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Israel Kasnett

Israel Kasnett

Israel Kasnett, editor at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, offers expert analysis on Israeli politics, society and regional developments at JNS.org. With a deep understanding of the region, he delivers insightful commentary that challenges media bias and provides a clear perspective on Israel.

Israel’s Deputy Defense Minister Avi Dichter told reporters that “Israel’s political and military leadership need to decide at a certain point to launch a campaign that will destroy the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza.”
While officials insisted that this was a “one-off” operation and that Israel does not intend to return to a campaign of targeted assassinations, it also demonstrates to Hamas that Israel is still perfectly capable of obtaining detailed intelligence and carrying out a precision strike.
Whoever said the adage, “nations have no permanent friends or allies, they only have permanent interests,” appears to have correctly perceived the nature of international relations, especially when it comes to the Jewish state and Russia.
And if it does, there will have to be a massive retaliation against its interests by the Jewish state, ideally with reassurances of backup from the United States.
“Fatah will not give up its power,” according to Maurice Hirsch, head of legal strategies for Palestinian Media Watch. “They will take the money no matter what excuse they need to tell their people in order to maintain power.”
Sports and Culture Minister Miri Regev referenced 2009 as an example of how the political picture can change drastically.
His announcement drew the expected condemnations from the left; on the right, some criticized the Israeli prime minister for waiting until now to implement this move.
To meet the challenges ahead, Israel must focus on social cohesion, cultivate political allies and “manage” the conflict with the Palestinians, according to a new Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security report.