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Source: http://www.totallyjewish.com/news/special_reports/?content_id=11019
The Impact of Israel's Gaza Mini-War
[Totally Jewish-UK] Gerald Steinberg - In Gaza, the stated goals were deliberately limited. One-third of the country withstood missile attacks for three weeks. Israel took Hamas by surprise, overcoming the array of explosives and weapons placed in, around, and under houses, hospitals, mosques, and schools. Key terrorist leaders were killed. The diplomatic initiatives - led by French President Sarkozy, with his European counterparts - provided a theatrical diversion with little substance. This intense motion propped up Mubarak's crumbling regime, and created a facade of international cooperation in preventing Iran from rearming Hamas. In parallel, the continuing demonization of Israel and anti-Semitism that accompanied the war reinforced Israeli distrust of Europe. Dozens of groups funded by European governments falsely blamed Israel for a "humanitarian crisis," while ignoring the import and manufacture of thousands of rockets under Hamas. The writer is chairman of political studies at Bar-Ilan University and executive director of NGO Monitor.