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Threat Analyst Ken Abramowitz is author of “The Multifront War”
Editor: Dr. Rachel Ehrenfeld, President, American Center for Democracy (ACD)
See the sources for this article and more research in the Additional Reading section.
Hamas, the internationally designated terrorist organization, has ruled the Gaza Strip since it won the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) election on January 25, 2006. Last month, it attacked Israel’s civilian population for eleven days, shelling them with at least 4,360 rockets.
Hamas is the Gaza branch of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB), which was founded in Egypt in 1928. The MB is a global, radical, Sunni terrorist organization, designated as such by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The Muslim Brotherhood funds Hamas, as do Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and anti-Israel NGOs and charities operating in Europe and North America.
Hamas’ primary supporter, though, is the Shi’a Islamic Republic of Iran, which provides funding, training, and arms, as well as logistical and political support. Since 1984, Iran has been designated by the United States as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Iranian-sponsored terrorist organizations use physical, political, and narco-terrorism all over the world, from the Middle East to Africa, and from Europe to South and North America.
So, who declared war on Israel? Was it Hamas? The MB? Iran? All the above? Why did they declare war on Israel? Why now?
To answer these questions, we at Save The West identified the four causes of the war and the 6 different aspects of this war.
KEY CAUSES OF THE WAR:
1) The U.S. transition from President Trump’s strong policy against Palestinian terrorism, to President Biden’s more accommodating policy, clearly emboldened Hamas. Moreover, Iran, which is now negotiating a renewed nuclear deal with the P5+1 nuclear countries, thought that an attack on Israel by its Hamas proxy would improve its negotiating leverage.
2) Israel is also going through a transition from a strong Netanyahu-led government to either a weak and unstable, pro-Palestinian and left-leaning government, or its fifth election in two years. In either case, it conveys the appearance of Israeli weakness.
3) Iran wanted to test Israel and its military, as well as its Iron Dome missile protection system.
4) Iran also wanted to test America and its willingness to stand behind its only real ally in the Middle East.
KEY ASPECTS OF THE WAR:
1) Hamas, which has been challenging the Palestinian Authority (PA) for the allegiance of the local Arabs since 2006, wanted to demonstrate its power after the postponement of the first election in 15 years by PA President Mahmoud Abbas.
2) Hamas encouraged an Israeli Arab uprising during the 11-day war, particularly in the mixed Jewish-Arab cities of Lod, Ramla, Jerusalem, Jaffa, and Akko.
3) Hamas launched a direct war on the Israeli home front, shelling cities and villages, hospitals, schools, and kindergartens with more than 4,360 rockets. Some of them hit not only Israeli Jews, but also Israeli Arabs, who account for nearly 20% of Israel’s population. Luckily, more than 90% of the rockets were destroyed by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system. Ironically, 600 Hamas rockets fell within Gaza, killing local civilians, whom Hamas uses as human shields.
4) Hamas and its MB parent organization activated their members in Europe and America to launch massive anti-Semitic attacks on local Jewish populations.
5) Dictatorships (China) and authoritarian governments (Russia, Turkey, and Qatar), and the corrupt United Nations pressured Israel to cease its counterattack against Hamas. After 11 days, the Biden Administration also pressured Israel to stop its retaliatory strikes on the Gaza Strip, where Hamas hides its military infrastructure, thus preventing Israel from further weakening Hamas.
6) Enemies of Western Civilization such as Communists, Islamists, Globalists, and Isolationists, supported Hamas directly or indirectly in their quest to destroy defenders of Western Civilization like Israel.
HOW DID THE KEY ACTORS RATE?
Hamas gets a “D” because much, though not all, of its infrastructure was destroyed.
Israel gets a “B” for the damage it inflicted on Hamas infrastructure and its operatives. But Israel, apparently, failed to prevent Hamas’ activities among Israeli-Arab groups. Once they began rioting, the local police were quickly reinforced by the Border Police and the Internal Security Service (Shabak), who collectively arrested well over 1,000 domestic Hamas-affiliated terrorists.
America gets a “D” because, although it supported Israel during its defensive war against Hamas, the support lasted for only 11 days. After that, the U.S. put enormous pressure on Israel to end the fighting. This premature end prevented Israel from completely shattering the terrorist bases and installations in the Gaza Strip, which was clearly a strategic long term interest of the U.S.
Iran gets a “C” because its Hamas proxy has been weakened. However, Iran has its Hezbollah proxy in Lebanon to continue to threaten Israel.
The United Nations gets an “F”, which it always gets, for not unequivocally defending democracies against terror organizations.
Western Civilization (Democracies) gets a “D”, because it didn’t fully support Israel morally and politically. Democracies failed to threaten and punish Israel’s enemies for their war crimes. So, while Israel won, once again, the physical war against the radical Islamists of Hamas, the lack of more forceful support by the Biden Administration and other democracies will allow Hamas and its sponsors to renew their efforts to destroy Israel. And they promise not to stop there. If their past attacks on Israel are any indication, they will attack again. It’s our duty to stop them.
ADDITIONAL READING:
35-country pan-American group designates Hamas a terrorist organization – TimesofIsrael.com
Hamas celebrates election victory | Palestinian territories – TheGuardian.com
Hamas: The Story of Islamic Jihad on Israel’s Front Lines (Civilization Jihad Reader Series Book 14) by Ilana Freedman – Amazon.com.
How Iran Fuels Hamas Terrorism – WashingtonInstitute.org
Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah coordinated Gaza fighting in joint war room — report – TimesofIsrael.com
Bennett, Netanyahu’s former protege, poised to succeed him – ABCNews.go.vom
Iran’s help has boosted Hamas rocket force, posing Israel a dilemma – CSMonitor.com
How Hamas’ Assault Serves as Iran’s Testing Ground – MEForum.org
The Iron Dome is Saving Both Israeli and Palestinian Lives – CBN.com
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