Is Hamas Deterred or Patient?

...Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon argues that the fact that Hamas isn’t shooting today – and in fact arrests the shooters – is proof that Hamas is deterred. But deterred from what? Deterred from openly preparing to attack Israel? No. Hamas says that it will pick the time and place to attack the Jewish State. Maybe the time of their choosing simply hasn’t yet come.

Dr. Aaron Lerner..
IMRA Weekly Commentary..
28 May '15





Here are the facts.

You be the judge.

1. Since the end of the war last summer, Hamas has devoted its resources – both financial and physical – on preparing to attack the Jewish State.

2. These resources include building material used for building tunnels and bunkers instead of repairing homes and other structures for the benefit of the Gazan civilian population. This at a time that rival groups in Gaza exploit public dissatisfaction and frustration to draw support away from Hamas.

3. These preparations include a massive tunneling operation both up to (and possibly into) Israel as well as inside the Gaza Strip along with many strategically located bunkers, observation and command and control posts. There is also a huge network if rocket launching positions configured to minimize detection. In addition to a very open rocket development and production operation and active UAV program, Hamas is also pouring resources into openly training its ever growing army for the day Hamas participates in the invasion of Israel. And this is just what we see.


4. All of these activities are in compliance with the “quiet for quiet” arrangement between Hamas and Israel. In point of fact, under “quiet for quiet” there is literally nothing Hamas is prohibited from doing in preparation for the next conflict – as long as it doesn’t shoot yet.

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon argues that the fact that Hamas isn’t shooting today – and in fact arrests the shooters – is proof that Hamas is deterred.

But deterred from what?

Deterred from openly preparing to attack Israel? No.

Hamas says that it will pick the time and place to attack the Jewish State.

Maybe the time of their choosing simply hasn’t yet come.

And what Ya’alon interprets as deterrence is nothing more than patience.

Link: http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=67382

IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on Arab-Israeli relations
Website: www.imra.org.il

Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work as well as a big vote to follow our good friend Kay Wilson on Twitter, 
.