Dr. Mordechai Kedar Warns Israel Against Trusting Hamas in Any Agreement
In an interview with Channel 7, Dr. Mordechai Kedar, an expert on Middle Eastern affairs, cautioned against placing trust in Hamas amid ongoing talks of a potential agreement. He emphasized that any deal with Hamas should be viewed as at best a temporary ceasefire rather than a genuine peace treaty, warning that the organization historically treats agreements as tactical tools rather than binding commitments. Kedar referenced the Hudaybiyyah Treaty as a model Hamas and similar Islamist groups follow, which they consider void once power dynamics shift in their favor.
Kedar stressed that Hamas has a long record of violating agreements, especially towards non-Muslims, using deception and delay to achieve its goals. He argued that Israel should avoid signing agreements with Hamas unless it serves a broader strategic interest, such as advancing diplomatic achievements with the United States. Even then, he warned, Israel must not mistake such deals for true peace but rather see them as strategic maneuvers.
He also highlighted a common Western mistake of assuming Hamas shares similar goals of peace and prosperity, while Hamas’s ultimate aim remains the destruction of Israel. Kedar insisted that any agreement must include strict enforcement mechanisms, where even minor violations, like smuggling a single weapon, would immediately nullify the deal and justify a military response. He called for comprehensive clauses preventing Hamas from rebuilding its military capabilities, including banning weapons training and infrastructure reconstruction.
Drawing parallels to the peace treaty with Egypt, Kedar noted that enforcement is key, with harsh and uncompromising responses to breaches deterring violations. Regarding the possible expulsion of senior Hamas leaders from Gaza as part of a future arrangement, Kedar acknowledged it as a positive step but warned it would not solve the problem entirely, as new leaders would eventually emerge to continue Hamas’s agenda.
