May 15, 2008
by Dani Reshef
It is almost two months of an Iranian offesnive aimed to undermine USA positions in the Middle East and to tighten the strategic siege on Israel.
In Iraq, after two months of fighting, the pro Iranian Mahdi Army, led by the Shiite cleric Moqtada Sader, managed to enforce, on 05/10/2008, a cease fire and impose acceptance of the Iraqi government to the situation of a state within the state.
The Iraqi army, trained and funded by USA, was found incapable to cope with the situation.
In Lebanon the pro-Iranian Hizbullah took over, almost off hand, the government positions in Beirut and forced the pro American Lebanese government to withdraw from any plan to limit, in any way, Hizbullah operation in Lebanon. There no doubt any more that the real power in Lebanon is not the government but Hizbullah or, in other words, Iran. (See - Open-War)
In Gaza Strip the pro Iranian Hamas continues the daily shelling of Israel with the sense that they are close to dictate the terms of a sort of a cease fire - relaxation as they call it, to Israel on their terms. The political positions of Arab states like Saudi Arabia or Egypt are almost insignificant and have no influence vis-a-vis the Iranian offensive. In view of the last events, it is clear that the Arab world is looking for a compromise with Iran rather than a confrontation to push them from the region.
All over the Middle East it is Iran that determines the course of events in time and place suitable to the Iranian strategy. There is no prospect to any peace process with the Palestinians or with Syria if Iran manages to implement a successful strategy of driving USA out from the Middle East and undermining the foundation of the Jewish state - Israel. (See - IRANIAN rocket )
Israel has the full obligation and legitimacy to defend its citizens from the daily shelling from Gaza Strip. In the larger context it is essential for Israel to stop the Iranian chain of successes and to put a barrier to Iranian expansion. Otherwise the whole Middle East will, gradually, incline toward Iran on the expense of any political process with Israel.
A painful military operation in Gaza Strip in which most of the Hamas leadership will be killed or captured, an operation in which few thousand Hamas militant will be taken to prison and later replaced with the Israel soldier, held in Gaza, Gilad Shalit and the full distruction of the Hamas infrastructure in Gaza can change the course of events. It is almost certain that such an operation will not completely stop the fire from Gaza after Israel will leave but the alternatives ahead worse. It is time for action in Gaza.
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SOURCE: Global Jihad
