The Link Between Iran and the Missile Arsenals in Gaza: JNS, May 13, 2021 — During the current clashes between Israel and terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, several types of rockets and missiles have been fired from Gaza into Israel.
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The Objective: Make Hamas Regret Its Actions: Yoav Limor, Israel Hayom, May 12, 2021
“The success of Hamas (and Islamic Jihad) of putting millions of residents in shelters and causing anxiety gnawed away even further at Israel’s deterrence, and strengthened Hamas’ position.”
For the second time in two days, Hamas left Israel with no choice. The heavy barrages launched last night towards Tel Aviv, following Tuesday’s firing on Jerusalem, are forcing Israel to intensify its activities, and inevitably also herald an escalation whose ending is unclear.
What is Hamas trying to achieve by fighting Israel? – Analysis: Khaled Abu Toameh, Jerusalem Post, May 11, 2021
“by commandeering the Jerusalem protests, Hamas has drawn attention to PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s incompetence in dealing with the crisis.”
Regardless of how the current round of fighting between Israel and Hamas ends, the Gaza-based terrorist group believes it has already managed to obtain a number of achievements, especially with regard to scoring points with the Palestinian public.
First, Hamas succeeded in hijacking the protests that erupted between Palestinians and the Israel Police in Jerusalem at the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.
Iron Dome Has Saved Many Lives, But Has It Made Israel Safer? Lazar Berman, Times of Israel, May 13, 2021
“But technological and tactical achievement does not equal strategic success. Sometimes, it can have the opposite effect”
Hamas and Islamic Jihad launched over 1,500 rockets and mortars at Israel since Monday night, sending Israelis around the country — including some of its most upscale neighborhoods in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area — running from restaurants and coffee shops into bomb shelters. The rocket attacks from Gaza have taken seven lives in Israel, as of Thursday morning.
Who Is Behind the Disturbances in Jerusalem?
Pinhas Inbari
Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, May 11, 2021
“As tumultuous as the events at al Aqsa are, we rarely hear nationalist slogans from the Palestinians, and we saw relatively few Palestinian Authority and Hamas flags.”
If events in east Jerusalem were up to the local residents, they would try to contain the violence erupting around the Temple Mount, but it is not in their hands alone. Many cooks are stirring the pot.
What is really happening? Can the events on the Temple Mount lead to a new intifada, such as the events on the Mount that were said to spark the al-Aqsa intifada in 2000, or to regional escalation elsewhere? Who are the most active players on this issue?
For Further Reference:
IDF Precision Strikes Kill 4 Hamas Commanders After Deadly Rocket Onslaught: United With Israel, May 12, 2021 — The Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror organizations continued their massive bombardment of Israeli cities in towns, broadening their radius of fire on Tuesday night to the Tel Aviv area and as far north as Netanya.
IDF: We Attacked Over 600 Terror Targets In Gaza: Israel National News, May 13, 2021 — The IDF has attacked over 600 terror targets in Gaza since the beginning of the rocket fire, an IDF statement said.
Trump, Pompeo Criticize Biden Over Hamas’s Attacks on Israel: Li Hai, Epoch Times, May 12, 2021 — Former President Donald Trump and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo criticized President Joe Biden Tuesday, saying his “weakness” and “signal” led to the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel.
Israeli Appeasement and Palestinian Violence: Prof. Hillel Frisch, BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 2,036, May 13, 2021 — Rarely do politicians have the opportunity to test the implications of their policy within a day.
