Hamas and the Ceasefire Proposal

The Israeli-Hamas Conflict, U.S. Policy in the Region, and Ali Bapir’s Radical Islam

Serwan Zangana | Exclusive to iKurd.net

The time has passed for Hamas to accept the ceasefire proposal that was presented by Egypt and Qatar, as Israel already vowed to take over Gaza. “Unequivocal,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said regarding his cabinet’s decision about Gaza. Obviously, the Israeli attacks have severely impacted Hamas and damaged its leadership by neutralizing some of its powerful leaders.

The October 7, 2023, attack on Israel has become a slippery slope for Hamas, which brought destruction to both Hamas and Gaza. Since Hamas’ ideological belief is to end the existence of Israel, its acceptance of a ceasefire will only be temporary until the organization revives and returns to the war ground to continue its fight against Israel.

However, Hamas’ ideology has reflected on Israel’s decision on the ceasefire, and therefore, Israel vowed to end Hamas completely, “Soon, the gates of hell will open upon the heads of Hamas… until they agree to Israel’s conditions for ending the war… the release of all hostages and their disarmament,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said.

The U.S role in the Middle East and its support to Israel

The U.S foreign policy in the Middle East shifts based on the Washington, DC interest which is the existence of Israel and its security in the region. Evidently, the U.S support to Israel is not limited by a president or a political party, and indeed the only time that both Democrats and Republicans unanimously agree to support a foreign nation, is funding Israel.

The U.S presence in the Middle East provides a strong shield to Israel and fuels the Israeli government in the region. Every U.S lawmaker is committed to a complete support for Israel. Apparently, Israel’s immense influence on the U.S government through American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has been successful in bringing an outcome to guarantee the unwavering support from the elected officials in the U.S House of Representatives and the Senate.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R, GA-14 Dist) has clearly explained how (AIPAC) influencing and lobbying the elected officials in the U.S. “AIPAC take every single, that they can, freshman member of Congress, first year of Congress, they take them on a very special trip to Israel in August…they also meet with members of the Israeli government…and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with them.” Rep. Greene said.

According to Rep. Greene (R. GA-14 Dist), (AIPAC) is influencing the members of Congress to be on their side in order to continue voting on the yearly fund of $3.8 billion to Israel. However, Rep. Greene is opposing such an uncontrolled fund to Israel as she believes that it is an unnecessary fund while America’s debt is $37 trillion.

The Middle East and the triangle of Iran, Turkey, and Israel

For centuries, the Middle East has been the center of conflicts of ethnic and religious groups, and such conflicts became a long-term disaster for the region. Religions were used by different rulers, groups, and organizations effectively in these conflicts as they fueled the wars and drove thousands of people to clash against each other. Evidently, after they were transformed to political powers, religions have lost spirituality to become tools for oppression.

When the political system takes the form of religion and the religious elite begins controlling the government claiming to be God’s servant, the oppression and manipulation will be the common practice of the rulers. Obviously, the Middle East is the terrain of such governments that claim the ownership of religion, and hence, demanding, or in fact enforcing people to follow their commands or encounter severe punishments.

Today, there are three governments that are concealing behind religions and actively influencing the region, which are Iran, Turkey, and Israel. These governments, specifically, Iran and Turkey, have been playing a role in turmoil and conflicts.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praying, 2015. Photo: Twitter/X

While Iran’s radical Islamic Shi’a is ruling the country with fierce and infiltrating the region’s nations to spread its terror and Shiism belief, Turkey’s secularism that is ruled by Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Islamic extreme mindset and his support to the radical groups is a major threat to the minorities in the region. And as a secular system indeed Israel is the only country that embraces Jews across the world in one nation and strives for its existence.

However, these governments are not representing religions or carrying religious messages as they are serving political purposes and seeking wide powers in the region. By covering important geographical areas and supporting proxy groups, they definitely create complexities for the entire region. However, between the oppressive regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Erdogan’s chauvinistic government of Turkey, Israel’s secularism would be the best option in the region.

Illustrative image of Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub (c. 1137 – March 4, 1193), commonly known as Saladin, was the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. Hailing from a Kurdish family, he was the first sultan of both Egypt and Syria. Photo: iKurd.net/ai

The misguidance and the manipulation of Arabs, Turks, and Iran through Islam to the Kurds

The Kurdish Muslim leader Salah ad-Deen Al Ayubi (1137-1193), who fought the Christian Crusaders and captured Jerusalem and ruled over Egypt, Syria, and Palestine, and subsequently became a hero and a symbol. But the question is: Whose hero and symbol was he? Al Ayubi has become an icon for Muslim Arabs as his endeavors pushed Islam further in the region and became a powerful empire at the time.

The Kurds have usually been manipulated by the dominant ethnicities, such as Arabs, Turks, and Persians. Ideologies and religions were, and are, great factors in misguiding the Kurds. It is ironic that while these ethnicities are entitled to their ethnic sovereignty, Kurdish independence is prohibited.

Generally, the leaders and figures of the nations’ region have always rejected the idea of the independent Kurdistan, and formed the Kurds in a Muslim Ummah which is one Muslim nation or community “They are part of the Islamic ummah.” Former Hamas leader Khaled Mashal in a previous interview with Rudaw said.

Ali Bapir with Khaled Mashal — Ali Bapir (R), the radical leader of the Islamic Kurdistan Justice Group (KJG) formerly Kurdish Islamic Group KIG (Komal) of Iraqi Kurdistan, with Khaled Mashal, the chief of the Palestinian Islamic militant group Hamas, Turkey, September 17, 2015. Photo: SM/via iKurd.net

But in fact the religion of Islam has specifically recognized different ethnicities and nations “peoples and tribes” in the world. Therefore, Kurds are not obligated to change their national identity for religion.

The wave of the Kurdish radical Islamic groups in Kurdistan will only serve and strengthen the chauvinistic ideology against Kurdish nationalism. In a recent interview with the leader of the Islamic group, Komal, Ali Bapir said, “I have said it many times and will reiterate here: Hamas, the jihad, and jihadists will not crumble; they will succeed, and you will see.”

Bapir and the other Kurdish radicals’ support to Hamas can be seen as a bridge to connect Kurdistan with the entire radicalized groups across the region.

Serwan Zangana, a contributing writer for iKurd.net, lives in Virginia, U.S. He serves as a correction officer.

The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of iKurd.net or its editorial team.