Israeli general says Hamas has no intention of giving up its weapons

Israeli reserve Major General Amos Gilad, former head of the Political-Military Affairs Bureau at the Defence Ministry, has criticised what he described as a gap between the Israeli army’s military achievements and the policies pursued by the government, warning that Hamas is not actually moving towards giving up its weapons but is instead manoeuvring politically to ensure its survival.

Speaking to Roni Bar-On and Maya Ziv Wolf on their programme on 103 FM radio, Gilad said Hamas might make statements suggesting it is prepared to disarm, but “has no intention of disappearing”. He said the movement was seeking to use negotiations and different political positions to preserve its presence.

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Maariv on Thursday quoted Gilad as saying that after years of war, Hamas should have disappeared, arguing that its continued existence was, in his view, both a political failure and a security challenge. 

Gilad said Hamas “says all kinds of things” to ensure its survival, adding that, in his assessment, it was prepared to take part in the elections announced for the West Bank on 27 November because its primary goal was to maintain its presence.

He added that the movement views various political tracks as a means of survival before returning to what he described as an “uncompromising line”, saying its ultimate goal “is to destroy Israel”.

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