of supporters and warnings, French President Emmanuel Macron not only delivered the usual language about fighting terrorists and respecting humanitarian rights, but also immediately called for a political solution to the conflict in the Middle East.

Macron’s Political Risk

That is the least of Israel’s concerns right now, and Israel probably doesn’t much trust Macron’s proposal to create an anti-Hamas coalition in the form of the anti-Islamic State coalition. The latter includes Arab states that can hardly afford to become politically involved in Gaza. If Macron were to take this step himself, it would not be without political risk for him, given the current atmosphere in France.

For Israel, ultimately, the position of the United States is decisive. There are two sides to the fact that President Biden has apparently pushed to delay the ground invasion to free more hostages. On the one hand, it will be militarily and politically easier for Israel, too, if Hamas has fewer hostages in its hands. On the other hand, the country loses the initiative and gives its enemies, including those in other places, tactically valuable time. Benjamin Netanyahu will not be able to put off a decision soon.