(New Republic) Dennis Ross - There is a good chance the calm that has been restored in Gaza will last for at least the next several months and perhaps longer. Hamas knows that Israel means what it says about a red line and Egypt does as well. Having brokered the cease-fire deal, Egypt has a strong stake in it not breaking down any time soon. The bad news is that Hamas' arsenal in Gaza will be rebuilt. True, Prime Minister Netanyahu garnered a commitment from the Obama Administration to do what it can to stop the smuggling of arms, but Iran, Islamic Jihad and Hamas are likely to succeed over time in rebuilding the arsenal in Gaza. What's clear is that Hamas' interest in preserving calm with Israel does not equate to an interest in making peace. The writer previously served as special assistant to President Obama and senior director at the National Security Council.
2012-11-27 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive