|
Trending Topics
|
Reasons for the Offensive Against Hamas
(Ha'aretz) Ze'ev Schiff - Hamas emerged from the Cairo talks with the upper hand. Its leaders feel the organization received Egyptian legitimization by the very fact that it was invited to Cairo. The firing of Qassam rockets at Sderot, which is within the 1967 Green Line, left Israel no choice but to launch an offensive. The European suggestion-cum-complaint - that Israel refrain from responding - should be seen as crude interference. How would they react if towns in their countries were shelled? Hamas offered to stop firing rockets at Sderot if Israel stopped its raids in the Gaza Strip; in other words, Hamas viewed Sderot as a hostage. Even if the deal had been accepted, Hamas would have sought to continue attacks along the security fence, at border crossings, and against Israeli army units and Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip. Hamas believes that they can use the rockets to achieve a kind of mutual deterrence vis-a-vis Israel. In this they are guided by the Hizballah, whose rockets that target Galilee communities have led Israel to be more cautious in its operations and responses in Lebanon.