Malcolm Hoenlein to Newsmax: Hamas Making Cease-Fire Impossible

Hamas has created a series of markers that could make it impossible to reach a cease-fire deal, Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, tells Newsmax.

"Israel has been very consistent in its objectives following the Oct. 7 massacre of its citizens, and I think the universal concern of the neighbors in the region, Arab neighbors, others, and the people of Gaza is that Hamas will emerge again to be able to dictate to their people," Hoenlein told Monday's "The Record With Greta Van Susteren." "Support for Hamas is not support for the Palestinian people."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office Sunday outlined Jerusalem's red lines in the ongoing negotiations, including the ability to resume fighting until all of Israel's war goals have been met, ending arms smuggling through Egypt into Gaza, maximizing the number of hostages taken on Oct. 7 to be returned, and refusing to return terrorists to Gaza's north, according to Netanyahu's office.

"Netanyahu put down the markers again, but just to remind everyone also, Hamas put down a series of markers which could well make it impossible to make a deal," said Hoenlein.

The people of Gaza are pressuring Hamas and in Lebanon, people are pushing Hezbollah to end the war, he added.

"You don't read about it very much but they are really making demands that they don't want this war to continue," said Hoenlein. "They want the leadership which lives in luxury in Qatar, to be held accountable."

Meanwhile, the immediate objective is for Israel to get the hostages back, said Hoenlein.

"Israel is willing to take the chance on a cease-fire, knowing that the partner they're engaging in is a terrorist entity that has lied consistently," he said. "You reported that criticism of Israel by them for responding to the attacks, but they don't talk about the missiles. They continue to launch the attacks."

Further, Hamas continues to smuggle in missiles in the south, and in the north Hezbollah has 150,000 missiles, said Hoenlein.

"It's all controlled by Iran," he added. "The real deal here is to get the people back, to try to get a period where they can rebuild and Israel can again reassess its position."

Hamas has also repeated broken cease-fires, said Hoenlein.

"People still think that Israel was occupying Gaza," he added. "There wasn't a single soldier, a single civilian in Gaza on Oct. 6. This was a vicious attack, long-planned, supported by Iran, that killed 1,200 innocent people. And Israel cannot allow a circumstance to be recreated where they would have a chance to do it again as they explicitly say they will."

Meanwhile, the top three Hamas leaders "have about $9 billion in banks," said Hoenlein.

"The people of Gaza pay the price for it."

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