Treating With Sinwar?

The pressure from the Biden-Harris camp for a ceasefire in Gaza is shocking, coming as it does as Israel appears to be closing in on the architect of October 7, Yahya Sinwar. By putting the squeeze on the Jewish state, the Biden-Harris administration appears intent on snatching a defeat of Israel from the jaws of victory. Their sense that Hamas is entitled to a seat at the table is preposterous — especially because the terrorists have no interest in pulling up a chair.Ms. Harris and President Biden appear to have their eyes on an August 15 parley meant to hammer out an agreement. Prime Minister Netanyahu promises that Israel will send a delegation to the talks, though he is playing the Jewish state’s cards close to the vest. Why shouldn’t he? Hamas on Sunday announced that it would not attend. America is forcing Israel to negotiate against itself, just when it has Sinwar on the ropes. Meanwhile, Vice President Harris, buoyed by polls, declared at a rally on Saturday after Israel struck a Hamas command center embedded in a school that “yet again, far too many civilians have been killed. We need a hostage deal, and we need a cease-fire. The deal needs to get done, and it needs to get done now.” Set aside Hamas’s disregard for the president’s plan. Israel has a multi-party democracy working on the question of a deal. “There is no further time to waste nor excuses from any party for further delay,” is the language of a bull issued by America’s leaders and those of Qatar and Egypt. Also aboard seems to be Iran, whose mission to the United Nations is for “establishing a durable ceasefire in Gaza and the withdrawal of the occupiers.” What is the issue that brings that combination of leaders together? Why are they in such an all-fired the rush?Hamas could calculate, as our Benny Avni observes, that despite its deteriorating position — Sinwar was recently promoted after Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated at Tehran — the Americans are intent on foisting the same deal on Israel as before. Sinwar’s camarilla, though, is decimated, and the IDF appear to be redoubling their efforts at Khan Younis. This could be an indication that they are closing in on Sinwar’s lair. That brings us back to the question of whether the Biden-Harris administration is going to treat with Sinwar even as Israel’s armed forces work to deliver to him his desserts. The broader point is that is it difficult to see as anything but a victory for Hamas the imposition on the Jewish state of a deal that spares Sinwar — and Iran. Mr. Biden sought to deter Israel before, at Rafah. The Jewish state persisted, and gains were achieved.It is those gains — and others throughout Gaza — that Mr. Netanyahu contends would bring Sinwar to the negotiating table. That approach appears to have been vindicated. Ms. Harris’s view from the stump, though, has sight lines only for her party’s left flank. She hopes to appease it sufficiently to win them to her bid for the White House. Israel, after a year of war, would be within its rights to refuse to negotiate any terms save Hamas’ surrender.

Treating With Sinwar?

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