Opposition leader and Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview Sunday morning that one of the main lessons to be learned from the current conflict in Gaza is that Israel's unilateral policy, such as the policy implemented during the 2005 disengagement, has failed.

In an interview with Army Radio Netanyahu said that "the lesson to be learned from our one-sided operations, which are hasty, poorly planned, and don't take into consideration what we're leaving behind, is that they can lead to the creation of a copy of 'Hamastan', or this 'Islamistan' in the West Bank, as it currently exists in Gaza."

"The reason there isn't already a 'Hamastan' in the West Bank is the fact that the Israel Defense Forces are deployed there with all their strength," he added, referring to the violent takeover of the Gaza Strip staged by Hamas over the past week.

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Netanyahu maintained that the violent conflict between rival factions Hamas and Fatah in the Gaza Strip does not stem from mistakes made by the military, but rather from political mistakes made by former prime ministers Ehud Barak and Ariel Sharon.

"This is a mistake, made by two prime ministers, which began with the hasty withdrawal from Lebanon, which opened up the entire territory to Iran, and later ? the direct continuation of this move ? in Gaza. These are two moves that created two Iranian terror bases, one operated by Hezbollah and the other by Hamas, with the potential to threaten Israel," he said.

"In the long run, Israel will not be able to live with the establishment of an Iranian terror base on the outskirts of Tel Aviv or Be'er Sheva," he continued.

However, he recommended that Israel refrain from an Israel Defense Forces operation within the Gaza Strip. According to Netanyahu, Israel and the IDF must prepare for a possible attack, and simultaneously ensure the isolation of the Hamas regime, and ultimate downfall, using diplomatic methods and in coordination with the United States, Egypt and Jordan.