(Asia Times-Hong Kong) Shaiel Ben-Ephraim - The high level of violence near the Gaza border cannot be explained through the presence of Israeli troops. To put the demonstrations into context, organized protests against the U.S. embassy move have taken place throughout Israel and the West Bank as well. Some have been violent. However, there were no casualties in these clashes. The significant death toll is a Gazan phenomenon. The despair of individuals is not a potent political tool in and of itself. In order to be effective, the demonstrations must be supported and directed from above. In other words, Hamas is weaponizing desperation. Historically, one of the secrets of the early success of Hamas was their ability to provide better education or healthcare than the Palestinian Authority. The governance failure of Hamas in Gaza has completely eliminated this advantage.
2018-05-18 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive