By Roger L Simon
Breaking for the whole world today is the news that Hamas is agreeing to some of President Trump’s 20-point proposal to end the Gaza War, most notably the release of all hostages, living and dead.
For many of us who have been following the behavior of Islamic terrorists over recent decades, the word “hudna” has resonance, even unique importance.
Hudna is an Arabic term for “calm” or “quiet.” But as our sometime friends at Grok point out, “In contemporary politics, it’s notably used by groups like Hamas to describe extended ceasefires in conflicts, such as the Israeli-Palestinian one, as a tactical pause rather than a permanent peace.”
That’s a polite definition. I’ve seen hudna defined as a deliberate deception designed to lull the enemy into complacency, especially in times of great danger, as Hamas is in at this moment from an impending Israeli attack that President Trump would have given his imprimatur.
Maybe there’s something overly cynical in me. Still, unlike President Trump, who is tonight trumpeting success almost to the extent of “peace in our time,” I see the possibility of a hudna that will collapse in a matter of days, not weeks.
Notably, the original Trump plan called for Hamas to disarm. Not surprisingly, their response makes no mention of that. What we have, via the New York Times, is that Hamas is ready to free the hostages, “according to the exchange formula continued in President Trump’s proposal, and as the field conditions for the exchange are met.”
What these “field conditions” might be is not specified. In fact, it’s hard to say precisely what “field conditions” even means. Additionally, it was made clear that 72 hours would not be sufficient to resolve the issues; how long would be adequate—probably quite a while. (It took over five years for Hamas to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. We’re just about to hit two years since October 7, 2023, with some 48 of the living and dead still languishing in the tunnels.)
Is Hamas playing for time? Undoubtedly. It’s what they do.
To be fair to our president, who has just assured us that Hamas suddenly “wants peace” and has told Israel to stop bombing immediately, his strategy makes some sense in the short run. He has also lavished praise on Arab “allies”—Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and so forth—who have supposedly helped obtain this peace. Maybe so. (I am always suspicious of the duplicitous Qatar.)
That strategy is to make everybody feel good for now in the hopes that it will continue to pay off and grow, so that Hamas can be maneuvered. It’s the Art of the Middle East Deal.
But it’s hard not to weigh the president’s optimism against the recent event in Manchester, UK, a man named Jihad taking out his Hamas-like Jew hatred on some innocent congregants outside the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue during Yom Kippur services. Two died and three others were seriously injured. One of those who died was at the hands of the local police, who also shot the terrorist.
Only the day before that, New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, appearing on “The View,” earned audience applause for calling the Gaza War a “genocide.”
I’m not going to go into the absurdity of that here except to note that if Mr. Mamdani is that interested in genocide, he should read the Hamas charter. Or consider for what purpose the so-called Hamas Metro was built with billions in “borrowed” aid money, including from the U.S. and all those Arab friends of “peace.”
This is the atmosphere in which Israel is being asked to trust Hamas. We shall see what transpires. That is what President Trump, beneath all his hosannas, was saying subtextually. This is a test. And I suspect, if Hamas fails, he is prepared to act.
Will it be a hudna or genuine peace? I am praying for peace, of course, praying hard, but, to be honest, preparing psychologically for an attenuated hudna.
What’s the old phrase? Praise God, but pass the ammunition?
First published in American Refugees
One Response
Of course it’s a hudna. It can’t be anything else. Mohammedans do NOT make permanent ‘peace’ with Infidels. 1400 years of bitter experience ought to have shown, by now, that any infidel person, organisation or state who enters into ANY sort of ‘agreement’ with a mohammedan person, organisation or state – and having done so, relies upon same – is being very, very foolish. EVERY non-muslim person, organisation and state (and most especially every non-Muslim law enforcement agency and army and those in charge of same) needs to learn about the Treaty of Hudaybiyya and its significance for all subsequent mohammedan ‘treaty-making’ with Infidels. Mohammedans make ‘deals’ treaties whatever, ONLY when they are feeling weak and need a timeout in order to regroup and rearm. They regard themselves as under NO obligation to honour such deals in perpetuity; the instant that they are strong enough to resume full-on annihilatory Jihad, they will and they do. That is why I am deeply sceptical of the long-term prospects of the so-called ‘abraham accords’. No ‘hudna’ is supposed to last longer than ten years… The Israelis should NOT rely on those ‘accords’. America needs to be figuring out how to disentangle itself from any sort of reliance upon, or even relationship with, Mohammedan entities, up to and including Turkey, Pakistan, Qatar, Dubai, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, you-name-it. All such relationships, historically, have ended badly for the infidel party involved. Cordon off the ummah section by section and treat it like North Korea… The basic rule for infidels, grimly in the light of 1400 years of horrendously bloody history on three continents (now on all inhabited continents) has to be this: keep all mohammedans at arm’s length (DON’T permit them inside the gates), fortify and defend your borders, and never turn your back nor drop your guard for so much as a second. 7th October 2023 is an illustration of what happens if your vigilance and your fortifications are not relentlessly maintained.