Hamas aims to ignite regional conflict against Israel, says expert.
The Hamas Terrorist Organization’s Provocative Goal
The Hamas terrorist organization seeks to ignite an international conflict that will draw increased Islamist violence against Israel, according to one expert.
One of Hamas’ goals when it launched its largest-ever attack on Israel last week was to ensure a provocative response, said Joshua Krasna, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute think tank (FPRI).
“It is clear that one of Hamas’ goals in carrying out this outrage was to foment a wider regional conflict, was to bring Israel into such a reaction that then other actors, certainly Hezbollah and Iran, would be drawn in as well,” Mr. Krasna said during an Oct. 11 FPRI talk.
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“But I think Israel also understands that it can’t necessarily be paralyzed by the possibility that this could become a wider conflict.”
Mr. Krasna said that the scope and severity of the crimes committed by Hamas in Israel last week ensured that Israel must respond in a previously unimaginable way. To do otherwise, he said, would invite Israel’s destruction through sustained insurgency.
“…A Hamas state on our borders is no longer viable. That reality can’t exist,” Mr. Krasna said.
“A threat like this to your population has to be removed.”
Most Deadly Attack on Jews Since the Holocaust
The Hamas terror group launched an unprecedented attack on Israel last week. Islamist terrorists murdered more than 1,000 Israelis, abducted women and children, and engaged in acts of rape and torture on a massive scale.
The assault was the single most deadly targeted attack on Jews since the Holocaust.
In response, Mr. Krasna said that an overwhelming response to destroy Hamas’ ability to launch another attack from Gaza would likely drive Israeli leadership for the foreseeable future.
“I think a lot of us had forgotten how thin is the membrane that separates us from catastrophe,” Mr. Krasna said.
Israel is now operating under a temporary emergency government, the first of its kind since 1967. The last was established during the war that saw Israel seize Gaza from Egypt to begin with.
Mr. Krasna expressed doubt that the emergency government would last long, but said the scale of the violence was difficult to process and had fostered a unity of purpose in Israel unknown in generations.
The carnage resulted in a third as many deaths as the United States suffered on 9/11. Israel’s population is less than three percent that of the United States, however. As such, there is no family in Israel, Mr. Krasna said, that had not been directly affected or else know someone who was.
‘There is Going to be Suffering’
The likelihood of a significant military action on the ground in Gaza has raised concerns throughout the international community of what sort of collateral damage Israel’s response may give rise to.
Mr. Krasna noted that it was Hamas, not Israel, which subjected Gaza to rampant terror and now military action. Despite popular reactionary slogans to the contrary, he said, the Gaza Strip has not been subject to any Israeli occupation for nearly two decades.
“Israel has not been occupying Gaza since 2005,” Mr. Krasna said, referencing when the nation pulled its last civilian and military settlements from the region.
“For the past 16 years…, Gaza has been ruled by Hamas, who took over in a violent coup.”
With that being said, he added that Israel was cognizant of international fears about harm to civilians in Gaza.
“I don’t think Israel wants there to be a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, but I think that the nature of the enemy that we are facing is going to cause suffering among people who are non-combatants.”
The problem, he said, was that Hamas made a deliberate attempt to hide amongst the most vulnerable in Gaza, thus ensuring that Israel could not retaliate without harm befalling innocent people.
The inevitable retaliation from Israel, he said, will therefore be difficult.
“The problem is, while we try to limit to a minimum the suffering on the other side, our enemy is embedded in a civilian population,” Mr. Krasna said.
“There is going to be suffering.”
What are the implications of Israel operating under a temporary emergency government in response to the recent attack
L. He acknowledged that Israel must take decisive action to protect its population and prevent further attacks.
The recent attack by Hamas was not only brutal and deadly, but it also demonstrated the organization’s provocative goal of sparking a wider regional conflict. Joshua Krasna, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute think tank, highlighted this during a talk. He stated that Hamas launched its largest-ever attack on Israel with the intention of eliciting a strong response that would draw other actors, such as Hezbollah and Iran, into the conflict.
Krasna emphasized that it is evident that Hamas seeks to foment a wider regional conflict by provoking Israel. He noted that Israel cannot allow itself to be paralyzed by the possibility of a broader conflict. The severity of the crimes committed by Hamas necessitates a response that ensures the safety of Israel and its population. Failure to respond would invite sustained insurgency and ultimately threaten Israel’s existence.
The threat posed by Hamas must be dealt with decisively. Mr. Krasna expressed the belief that a Hamas state on Israel’s borders is no longer viable and that this reality cannot be allowed to exist. He emphasized the importance of removing such a threat to protect the Israeli population.
The recent attack unleashed by Hamas was the most deadly targeted attack on Jews since the Holocaust. More than 1,000 Israelis were murdered, with women and children being abducted and subjected to acts of rape and torture on a large scale. This level of brutality and violence is unparalleled and demands a strong response.
In response to this brutal attack, Mr. Krasna suggested that an overwhelming response aimed at annihilating Hamas’ ability to launch further attacks is necessary. He believes that this response will guide Israeli leadership in the foreseeable future. The gravity of the situation and the scale of violence have reminded many of how close Israel is to catastrophe.
Israel is currently operating under a temporary emergency government, a step not taken since 1967. The previous emergency government was established during a war that resulted in Israel seizing Gaza from Egypt. While Mr. Krasna expressed doubt regarding the longevity of the emergency government, he noted that the significant level of violence is challenging to process and has fostered a unity of purpose within Israel.
In conclusion, the recent attack by Hamas on Israel reveals its provocative goal of igniting a wider regional conflict. However, Israel cannot afford to be paralyzed by this possibility. The severity of Hamas’ crimes necessitates a strong response to protect Israel and its population. The recent attack, which targeted Jews in an unprecedented manner since the Holocaust, underscores the need for decisive action. Israel is now operating under a temporary emergency government due to the gravity of the situation. It is evident that a robust and unified response is crucial to maintaining the safety and security of Israel and its people.
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