Election motivations for HAMAS Attack

Submitted by There is NO Santa Claus (United States), Nov 19, 2012 at 07:50

There have been some rather callous claims that PM Netanyahu is considering a ground offensive in Gaza to boost his election chances. This is nonsense as such operations are costly at home and aggravating for diplomats. Yet there is indeed an election motivation for the current war being waged against Israel.

According to the following MEMRI report:

MEMRI October 26, 2012 Inquiry & Analysis Series Report No.893
Upheavals In Hamas In Wake Of Arab Spring: Center of Leadership Shifts To
Gaza By: C. Jacob* http://www.memri.org/report/en/0/0/0/0/0/0/6779.htm

There is upheaval in HAMAS' leadership. With such upheaval, the quickest way toward advancement is to demonstrate one's hostility toward Israel in the most aggressive terms. The October 26, 2012 report notes:

"As for the situation on the ground, the last few weeks have seen tighter
coordination between Hamas and Islamic Jihad in operations against Israel.
Hamas took an active part in the latest round of fighting in October 2012,
which involved the firing of dozens of rockets and mortars at Israeli
settlements; moreover, it announced its participation explicitly and even
boasted about its successful cooperation with Islamic Jihad."

Therefore, while pro-Israel activists (and their detractors) myopically view the current war in terms of upcoming Israeli elections, the war should really be viewed in terms of upcoming HAMAS leadership changes and how that organization seeks to steer a path in a Muslim world whose leadership has become noticeably unstable.

Regards,

There is NO Santa Claus (aka TINSC)

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