Opinion: Radical forces gain from Gaza war

Naser Schruf

Escalating violence between Israelis and Palestinians will only give more impetus to radical forces across the entire region, says DW's Naser Schruf. Voices of reason are getting lost in the uproar.

Who wouldn't understand the suffering of the parents of the three murdered young Israelis and the Palestinian teenager, found burned alive a few days later. But revenge and collective retribution are the wrong answers to the doings of ideologically deluded extremists.

The mutual attacks on Gazan and Israeli cities haven't managed to alleviate human suffering, and they won't do so in the future. To the contrary: the suffering is getting worse, and so are the feelings of hatred on both sides. If the escalation continues, it's likely there will be even more parents who grieve for their murdered children - not less.

Rockets don't guarantee safety

Neither air strikes nor ground offensives will bring peace and safety to the Holy Land. Israel made an attempt along those lines in early 2009, when troops marched into Gaza in the framework of the Cast Lead operation. Three weeks later, the Israelis were forced to withdraw under increasing international pressure.

The outcome was shocking: More than 1,500 dead on the Palestinian side alone, and destruction to an extent that has not been remedied to this day. Despite use of state-of-the-art weapons systems, Israel's 2009 and 2012 military operations neither solved the conflict, nor noticeably increase Israel's safety. Radicalizing the region

Every rocket fired - regardless of which side it comes from - will increase radicalization and the readiness to use violence. Extremist and terrorist groups in the entire region will profit from this. Groups like the jihadist ISIS, with its self-proclaimed "caliphate," already consider themselves the true winners of the Arab revolutions. They're omnipresent - in Iraq and Syria, as well as Yemen and Somalia - or even in Egypt on the Sinai Peninsula, just a stone's throw from Gaza.

Radical groups on Sinai have the closest ties to their ideological allies in Gaza, and are already rubbing their hands in anticipation. Armed conflict with Israel - what could be better for recruiting jihadists who are prepared to use violence? This comes flanked with images of dead women and children flooding social networks and the television screens of the major pan-Arabic broadcasters.

Unfortunately, the situation for many Palestinians is so frustrating that voices of reason get lost in the babble. This includes systematic expansion of settlements in Palestinian regions, continual mass arrests, strengthening of hardliners in Israeli politics over the past decade, as well as dwindling prospects for any sort of peace agreement. Such factors weaken moderate forces, like Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, benefiting hardliners and extremists in the entire Mideast.

Impotent cries from the West

And the West? Powerless pleas are all that come internationally. The European Union and United States warn of further escalation, and call for restraint from the parties involved in the conflict. We've heard this a thousand times - but it actually occurs far too rarely.

Instead, what is needed is decisiveness and a sense of urgency: In light of the unpredictable situations in Iraq and Syria, it's time for the West to realize that the entire region could sink into chaos, especially if the "ancient conflict" in the Holy Land escalates further, providing fodder for extremists in the whole region.

There are no two ways about it: Palestinians and Israelis must come back to the negotiating table as quickly as possible. And both sides must be pressured - equally.