Don't get too upset over the morbid festivities and boasting currently emanating from Gaza. Even if Gaza were completely razed to the ground with one Hamas terrorist barely left on his feet, he would crawl between the rubble and flash a victory sign. From Hamas' perspective, the war itself is their victory, the very essence of its existence. Read the Hamas charter and understand who it is we are fighting. The two central cornerstones of the charter are the destruction of Israel, and the murder of Jews, any Jews. To this end, any means is justified, any cost worthwhile, including the nearly 1,000 rockets Hamas fired at us that landed in Gaza – killing civilians and children and destroying numerous buildings (for which Israel was obviously blamed).
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In the movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," King Arthur encounters the Black Knight, who prohibits him from crossing a bridge. In their ensuing duel, Arthur severs the knight's arms, but the knight refuses to admit defeat. Armless, the knight continues jumping up and down, declaring his inevitable victory. When his legs are also cut off, rendering him an immobile torso, he mutters, "Alright, we'll call it a draw." Arthur leaves, but not before the limbless knight injects one more insult: "Running away? You yellow bastard! Come back here and take what's coming to you! I'll bite your legs off!" I was reminded of the old Arab adage taught to me by Prof. Moshe Sharon: "Get off of me; my neck is red from the beating I've given you…"
Because here's the truth: The Gazans are well aware of their situation. They are looking around and seeing what's missing and who is gone. Which is why they are not celebrating victory – it's just for show. They are happy about the ceasefire for which they desperately begged, because they had their fill of Israeli airstrikes.
Now the world will shower them with money to start rebuilding, and yet again most of this money and the materials they receive will be stolen to reconstruct underground terror tunnels, rearm, produce more rockets and missiles, and grease the wheels of their terrorist apparatuses (and some will go to the people, who are there as hostages). From the day I began serving as Israel's ambassador to Italy, I've stressed to my various counterparts that Europe must examine and verify where its money goes. And I'm not alone, every Israeli mouthpiece in the Foreign and other ministries raise this point. We will continue doing so.
The latest military clash now joins a long line of campaigns – military, social, diplomatic – waged against us over the past 100 years, with one sole purpose: oppose the historical process of our people's return to Zion. But the process is ongoing, despite the machinations of our enemies and haters. Israel is strong, flourishing, and prospering in spite of it all, thank heavens. What we need is patience. And faith.
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