At the end of 2008 and in early 2009, Israel already fought a war against Hamas. Only a regime change in the Gaza strip would have “justified” such a large scale operation which caused the death of some 1400 people. Now, in July 2014, is Israel about to start another war against Hamas?
Netanyahu’s close ally, Avigdor Lieberman dismantled the Likud-Beitenu faction because he was for a stronger reaction towards attacks from the Gaza strip. In addition, he needed a boost in the polls. According to news sources, not only Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, but also Economy Minister Naftali Bennett had immediately asked for a ground offensive and a re-occupation of the Gaza strip.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was said to have opted for a position of restraint. But after some 60 rockets were fired within an hour from the Gaza strip onto Israel and Hamas even took responsibility for some of the attacks, Netanyahu could no longer upheld his position of restraint. In the night from July 7 to July 8, 2014, the Israeli air force attacked some 50 targets in the Gaza strip.
The spokesman of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), Peter Lerner, said today, July 8, 2014: The IDF had “commenced Operation Protective Edge in Gaza against Hamas in order to stop the terror Israel’s citizens face on a daily basis.” Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said that the campaign was likely to last more than just a few days.
The government called up 1,500 reservists today and, in addition, authorized the military later in the day to mobilize up to 40,000 additional reservists if needed. Is a ground offensive in preparation? Has the Israeli leadership learned from the mistakes from the war against Hamas in 2008/09. Is Israel ready to go for a regime change in the Gaza strip? The Israeli government is not happy with the new Palestinian government, built of technocrats, with the backing of both Hamas and Fatah. The massive rocket attacks by Hamas and other extremists from the Gaza strip onto Israel would be an excellent pretext, at least in the Israeli public opinion, to opt for a ground attack with the goal of a regime change.
With a population of 1.5 million people on a tiny strip of land in Gaza, “Hamastan” is impossible to attack and conquer without killing many civilians, including innocent children.
The 80 rockets and mortars fired from Gaza onto Israel on the evening of July 7, 2014 may just have been a first taste of what is to come. IDF experts estimate that some 10,000 rockets, both homemade and imported, are in the hands of Hamas and other extremists in the Gaza strip.
For the moment, the IDF spokesman Peter Lerner said about a ground invasion: “I don’t see that happening immediately.” He added that Israel was “watching to see what the reaction is with Hamas, to see how they respond to our steps.” In short, the IDF attacks on some 50 targets in the Gaza strip was meant to be a warning to Hamas.
However, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said: “We will not tolerate missiles being fired at Israeli towns and we are prepared to extend the operation with all means at our disposal in order to keep hitting Hamas.” And a source in the Israeli prime minister’s office was quoted by news media as saying: “The IDF must be ready to go all the way. All options are on the table, including a ground invasion.”
Today, on the evening of July 8, 2014, the Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warned his fellow citizens in a recorded video statement that the operation against Hamas “may take time”. He added: “From the perspective of the terrorist organizations, all of Israel is part of one front, and all Israeli citizens are targets. Therefore, we must stand together as one – united and sure of the justice of our cause. We are acting with determination …. and will continue to do so until the quiet is restored, so that our citizens and children can live in security.” PM Netanyahu added that he had decided to attack only after all other efforts to restore the quiet were ignored and Hamas had opted for the path of escalation. The Israeli prime minister said that the IDF’s actions were only aimed at Hamas, not at innocent children. He stressed that Hamas was intentionally hiding behind Palestinian civilians.
In that, the PM was right since, in the 2008/9 war already, Hamas had hidden behind innocent civilians too.
Hamas is isolated. The Egyptian President Morsi was toppled quite some time ago. Other sources of political and financial support are drying up too. The increased isolation was the main reason why Hamas accepted to back the new Palestinian government. If you are already in a hole, you stop digging. Why did Hamas fire rockets into Israel? It looks like a suicide mission. Has Hamas lost control over other extremist groups or more violent elements within its own organization?
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2019. Photo: US State Department. This photo is in the public domain.
Article added on July 8, 2014 at 21:14 CET
