[ICA/JCPA] Brig.-Gen. (res.) Shalom Harari - There is a growing strategic alliance between Iran and the radical Palestinian forces in the territories. Iran is involved in supporting both the Islamic factions and Fatah. Today, at least 40% of Fatah's different fighting groups are also paid by Hizbullah and Iran. Hamas Prime Minister Haniyeh does not speak from the parliament. Rather, he makes his declarations from the mosque every Friday. The Arabs are very aware of the images they project. The head of the government preaching from the mosque creates the image of a new caliphate being built inside Gaza. Hamas thinks it can build a new southern Lebanon in Gaza, and this is what it is busy doing. Hamas is seeking to build anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems that will neutralize Israel's current ability to easily penetrate Gaza, by using new kinds of missiles that were used in Lebanon. Hamas is also trying to fortify the cities in Gaza in which it has its main rocket and weapons factories. The IDF will have to enter Gaza in a very wide-scale operation in the next year. The big question is whether to do it now or wait, like Israel did in Lebanon - and look at the results.
2007-03-12 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive