Friday, November 16, 2012

What is Hamas doing? Watch the circus, not the sideshow

How does Hamas firing rockets at Jerusalem help Hamas?

Not much.

Yes a rocket barrage to express rage at the assassination of Ahmed Jabari makes some sense. It is a proportionate response. But rockets at Jerusalem? It screams out "come and retake Gaza so Israel is safe". Hamas doesn't benefit.

Only Iran benefits.

By causing a distraction for Israel in Gaza they buy time to finish building an atomic bomb.

I suspect Israel is smart enough to see that.

Remember don't watch the sideshow. Watch the circus.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Iran is nowhere near completing a nuke. Threats that they are getting close is just a Likudnik talking point.

The real issue here is that Hamas wants to influence the Israeli election to keep Bibi in power. They are extremists, and the only thing they hate more than extreme right-wing Israelis are moderate/left-wing Israelis who might restart the peace process. Hamas (and Bibi) are enemies of peace, and share the objective of keeping the conflict going, and keeping each other in power.

Anyone other than Bibi winning the Israeli election would put Hamas' power at grave risk of being replaced by more moderate folks, as such, they are determined to enrage the Israeli population into re-electing Bibi and taking the risk of peace off the table.

The only question is: Will Israelis fall for it?

James C Morton said...

Interesting. I am posting to the main blog

Anonymous said...

The unchampioned scenario seems far more likely;
Israel advertising 65% of Gaza in their hands in tourism material, confirming for many, long suspected Israeli lustings/overt plays, of total control over Gaza without the presence of Palestinians are soon to be fulfilled.