Dec 29, 2008 11:17 pm US/Central
Good Question: Why Is Israel Bombing Hamas?
(WCCO)
It is Israel's version of shock and awe. For three days, the Israeli military has launched a massive air attack on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, killing nearly 380 Palestinians. But why?
"It's an interesting question," said Professor Oren Gross, director of the Institute for International Legal and Security Studies at the University of Minnesota. Gross is also a member of the bar in Israel and spent time at Tel Aviv University.
"What we had was a truce that was in place for 6 months between Israel and Hamas. And the truce expired, formally, on Dec. 19, but really, it unraveled months before," said Gross.
For at least two months, Israel maintains that Hamas was violating the ceasefire by launching rocket attacks on southern Israel. They were relatively small attacks, causing a relatively small number of casualties, and thus not provoking large notice around the world, but the trickle of bombing without a response seemed to push Israel over the edge last week, when Hamas refused to engage in talks to renew a ceasefire.
As part of the negotiated truce, Israel was supposed to gradually ease its embargo on Gaza, and many observers believe that Israel did not live up to its commitment to do so. In fact, a Red Cross report obtained by
the British newspaper The Independent called Israel's economic restrictions and blockade "inhuman."
"By and large there is an understanding that Israel is acting in self-defense," said Gross. Indeed, the President of Egypt and the President of the Palestinian territory both condemned Hamas.
The United States has also come out strongly against Hamas, blaming it for the attack. Bush Administration spokesman Gordon Johndroe said that Hamas has "shown its true colors as a terrorist organization."
However, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned Israel's offensive as excessive, and urged the two sides to reach a new cease-fire. Tens of thousands in Arab countries throughout the Middle East have taken to the streets to protest against Israel's attack.
Monday, Hamas launched back, sending a barrage of missiles into Israel, killing three Israelis and seriously wounding two others.
Hamas has controlled the tiny Gaza strip, for more than a year. It believes that Israel should belong to Palestinians.
According to Gross, Israel acted not only in self-defense, but also to send a message of strength, after months of being attacked without responding.
"Not only to Hamas, but Hezbollah to the north and beyond the borders with the obvious country in mind, Iran," he said.
Now talk is turning to the end game of this attack, with two bitterly divided, long-time enemies.
"I think most people want a stronger truce. One that would prevent Hamas from shelling Israel, prevent Hamas from launching terrorist attacks, and would minimize at least what's going on now -- which is Hamas arming itself," said Gross.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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