The Gaza War: Antecedents and Consequences
- Autores: Augustus Richard Norton
- Localización: Análisis del Real Instituto Elcano ( ARI ), ISSN-e 1696-3466, Nº. 21, 2009
- Idioma: inglés
- Enlaces
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Resumen
Hamas has suffered serious blows over the course of Israel`s 23-day war on Gaza, but the civilian population has suffered enormously. Against the loss of 10 Israeli soldiers and four civilians, more than 1,300 Palestinians have been killed in the war, of which the overwhelming majority are non-combatants, including approximately 300 children. Nonetheless, much like the Lebanon war of 2006, Israel`s strategic gains in Operation Cast Lead have dissipated day by day. Had Israel inflicted a fierce three or four day campaign upon Hamas and its infrastructure, the Islamist group would have enjoyed less sympathy in the Arab world and it might have been possible to restore a ceasefire under terms dictated by Israel. After 23 days of fighting, Israel has fallen well short of a clear-cut strategic victory. History`s lesson is that peace in this region if in fact that is the goal can be imposed neither with bombs nor rockets. The Gaza war only verifies the lesson.
