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Hamas Changed the Rules of the Gaza Game

(Ynet News) Dr. Michael Milshtein - The rocket volley that was launched on Jerusalem was a blunt and conscious violation of the status quo in Gaza for the past year and a half. The fighting came as quality of life in Gaza was continually improving and after Israel promoted many moves designed to ensure civilian stability - from issuing traders exit permits, through promoting exports, to expanding its fishing zone and providing broad assistance to help eradicate Covid-19. Hamas' attack attests to how it perceives the status quo: nebulous understandings from which it can opt in and out according to its whims. The Israeli side had worked strenuously to preserve the arrangement to guarantee long-lasting peace in the Strip. Hamas was under the impression that Israel was too afraid to undercut the status quo and that after several days of fighting it could return back to square one or even secure further concessions. However, Hamas found itself paying a much heavier toll than it had originally expected. Now, as the dust settles, Israel faces a dilemma - reverting to the status quo ante or changing the rules of the game. A swift reversion to the conditions that existed before the operation would signal to Hamas that its aggression does not entail any consequences. Given the non-binding nature in which Hamas perceives ceasefire agreements, Israel may also need to adopt a similar approach. The writer, a former head of the Department for Palestinians Affairs in IDF Military Intelligence, now heads the Palestinian Studies Forum at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University.
2021-05-31 00:00:00
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