(BESA Center for Strategic Studies-Bar-Ilan University) Eitan Shamir - Israel's achievements in Operation Pillar of Defense include its ability to surprise Hamas, kill its military leader, and destroy most of its strategic assets. The performance of the Iron Dome anti-missile system and Israel's civilian defense also proved impressive. An important gain for Israel is a reduced fear of repercussions in the aftermath of an attack on Iran. The operation in Gaza also proved Israel's determination to act forcefully in the post-"Arab Spring" environment. However, the next round is only a matter of time. The writer is a professor of political studies at Bar-Ilan University and a senior research associate at the BESA Center.
2012-12-07 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive