Israel in the Crosshairs - When Gazans Fight Each Other

What happens when two groups of Palestinians can’t get along with each other? They fire at Israel, of course.

Gazans fire rockets at Israel during the 50-day fighting in 2014 Operation Protective Edge. Source: IDF Blog

Last Tuesday night, at least one rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip and struck southern Israel outside Ashdod. No damage or injuries were reported. The attack appears to be a result of a dispute within Islamic Jihad amid the transition of power from outgoing to incoming leadership.

So, how did Israel become a target?

Islamic Jihad appointed a new commander in Northern Gaza. The previous commander was not happy about the change, and clashes broke out between supporters of each chief. The new leader’s men kidnapped two of the previous director’s men. To retaliate, followers of the old commander “decided to fire rockets at Israel” (The Times of Israel, TOI).

What? Islamic Jihad exchanges escalating rounds of aggression until one side does something so egregious that the other players turn and attack…  Israel? It seems any excuse to target Israel will do.

Israel responded to the rocket attack with “limited, measured” action (TOI). Early Wednesday morning Israel Air Force struck back by targeting “four sites of terror infrastructure in the Southern Gaza Strip,” namely Islamic Jihad training camps, though the buildings were unoccupied (TOI).

Interpretations are mixed regarding Israel’s response. Outspoken Knesset member Avgidor Liberman called the retaliation “wimpy,” saying “all they did was throw four bombs at sand,” (Jerusalem Post).

However, according to Avi Issacharoff of the Times of Israel, the “bombardment of empty buildings” indicates that Israel wants to “maintain the status quo” and that it is to Israel’s advantage to keep Hamas in power when “the alternatives are worse” (TOI). The fall of Hamas would mean “either long-term anarchy in the Gaza Strip or Israel’s recapture of the region – neither of which Israel wants,” the article went on to say (TOI).

Israel has made it very clear that they will not tolerate aggression from Gaza. Attacks will generate retaliatory attacks, and calm will elicit calm. As Hamas is the ruling body of Gaza, Israel holds them accountable for all Gaza actions toward Israel, regardless of who claims responsibility.

The strife between Israel and Gaza is always tense. Hamas is, after all, the same group who during truce talks last summer released a statement declaring, “The warriors in Gaza are waiting with Allah’s help to renew the fighting, or to return to planning the next campaign. There’s no escape. Either jihad or planning (for the next jihad)” (Arutz Sheva/Israel National News).

And, to the north, Israel continues watching Hezbollah in Lebanon. Lebanese news sources reported today that Israeli jets had fired at two sites in eastern Lebanon inflicting several injuries near the Syria border. However, these reports were quickly denied by several Lebanese news sources and the public is left wondering what exactly happened and how the first reports blaming Israel came to be (Times of Israel).  “There was no attack,” reported Moshe Nussbaum of Israel’s Channel 2, adding, “not every explosion in Lebanon is Israel” (TOI).  Whether from the north, the south, or even within her borders, Israel is quick to be blamed by enemies looking for any excuse to attack her.

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