So Much for Rafah Being Hamas’ Last Stand

The arrogance of one man is driving Israel to a crisis it had hoped would never happen…a regional conflict involving Iran and its stooges.

Remember back in March when PM Bibi Netanyahu boasted that an IDF action in Rafah would finish off the last bastion of Hamas terrorists? As with so many things the PM has said, this claim turned out to be bull drech.

From the day Hamas took over Gaza in 2006, successive Israeli governments, mainly headed by Netanyahu, had such a low opinion of Palestinian Arabs they stood by blindly as the world’s biggest terrorist infrastructure was built without a word of warning from Mossad or Shin Bet. It’s mind boggling how this massive construction project could go un-noticed.

Almost as puzzling is how the Rafah claim could be made when new pockets of Hamas attackers were found up north in Gaza City and Khan Younis offering the specter of an endless war.

It’s obvious Hamas is making up some of its losses with new recruits from the Gaza dispossessed masses. So much for the idea of innocent civilians.

And what about the remaining hostages? Where are they? How many are still alive? It’s not a stretch to reason that a government that had no knowledge of the massive Hamas tunnel network would also be blind to the number and location of the hostages.

If Hamas acts as it has in the past, the only way to get the remaining hostages back will be to give in to the terrorist demands. Israel won’t do this and the war continues diverting resources away from the more serious threat up north.

And that threat was magnified many times by the tactless killing of the Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran…what genius thought up that one? It was the last straw for a fanatical regime already angry over previous assassinations there.

Now, more than when Bibi made his Rafah boast, his quest for a big win to salvage his incompetent regime not only is eluding him but has the entire region on the verge of an all-out war.

The idea of completely erasing Hamas from the region militarily is a fallacy. Terrorists groups tend to be linked to lifestyle and poverty. They die away when the populations they purport to serve, achieve economic well being. Hamas in some form will exist until the people no longer need it.

Now, Israel finds itself up against so many adversaries, for the first time it may need the military intervention of the US to help beat off any massive attack.

Some would say it’s better to have it out with Iran and Company sooner, with the US primed for action, rather than later. While more cool heads would point to the possible losses of Israeli civilians and military members.

The most pragmatic course to take would be to make deal with Hamas that would free the hostages, declare victory and shortly afterwards double cross Hamas by resuming the clean out the terrorists from Gaza.

But, would this be the big win Netanyahu needs to stay in power?Realistically, once the shooting stops Bibi will have to face the music for this catastrophe.