[New York Times] Steven Erlanger - Hamas militants in Gaza seem to have taken a lesson from last summer's war in Lebanon on how to use rockets against Israeli civilians. There are significant voices inside the Israeli security establishment who warn that, rockets aside, Hamas is organizing a buildup of weapons, reinforced tunnels and explosive materiel in Gaza that resembles Hizbullah's efforts in southern Lebanon in recent years. Sooner or later, they argue, Israel will have to confront Hamas in a serious way inside Gaza, especially since Fatah is failing to do so. But with the Palestinian unity government of Hamas and Fatah in tatters after fierce factional infighting, there is no obvious Palestinian address for Israel to apply pressure. Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, to whom the Israelis and Americans speak, appears weaker after the infighting.
2007-05-25 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive