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Source: https://static.jstribune.com/yaari-the-twilight-of-palestinian-armed-struggle/
The Twilight of the Palestinian "Armed Struggle"?
(Jerusalem Strategic Tribune) Ehud Yaari - The "armed struggle" was a slogan nurtured by all Palestinian factions through massive indoctrination campaigns, recruitment of youth, and creation of patronage systems and funding networks that allowed tens of thousands of young Palestinians to be equipped with weapons and the promise that they will become glorified martyrs in the event of death. After the Oslo Accords of 1993, PLO leader Yasser Arafat kept indicating to his followers that the Oslo process was merely a truce, a temporary armistice until "millions of martyrs will march on Jerusalem." In 2000, Arafat unleashed the murderous Second Intifada. The absolute primacy of "armed struggle" in Palestinian discourse has discouraged any serious attempt to discuss or plan for a future Palestinian state. One significant exception was a seminar held by Hamas in Gaza - under the auspices of the late Yahya Sinwar - prior to Oct. 7, 2023, when a brainstorming session discussed the question of how to deal with the Jews in the land to be liberated. A broad consensus was reached that most Israeli Jews should be eradicated or expelled, while those contributing to Israel's success in high tech and other critical domains would be forced to serve the new Palestinian authorities. "Armed struggle" is still being preached daily to the Palestinian communities by Iran and Iranian proxies, and at least half the Palestinian public believe it remains indispensable. But doubts are being heard as an unfriendly regional environment for Palestinian armed groups has emerged. Their forces are decreasing, their geographic spread is shrinking, their arsenal is degraded, tolerance by Arab governments is receding, and a constant threat of IDF operations against their commanders and bases has become an integral part of the equation. The writer is chief Middle East commentator of Israel's Channel 12 and an international fellow of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.