“Sometimes wars do settle things though it’s unfashionable to say so.” These words from William F. Buckley Jr. carry a poignant truth often lost in the noise of modern diplomacy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu knows well that wars, when waged with moral clarity, are not intended to end in compromise, but in victory. Such is the nature of Israel’s ongoing conflict with Hamas—a battle that cannot be concluded by half-measures or ephemeral ceasefires. To end the war without the unconditional surrender of Hamas would be tantamount to abandoning justice, leaving an existential threat to Israel intact.
Netanyahu’s resolve, articulated in his address following the elimination of Yahya Sinwar, is not merely political rhetoric. It is a reaffirmation of a fundamental principle: wars are fought to the finish. The conflict in Gaza did not begin on October 7, 2023, nor will it end with the death of one terrorist mastermind. Hamas has proven, through its decades-long campaign of terror and the massacre of Israelis, that it cannot be reasoned with or placated. It must be destroyed.
The Biden-Harris Administration’s push for a ceasefire, in this context, is more than just ill-advised; it threatens to undermine a necessary struggle against the forces of chaos and tyranny in the Middle East. There is a profound misunderstanding here, perhaps rooted in a naïve belief that conflicts like these can be wrapped up with diplomatic niceties once the violence reaches a peak. But as Speaker Mike Johnson rightly points out, this fight does not end with Sinwar’s death—it ends when the root of the problem, Iran, is dealt with decisively.
Iran, the chief sponsor of Hamas and Hezbollah, is the puppet master behind these terrorist organizations. It is Iran that supplies the weapons, funds the operations, and fuels the genocidal ambitions of groups committed to Israel’s destruction. Israel’s war, therefore, is not just its own; it is our war as well. The United States, through Israel’s efforts, has the opportunity to weaken a regime that has long been a thorn in the side of peace and stability in the region. To halt Israel’s momentum now would not only endanger its security but also leave our own interests in the region exposed to the predations of Iranian influence.
Netanyahu’s insistence on seeing this war through to the end is not borne of a lust for destruction but of the necessity of survival. Israel, after all, has no margin for error. It is surrounded by enemies who seek its annihilation, and each pause in hostilities allows those enemies to regroup and prepare for the next round of bloodshed. A ceasefire at this stage would be nothing more than a respite for Hamas, a chance for them to rebuild their infrastructure of terror, and an invitation for Iran to continue its destabilizing activities in the region.
To those who argue that the human cost of this war is too high, one must ask: what is the cost of peace under tyranny? What is the price of allowing a terrorist organization to rule over Gaza, to use innocent civilians as shields, and to plot future attacks against Israel? The civilians of Gaza, too, are victims of Hamas’ brutality. Netanyahu rightly sees an opportunity for them to break free from this cycle of oppression, but such freedom cannot be negotiated—it must be won.
President Biden, in suggesting that the war has reached a point where a “day after” can begin, seems eager to turn the page without acknowledging that the current chapter remains unfinished. The “day after” cannot begin until Hamas is utterly defeated, until Iran’s hand is removed from Gaza, and until the region is no longer threatened by the forces of radical Islamic terror. Anything less would be a betrayal of both Israeli and American interests.
Israel is fighting for its survival, and in doing so, it is also fighting for the stability of the broader Middle East. It is imperative that the United States stands with Israel, not as a half-hearted partner urging restraint, but as an ally committed to seeing the conflict through to a successful conclusion. Ceasefires, negotiations, and deals with terrorists may be fashionable in certain circles of diplomacy, but they do not settle wars. Victory does. And victory, in this case, requires nothing less than the total eradication of Hamas. Anything short of that is an invitation for future bloodshed.
Netanyahu knows this. Israel knows this. The Biden-Harris Administration, if it is to act in the interest of long-term peace and stability, must recognize it too.
By Clayton A. Mitchell, Sr., Esquire
