HAMAS has set an almighty trap — and Israel is likely to walk straight into it.
The terror group’s gamble to draw Israel into street-by-street fighting in densely-populated Gaza — amid scenes of Palestinian children dying — would ignite a wider conflict.
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If Hamas could draw Iranian-controlled militia Hezbollah — on Israel’s northern border in Lebanon — into the fight, it could be a game-changer.
That would draw in Iran and possibly Syria and Iraq.
There could also be an uprising among Palestinians in the West Bank, which is under Israeli occupation.
Even a war machine as powerful as Israel’s would be stretched in a lengthy war on three sides.
There is little doubt this was the Hamas strategy. So will Israel take the bait?
Hamas has snatched dozens of hostages, which complicates the issue.
An alternative for Israel is to maintain the brutal blockade — with water, electricity and food cut off — and not move in.
They could use the siege as a way of freeing the hostages. But Hamas drive a hard bargain.
And it wouldn’t solve the problem of Israel having Hamas on its doorstep.
So the Israelis will likely think the best course of action is to strike soon and invade — possibly to even root out Hamas completely.
But it’s not what they want. It will mean brutal fighting amid 2.3million Palistinians crammed into a 25-mile long stretch of land.
Hamas would hope, as the war drags on, the West would pressure Israel to back off.
The best thing for everybody is if this thing is over quickly. Sadly, I don’t think it will be.
If the war is long and there is a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, Hezbollah may feel they have to intervene.
And if conflict with Hezbollah does erupt, it might see Israel occupy southern Lebanon to drive Iran’s proxy fighters away.
Again, it is not something they want, but they might find they can’t avoid it.
Even with its renowned armed forces, a two-front war will stretch Israel militarily and politically. That is what Hamas wants.
Could Israel, instead, turn the other cheek? That is not in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s mentality.
So I believe Israel will walk into the Hamas trap.
And the consequences could shake the world.
