Israel could never ‘eliminate’ Hamas, Palestinian professor says 

A Palestinian-American historian of the Middle East and the Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University, Rashid Khalidi, said it is “impossible” for Israel to eliminate the Islamic resistance movement Hamas.

In an interview with Democracy Now, Khalidi said: “Hamas will not be eliminated no matter what Israel does in Gaza.” He explained that even if Israel defeats the entire Hamas military network and kills every fighter, Hamas will continue as a political movement and will continue to receive support.

“The idea that what Hamas did on October 7 has excluded it from Palestinian rule is an Israeli, European and American fantasy,” he said.

He explained that history proved that negotiations only take place with those who carry “weapons”.

“You could not have done that in Ireland, you had to bring in the IRA, you could not have done that in South Africa, you had to bring in the ANC, you could not have done that in Algeria, you had to bring in the Liberation Front. These groups, which have carried out horrific attacks against civilians, have been described as terrorists or bandits, but the only people you really need to negotiate with are the people with weapons.”

He pointed out that US leaders are angering “entire generations” in the Arab world and beyond, because of their absolute support for the Israeli occupation in its aggression against the Gaza Strip.

Watch: Israeli military officer says Israel must invade Gaza to destroy Hamas