The situation in Gaza with Hamas is different in kind from that with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Israel pulled out of Gaza entirely and let Gazans try self-goverment, while allowing them to work in Israel! The Palestinians rewarded Israel by ELECTING Hamas, digging tunnels, and gifting Israel back an asymmetrical warfare holocaust on Oct. 7. Hamas is much more independent of Iran, which did not organize or even have foreknowledge of the Oct. 7 attacks. I do not understand this beating swords into plowshares talk. I do not see a peaceful "surrender" (Gallant) by Hamas with a glorious "sunset" (Netanyahu) followed by a "new day" of peace (Biden) between Palestinians and Israelis. I see a demilitarization of Gaza enforced for an eternity of sunsets by Israel, a job that Israel does not want.

Hezbollah is much more a creature of Iran, which in turn is much more invested in Hezbollah, which operates out of another sovereign country, Lebanon. When Hezbollah takes a shot to the head, Iran gets a headache. With Hezbollah in Lebanon, "send 'em a message" works. Iran is rational, will understand the message, and is more likely to stop arming Hezbollah at the risk of having their own regime decapitated. A Shi'ite does not want to die for a Sunni. In Lebanon, Israel's war, America's war, our joint war, is not with the people of Lebanon nor with the people of Iran, but with Hezbollah and their Iranian minders. An appeal to the Lebanese people for a new dawn without Hezbollah has a chance.

However, the war in Gaza is with the Palestinian people, in my view. They have no where else to go. Gaza is their homeland. Hamas is "From the River to the Sea"; the total destruction of Israel is their raison d'etre. So destabilizing are any quantity of Palestinians that nobody wants them. In my view, Egypt and Jordan, who are at peace with Israel, must take as many Palestinians as they can be forced to take. Those Palestinians who refuse to go and remain in Gaza will live in the land that they ruined, which will now be demilitarized. From the river to the sea Palestine will be Israeli.