Missiles for Peace?

The bloody conflict that has characterised much, and some would say all, of Israel’s existence is back on the front page. The fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel which came into effect in June 2008 lies burning in Gaza. This ceasefire has been repeatedly flouted by Hamas, who have continued to launch missiles into southern Israel, despite frequent Israeli declarations that these attacks would be met by a military response. A military response has followed. It began on the 27th of December with aerial bombardments and was followed on the 3rd of January by a ground offensive.

Amid recent news coverage I have been struck by the absence of an analysis of motivations. Why did Hamas continue to launch down a path it was fully aware would lead to a broadening of the conflict? And why does Israel continue to centre its defence policy based on a military doctrine of disproportionality.
Hamas refuses to acknowledge Israel’s right to existence, and it is this refusal twinned with what it perceives as the continued military and economic oppression of the Palestinian people that motivates its continued militancy. It feels that the only language Israel understands is Fear and Violence. Also it is aware that any Israeli incursion into Gaza will result in civilian casualties which will help polarise opinion in favour of the zealots among Hamas at the expense of Fatah, an opinion echoed by British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith on a recent visit to Turkey.

Israel has remained faithful to the idea that any provocation must be met with greater force. This dogma which has succeeded in securing the existence of Israel until this point has been complicated by the emergence of non-state actors such as Hezbollah and Hamas who are harder to effectively target. Israel believes that by demonstrating its military strength it conveys an image of intransigence which sends a clear and succinct message to its neighbours; we, are here to stay. However, its military operation in the Lebanon in 2006 projected an image far from that of an omnipotent military power.
Could Hamas’ breaching of the ceasefire and the subsequent Israeli ground offensive in Gaza serve to further undermine the myth of invincibility which serves as Israel’s most cherished cloak?