An Unexpected Endorsement of Professor’s Views

I have occasionally observed (example, another, third) that the greatest problem of the Palestinians in the Holy Land has been their historical aspiration to first annihilate the Jews who settled there, as well as their inability to accept the facts that have taken place. In practice, the reason for their misery therefore lies with their leaders and the terrorist organizations—foremost among them Hamas—whose actions have prevented, and continue to prevent, the emergence of a peaceful solution in Gaza and the achievement of peace throughout the region.

That is why it was interesting to note that Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of Hamas’s founder Hassan Yousef, has stated that Gaza no longer exists, and that the thanks for this go to Hamas, which has used residential buildings in the area as ammunition depots. He has also called Hamas a cult of death and described how the terrorists even use their own children as human shields.

It is good to see that my view on the causes of Palestinian suffering received support from such an unexpected source. However, it is not surprising, because when recognizing the facts and thinking logically, it is self-evident—something that can only be overlooked by an observer’s inability to free themselves from their own prejudices.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Cost of the East Jerusalem Attack for Palestinians — and Its Echo Worldwide
Abu Obaida’s Death Brings Palestine One Step Closer to Peace
Will Gaza Get a Ceasefire, or Will Hamas Hold On to Its Terrorist Capabilities?

Abu Obaida’s Death Brings Palestine One Step Closer to Peace

According to recent reports, Israel has once again taken the life of a senior Hamas member. The person in question is Abu Obaida, who was one of the key figures of the al-Qassam Brigades and served as its spokesperson.

Thus, peace in Palestine is once again one step closer. Unfortunately, especially from the Palestinian perspective, progress of this kind is unfolding painfully slowly.

This is why it would be important for Palestinian civilians themselves to report the whereabouts of Hamas terrorists to the Israeli army, so that obstacles to peace could be removed at a faster pace. Sadly, however, it seems unlikely that this will happen—at least not on a broad scale. Therefore, an end to the suffering of Palestinian civilians cannot be expected any time soon.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Will Gaza Get a Ceasefire, or Will Hamas Hold On to Its Terrorist Capabilities?
Hamas at a Crossroads: Are Weapons More Important Than Gaza Belonging to the Palestinians?
Hamas Continues the Suffering of Gaza's Civilians

Hamas Continues the Suffering of Gaza's Civilians

The terrorist organization Hamas, which governed the Gaza Strip before the current ongoing war, has issued a response to the latest ceasefire proposal for Gaza. Unfortunately, the response was not positive; instead, the organization has demanded additional conditions related to the delivery of aid shipments, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and security guarantees for a lasting ceasefire.

The most recent ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas have lasted for over two weeks, with no significant breakthroughs. In other words, Hamas still does not appear willing to lay down its arms to relieve the people of Gaza from the suffering caused by the war. 

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A Night at the Opera. 
Precedent from France Opens EU Pathway for Gaza Palestinians
Activism Without Truth

Activism Without Truth

Politically left-wing Palestine activists seem to have an exceptionally poor grasp of facts. The latest example of this came yesterday, when Palestine Action Finland defaced the office of the Norwegian-Finnish ammunition and weapons manufacturer Nammo with red paint, claiming that the company had participated in Israel’s actions in Gaza by supplying weapons and ammunition to its army.

In reality, Nammo has not supplied weapons or ammunition to the Israeli army since it began its operations in Gaza to root out Hamas terrorists. The Nammo products currently in Israel originated from the United States, to which they were sold in 2008. About 15 years later, they made their way from the U.S. to Israel.

This raises the question: what should we think of people who resort to acts of terror without even bothering to check whether their so-called justifications are true? Not to mention that through their actions, these activists effectively showed support for the very terrorist act that started the war.

Likewise, this group of people seems unaware—or fails to grasp the significance—of the fact that Western countries have supported the Palestinians with massive sums of money over the years, much of which has been used to support terrorist activities, such as the construction of an extensive tunnel network in Gaza. For that reason, they cannot be considered blameless in the current suffering of the region’s inhabitants.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
UN Security Council Resolution Draft Risks Encouraging Terrorism
Why Hamas Is Unwilling to Give Up Its Weapons
Palestinians: acknowledging facts is the beginning of wisdom!

When Demands Become Damage

Yesterday I wrote that the demands of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in particular might prevent peace from being achieved in Gaza. However, according to recent news, it may in fact be Hamas’s far more limited demands that are already doing so.

At the same time, Israel has continued its military operations in the area, causing immense suffering to Palestinian civilians. This raises the question: whose interests are the aforementioned Palestinian organizations actually serving? Their own—or those of ordinary civilians in Gaza?

The answer is not difficult to find, provided one is able to put the facts in order. The first fact is that neither Hamas nor any other Palestinian organization is capable of challenging the Israeli military. The second is that, for this reason, their attempts to present demands to Israel are unequivocally harmful from the perspective of Palestinian civilians.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Will Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s Demand Block Peace in Gaza?
UN Security Council Resolution Draft Risks Encouraging Terrorism
How Hamas Exploited Aid and Lost the Support of Many Palestinians

The Complete Demilitarization of Gaza: What Would It Mean for the Palestinians?

