(Institute for Contemporary Affairs-Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Irwin J. Mansdorf - Hamas openly states that it is committed to Israel's elimination. While militarily limited, Hamas employs functional psychological strategies to weaken Israel. As documented in manuals used by Hamas fighters, Palestinian civilian casualties and property destruction are tolerable for Hamas because they serve to engender support for their fighters. This can result in pressure on Israel to cease military operations and then to negotiate cease-fire terms to Hamas' advantage. Israel has been able to withstand much of Hamas' psychological strategy of using civilian deaths to improve its military position. It is important that this strategy not succeed in providing Hamas with tangible gains through misuse of legitimate humanitarian concerns. Humanitarian concern for civilian non-combatants by the media, governments and NGOs is a psychological tool that allows "enabling" of Hamas behavior. The writer is a clinical psychologist and a fellow at the Jerusalem Center.
2014-08-08 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive