By Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D
JERUSALEM — Hamas made an error when it sent rockets to Jerusalem.
Thousands of rockets and other missiles came from Gaza, mostly in the area around Gaza, but occasionally more widespread.
A few came to northern Israel from Lebanon.
Plus violence in Jerusalem, Acco, Lod, and other mixed cities.
Arguments wage as to who is responsible for the chaos, and how much can be laid at Bibi’s feet. And what will be possible beyond its end.
So far It’s been a cease fire, with no clear victor.
There is a lot of damage in Gaza. Hamas has been battered. It demanded that Israel pay for the damage, but that has been ignored.
Bibi has been relatively quiet. It’s been Benny Gantz, as Minister of Defense, who ran the show. With the IDF and other security forces, largely independent of politics.
And where is Yair Lapid?
He’s been largely quiet. No politics in a war, especially one largely supported by the bulk of Israel’s Jewish population.
Israeli Arabs have been mixed. Largely quiet, or allied with the Palestinians, with some violence against the Jews. And some Jewish actions against Arabs.
The police chief spoke about Jewish and Arab terrorism, which caused the Minister of Internal Security to be upset. He was not happy with the designation of Jewish terrorism. Despite its existence.
Americans, like Europeans, have been divided. President Joe Biden has supported Israel’s right of self defense, but called for a cease fire. Liberal Democrats have supported the Palestinians.
The IDF assembled troops and tanks along the Gazan border, but showed no indication of a ground invasion.
But one spokesman said something about an imminent attack. That brought Gazan fighters above ground, where many of them were killed by the Israeli Air Force.
It was among the tactics called unfair by those critical of Israel.
As if Gaza’s aiming of rockets toward Israeli cities was somehow fair.
Hamas is not widely supported among Arab or Muslim governments. The West Bank and Gaza remain as separate entities, along with expressions of West Bank support for Gaza. As always, it’s hard to separate what is said by West Bank figures claiming to be in the leadership, and how they behave. Fierce talk about Palestinian interests, along with cooperation with Israel security forces.
Turkey’s President Erdogan has lined up clearly in support of Hamas, along with Iran. But they are outliers. Saudi Arabia has been highly critical of Hamas.
All told, what’s happened within Israel has resembled the occasional explosions of the tense existence between Blacks and Whites in the United States. With the crucial difference that Blacks have no international allies, close to the US borders, with the power to involve themselves in their struggle. It’s an important difference.
But what remains similar is the continued tension between US races and between Israeli religious and nationalist communities. Plus the occasional outrage of violence, sparked by one thing or another. However, many similar incidents occur without sparking widespread violence. Figure it out, if you can.
We’re into a cease fire, with no formal declaration about agreements. Quiet will bring quiet. For how long? With what controls over what Hamas can build.
Israelis are saying that incidents involving the area around Gaza, even balloons carrying incendiary or explosive devices, will be matched as if they were directed at Tel Aviv. We’ll see if that is true.
We’ve heard many demands about what can be done, but nothing has been agreed. And could an agreement hold? Hamas is not one closely unified organization with a clear leader, but a number of factions. And allies, some of them more or less aggressive than others.
We’ll see what develops.
And with the notion of a government in opposition to Bibi. With Arab help?
It’s early. Lapid still has more than a week to put something together.
Bennett seems to be wavering. But that’s not new.
*
Ira Sharkansky is professor emeritus of political science t Hebrew University. He may be contacted via ira.sharkansky@sdjewishworld.com