(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Dore Gold - Hamas, with massive aid from Iran, doubled its rocket arsenal since Operation Cast Lead in 2009 and acquired the Iranian Fajr-5 rocket with a range of 46.6 miles, putting Tel Aviv in striking distance. In addition, the Arab Spring has led to the greater availability of weapons stocks from collapsed regimes in the international arms market. Russian SA-7 (Strella) shoulder-fired, anti-aircraft missiles were introduced into the Hamas arsenal after the fall of Gaddafi, and in October 2012, an SA-7 was fired from Gaza for the first time at an Israeli helicopter. In recent weeks, Hamas' sense of international isolation has changed as well, with visits to Gaza by the Emir of Qatar and the leader of the Tunisian Salafist party. The writer, a former Israeli ambassador to the UN, is the president of the Jerusalem Center.
2012-11-15 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive