Palestinians are oppressed. But Hamas does not protect them | Dan Perry

Dan Perry analyzes the two main interpretations of October 7: one, that the massacre proved coexistence is impossible; the other, that leaving the conflict unresolved will repeatedly breed disaster. He argues that Hamas does not protect Palestinians but is part of the reason for their plight, yet also that the unbearable Palestinian reality explains support for the atrocities. Perry ties the choice between interpretations to the Israeli voter's decision in upcoming elections.

Dan Perry presents an analysis of the two main interpretations of the events of October 7. The first interpretation holds that the massacre proved the conflict is unsolvable, given the joy displayed by Hamas terrorists and Palestinian public support for the atrocities. The second interpretation argues that leaving millions of Palestinians in their unbearable condition will repeatedly breed disaster. Perry emphasizes that Hamas does not protect Palestinians but is a central part of the reason for their plight, and its goal is not the establishment of a Palestinian state but the elimination of Israel. However, he argues that understanding Hamas's nature does not make the Palestinian reality reasonable: in the West Bank, Palestinians live under Israeli military control alongside settlers, and in Gaza, over two million Palestinians have lived under a heavy siege since 2006. Perry ties the choice between interpretations to the upcoming elections in Israel, presenting them as a choice between a permanent cycle of death and a chance for something else.