Hamas uses human shields in its war with Israel. Iran is using Hamas to fight Israel in Gaza and diplomatically.
When the United Arab Emirates shocked the Arab world by normalising relations with Israel it said the move would help ease the protracted Arab-Israeli conflict. But nine months later, the wealthy Gulf state finds itself in a difficult position as its newest ally bombards the impoverished Palestinian territory of Gaza.
Iran could be sacrificing Palestinians to hurt Israel-Arab ties to oppose Iran. As I've noted, Iran is willing to fight its enemies to the last dead Arab.
So the idea that Hamas is "gambling" on a strategy of openly fighting Israel
is wrong. In the long discussion of why Hamas started firing rockets at
Israel, there is no mention of Iran. Hamas is just obeying Iranian
orders and sending their cannon fodder people to die in order to save
the Hamas gravy train. And using their own people as human shields.
Yet it could be that other Arabs are too tired of voting for the Palestinians as Queen of the Victim Prom to care any more. If so, Israel has no reason to rescue Hamas from their slavish folly by ending hostilities before ripping Hamas a new one:
The Israeli security cabinet on Sunday decided to continue the Gaza operation, according to military plans. Israeli officials said a cease-fire is not on the table right now.
Perhaps enough pain will deter Hamas from asking "how high" when Iran next tells them to jump.
UPDATE: Israel says it will move toward ceasefire after achieving "several military objectives". That includes, I assume: "The Israeli military said air strikes destroyed nine miles of militant tunnels under Gaza early on Monday, claiming that it has taken out 60 miles of the underground network in the past week."
UPDATE: Hamas effed up. They trusted Iran. I guess the major variable is how long does Israel want to hurt Hamas to reinforce that lesson.
