Why Israel’s demand for Hamas to disarm is a red herring

In mid-April, Egypt delivered Israel’s latest proposal to Hamas: a temporary, 45-day truce in exchange for the release of 12 Israeli captives and 16 bodies. This time, however, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu added a condition that prompted Hamas to immediately reject the offer — a demand for the group’s complete disarmament, without any commitment to ending the war, withdrawing Israeli forces from Gaza, or halting the ethnic cleansing.

The truth is,…