Likud materially supports Hamas, in my opinion specifically because of their propensity for violence that was useful to Likud’s goals of sabotaging the peace process.
Increasing the violence and repression as a solution to terrorism hasn’t been working for decades in Israel; it’s unlikely that doing more of it would suddenly start working now
Your whole premise that Netanyahu is aiming to increase the safety of the Israelis is totally at odds with his actual behavior
It’s not divide and conquer, that implies keeping multiple groups at parity and fighting each other. Israel intentionally kept the crazies in charge to undermine the viability of a Palestinian state.
The rivalry continues to today, as detailed in the link it seems like you didn’t read.
In March 2024, Hamas and its allied groups in the Gaza Strip criticized Abbas’ appointment of Mohamed Mustafa as the Palestinian Authority’s new prime minister following Mohammed Shtayyeh’s resignation. They issued a statement referring to the changes as “formal steps that are devoid of substance” and questioned the Palestinian Authority’s ability to properly represent the Palestinian people. In response, Fatah condemned Hamas as being itself disconnected from the Palestinian people and accused them of “having caused the return of the Israeli occupation of Gaza” by “undertaking the October 7 adventure”.
Later that month, Hamas accused Fatah of sending security officers into northern Gaza in collaboration with Israel, saying it had arrested six individuals and were “in pursuit” of the others. The Palestinian Authority issued a statement refuting the claims by Hamas.
But Hamas won, they completely control the ‘unity’ government and Fatah have vastly less power. If divide and conquer was the goal Netanyahu would have been funneling resources to Fatah and not Hamas. But he has consistently empowered Hamas because the international community can’t accept a Hamas-led state.
Likud materially supports Hamas, in my opinion specifically because of their propensity for violence that was useful to Likud’s goals of sabotaging the peace process.
Yes, they tried to divide and conquer but it backfired, I don’t think they’re doing that anymore.
It’s not divide and conquer, that implies keeping multiple groups at parity and fighting each other. Israel intentionally kept the crazies in charge to undermine the viability of a Palestinian state.
They did exactly that, the two groups kept at parity and fighting each other were Fatah and Hamas.
That ended over 15 years ago.
The rivalry continues to today, as detailed in the link it seems like you didn’t read.
But Hamas won, they completely control the ‘unity’ government and Fatah have vastly less power. If divide and conquer was the goal Netanyahu would have been funneling resources to Fatah and not Hamas. But he has consistently empowered Hamas because the international community can’t accept a Hamas-led state.