For a week now, online news headlines having been suggesting Israel is, once again, about to go to war. As in 2008, 2012 and 2014, the combatants in this new war will be the same-as-before, Hamas vs Israel. The question this time is, will Hamas be able to convince others to join in against Israel?
The most likely candidates to join Hamas against Israel are the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Iran. Will they join? Don't hold your breathe.
But then, maybe the headlines are wrong. Maybe there won't be war.
After more than six months of border riots at the Gaza-Israel fence, and fire kites getting launched into Israel from Gaza, Hamas has ramped up its border-fence violence. On October 12, 2018, Arab rioters at the fence used explosives to blow a hole in that fence so Gazans could rush into Israel (here). IDF troops fired warning shots at about 20 such Arabs (ibid). Most turned around and rushed back behind the fence. But three kept rushing towards an IDF post. They were shot dead.
After more than six months of border riots at the Gaza-Israel fence, and fire kites getting launched into Israel from Gaza, Hamas has ramped up its border-fence violence. On October 12, 2018, Arab rioters at the fence used explosives to blow a hole in that fence so Gazans could rush into Israel (here). IDF troops fired warning shots at about 20 such Arabs (ibid). Most turned around and rushed back behind the fence. But three kept rushing towards an IDF post. They were shot dead.
As one headline suggested on October 15, 2018, Hamas has now turned the Israel-Gaza border into a 24/7 war zone (here). Now, October 17th, it seems increasingly clear that Israel slides ever closer to war. But is this correct?
Seems so. Between the hours of 3:30 AM-10AM (local time) on October 17th, rockets and/or reports of rockets being fired from Gaza into Israel appeared as news alerts. One rocket destroyed a house in Be'er Sheva.
At least two other rockets were reported to have landed in Israel. One landed near a ranch. Another landed 'in the sea'.
Miraculously, no one was seriously injured. Two or three residents (reports differ) from the house destroyed in Be'er Sheva were taken to a local hospital suffering from shock. No one else was reported hurt.
Several more sirens went off in Israel's South. At least one siren was termed a 'false alarm'. By 10 AM local time, Israeli fighter jets had bombed several places in Gaza--each one empty (here). The guess is, those attacks on empty outposts,etc, were deliberate. Is Israel bombing what's empty in an attempt to keep the lid on?
Seems so. Between the hours of 3:30 AM-10AM (local time) on October 17th, rockets and/or reports of rockets being fired from Gaza into Israel appeared as news alerts. One rocket destroyed a house in Be'er Sheva.
At least two other rockets were reported to have landed in Israel. One landed near a ranch. Another landed 'in the sea'.
Miraculously, no one was seriously injured. Two or three residents (reports differ) from the house destroyed in Be'er Sheva were taken to a local hospital suffering from shock. No one else was reported hurt.
Several more sirens went off in Israel's South. At least one siren was termed a 'false alarm'. By 10 AM local time, Israeli fighter jets had bombed several places in Gaza--each one empty (here). The guess is, those attacks on empty outposts,etc, were deliberate. Is Israel bombing what's empty in an attempt to keep the lid on?
In early July, 2014, Israel held its breathe while Hamas and affiliates in Gaza fired 100's of rockets into Israel before Israel finally responded. Israelis are now far less patient. They want action, now.
They want to stop Hamas from attacking. They're fed up. They want Israel's leadership to fight back.
Israelis also don't want Israel to bomb empty buildings. They want Israel to bomb the border-fence rioters.
They want to stop Hamas from attacking. They're fed up. They want Israel's leadership to fight back.
Israelis also don't want Israel to bomb empty buildings. They want Israel to bomb the border-fence rioters.
In Israel, a building anger and a call for action pushes Israel's leadership forward. Already, the two most important people in Israel (regarding war)--the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister--have warned that, if Hamas doesn't cool off, there will be a 'harsh response'.
Hamas' response to such Israel talk--and to the Israeli air attacks? It didn't call for war. Instead, it declared its operatives did not fire a rocket into the Be'er Sheva area (here). Its leading opponent/partner in Gaza, the Islamic Jihad organization, said the same thing (ibid). Both disavowed responsibility.
In addition, a "Senior Hamas official" was quoted as saying that both sides don't want war (here) despite the harsh rhetoric coming from both sides. Sounds like an attempt to keep the lid on, right ?
Maybe not. There's a problem with conciliatory talk from Hamas. Hamas is not a monolithic organization. It's got two 'arms'. One is a political camp. The other is 'military'.
Both of these 'arms' often appear to make opposite statements when it comes to aggression against Israel. Often, the political 'arm' talks about backing away from war. The military 'arm', on the other hand, often continues with its aggression against Israel.
Here's a clue as to who's word counts the most in Gaza: when it come to war, the Hamas military 'arm' typically carries the day, not the Hamas political 'arm'. Reporting to Israel that both sides don't want war may be closer to fake news than hard reality. We don't know.
In addition, a "Senior Hamas official" was quoted as saying that both sides don't want war (here) despite the harsh rhetoric coming from both sides. Sounds like an attempt to keep the lid on, right ?
Maybe not. There's a problem with conciliatory talk from Hamas. Hamas is not a monolithic organization. It's got two 'arms'. One is a political camp. The other is 'military'.
Both of these 'arms' often appear to make opposite statements when it comes to aggression against Israel. Often, the political 'arm' talks about backing away from war. The military 'arm', on the other hand, often continues with its aggression against Israel.
Here's a clue as to who's word counts the most in Gaza: when it come to war, the Hamas military 'arm' typically carries the day, not the Hamas political 'arm'. Reporting to Israel that both sides don't want war may be closer to fake news than hard reality. We don't know.
Hamas is like that. It wants Israel to hear war and quiet. Hamas understands Israelis. Hamas knows how easily Israelis take the bait of 'we don't want escalation'.
While Israel waits, the Gaza border fence looks more and more like a war zone.
Israeli citizens want the fire-kites to stop. They want the border-fence riots to stop. They don't want to see fire-Blimps over Israel (Hamas has announced it's starting to launch fire-Blimps; I'm not sure any have actually been launched). Israelis want quiet restored, not more fires.
Is Hamas trying to push Israel to war? Israeli leaders aren't certain. But--to paraphrase an online reader comment--if Hamas doesn't want war, why is it blowing up the Gaza-Israel border fence? Why is it using fire-kites to burn Israel to the ground?
Stay tuned. This deadly game isn't over.
While Israel waits, the Gaza border fence looks more and more like a war zone.
Israeli citizens want the fire-kites to stop. They want the border-fence riots to stop. They don't want to see fire-Blimps over Israel (Hamas has announced it's starting to launch fire-Blimps; I'm not sure any have actually been launched). Israelis want quiet restored, not more fires.
Is Hamas trying to push Israel to war? Israeli leaders aren't certain. But--to paraphrase an online reader comment--if Hamas doesn't want war, why is it blowing up the Gaza-Israel border fence? Why is it using fire-kites to burn Israel to the ground?
Stay tuned. This deadly game isn't over.
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