I spoke about this specific issue – the importance of verifiable/transparent intelligence assessment when driving and/or reporting on policy particularly in conflict zones like what we see today in GAZA – links below. This particular exchange with U.S. State Department Spokesperson Mathiew Miller about the sexual abuse of women still captive by Hamas and that being the reason for them not being released. Of course its no secret that Hamas already released many women/children during previous pauses with no indication of mistreatment and the suggestion from them was that in the last iteration of negotiations terms of release with regards to hostages associated with military personnel was under discussion when negotiations broke down by one party or the other – you can verify this online. You can also make your own judgement on this issue and assess the demeanour of the spokesperson when confronted with the question but what is clear at least to me is that the U.S. is running policy on conjecture and/or assessments of a party in the conflict that has yet to provide any evidence and has a dismal track recored in reporting facts pertaining to the conflict within the occupied territories and a war zone where foreign journalists are only allowed to report when accompanied by the IDF personnel. For me having critical policy decisions with direct impact on national security being driven by narratives rather than based on facts is officially propagated disinformation/a catastrophe of the highest order and it needs to be treated as a completely separate issue that requires immediate attention and accountability whether it happens in the U.S, Europe and anywhere else but particularly nations considered beacons for Democracy and rule of law. The problem we see being repeated time and again in this specific conflict is that it is being internalised by governments in the west that have already taken sides and are applying false narratives which they’re trying to defend irrespective of actual realities driving the conflict and the devastations resulting from it. OK, so what; you may ask. Well, indeed nothing in the short term beyond the threat of widening the conflict. As for medium-long term implications; well here again nothing beyond countries undermining their own values, reputation, political leverage and more importantly their own security/national interests within and beyond their borders. As I repeated previously this conflict needs resolution and no more containment because its toxic effect is reaching far/wide and systematically dismantling long held/fundamental belief/values; if you believe buildings/neighbourhoods in GAZA and occupied territories are the only things being demolished without recognition may I respectfully suggest that you think again…and think hard. More importantly, as I mentioned in previous post containment (vs. resolution) means kicking the can down the road at a point when we’re slowly reaching the end of that old/cracking road. A final/meaningful resolution on the other hand must be both a fair/just resolution for all parties based on the 2 state framework already defined and one that involves key players in the region so that its done within a wider context of genuine peace for the entire region.
But then again I may be totally wrong and all will be well by Christmas.