Israel has set the complete demilitarization of Gaza as a condition for initiating the second phase of the ceasefire. In other words, the disarmament of Palestinian militants.

The demand is understandable, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it also becomes a prerequisite for any potential peace agreement. After all, Gaza has served for decades as a launch pad for rockets fired at Israel and as the staging ground for the October 7 terrorist attack.

From the Palestinian perspective, agreeing to this demand—and adhering to it—would clearly demonstrate a willingness to achieve lasting peace. Moreover, it would signal that the population in the area desires a fundamental shift in its relationship with Israel.

Additionally, disarmament could indicate that Palestinians have recognized that the methods of terrorist groups like Hamas lead not to a prosperous future but only to suffering. If this is the case, it would mean removing perhaps the greatest obstacle to their own better future.

However, it remains to be seen what Hamas will do in this situation. Will they prioritize the well-being of Palestinians and decide to abandon armed resistance, or will they continue a war against a stronger opponent—one that brings only misery to the people while ensuring lavish profits for their leaders?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Criminals in the Holy Land, El Salvador, and Ukraine
Questions to the Winners of the Gaza War
The Responsibility for Their People's Future Now Lies with Palestinian Leaders

Can Peace Emerge from Horrific War Crimes?

Sudan has been engulfed in civil war for nearly its entire period of independence, spanning almost sixty years. As a result, South Sudan gained independence in 2011, but peace did not follow.

The problem lies in the fact that two men, both backed by military power, aspire to lead Sudan. The first is President Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, a general and the commander of the armed forces.

The other contender for power is General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, whose death was once declared but later denied, and who leads the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a group of about 100,000 men capable of posing a formidable challenge to the army.

Thus, in 2023, these two men and their forces plunged Sudan into yet another ongoing civil war. To make matters worse, several foreign powers, including the United Arab Emirates, Russia, and Iran, have become involved, yet the war remains unresolved.

As in all wars, civilians have suffered immeasurably. At its worst, they have been subjected to senseless violence.

For instance, Human Rights Watch has reported that RSF forces and their allied groups have committed horrific sexual crimes. Girls as young as seven have been abducted, held in slavery-like conditions, and raped daily.

Such atrocities demand justice. However, it seems unlikely that the perpetrators of African civil wars are ever held accountable for their crimes. Sadly, this will likely be the case in Sudan as well.

Even more disheartening is the fact that Sudanese society seems unable to live in peace, as there are always leaders eager to seize power through violence—and they inevitably find support for their ambitions. This, more than anything, effectively prevents the country from developing into a society capable of offering its citizens decent living conditions.

However, a glimmer of hope may lie in the fact that Western Europeans also waged wars for centuries, fighting under the banners of various kings, emperors, or power-seekers, destroying and pillaging as they went. Yet, since the Second World War, they have managed to maintain peace and improve living conditions for nearly 80 years.

Could the same be possible for Sudan?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Uncertain Horizons: Syria's Post-Assad Era
History of Finland XII: Bloody civil war
History of Finland III: The legal and economic weakening of the position of the people

Finland Must Avoid Ukraine’s Fate

The Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces, General Janne Jaakkola, reminded us Finns that we must never find ourselves in the same situation as Ukraine is in right now. In other words, we should avoid having to repel a full-scale Russian attack as an underdog, where losses in personnel and equipment do not matter.

He also emphasized that the structures of Finnish society must be such that Russia cannot influence the country’s population or infrastructure, even in a wartime scenario. This view has certainly been noted by the current government, as well as by the opposition, and it will not go without impact.

Finland’s defense naturally relies on the strong will of its citizens to defend the country, on high-performance equipment, as well as on the bilateral defense agreement (DCA) signed with the United States and the security guarantees provided by NATO membership. In relation to the latter – according to the Commander of the Defence Forces – discussions are currently underway regarding the nationalities and composition of the forces to be stationed in Finland.

The general also stated that Russia does not pose an immediate military threat to Finland at the moment. However, he expressed concern that we do not have a clear understanding of Russia’s future intentions in Finland or elsewhere.

This is also understood by ordinary Finns, as NATO is, according to a recent survey, the fourth most trusted institution in Finland, following the Defence Forces, the police, and the education system. This reflects the fact that living next to an irresponsible great power helps Finns prioritize things – and security can only come first in this regard.

In relation to what I’ve written above, I’ve sometimes had to answer questions about why the Finnish will to defend is exceptionally high. I believe it largely stems from some form of national memory, where key factors include the seemingly endless suffering during Sweden’s great power era when Finns were sent to die across Europe at the whims of the king.

In this regard, I see the final stages of that era in the early 18th century as particularly significant, when – while Finnish soldiers were fighting elsewhere – the Russians occupied Finland twice (Great Wrath and Russo-Swedish war (1741-1743), looting, raping, killing, and taking women and children as slaves in large numbers. This is something that we absolutely do not want to see repeated ever again.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A Message From and To Vladimir Putin
Defending National Security: Finland's Response to Hybrid Warfare
History of Finland IV: The bleakest time in Finnish history