Does Hamas' New Leader Portend War in Gaza?

(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Yoni Ben Menachem - Yahya Sinwar has become the number-one leader of Hamas in Gaza. On Feb. 14, he boasted: "I will make Netanyahu cry." Avi Dichter, former head of the Israel Security Agency and current head of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, called Sinwar "Sheikh of the Murderers" and expressed regret that Israel had not assassinated him in the past, asserting that "even today he is not immune." Hamas fears that Israel will look for the right opportunity to do away with Sinwar. The new Gaza leadership is mostly made up of senior leaders of the military wing and pro-Iranian political figures. Sinwar's deputy Khalil al-Hayya is one of Iran's supporters. Dr. Mahmoud al-Zahar is Iran's strongest backer in the Hamas top echelon.


2017-02-17 00:00:00

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