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Last update - 10:22 28/09/2007
ANALYSIS: Palestinians face an emerging paradox in Gaza
By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent

The events in the Gaza Strip over the past two days, in which 12 Palestinians were killed amid dozens of Qassam rocket and mortar attacks, suggest that the logic driving the policies of Israel and Hamas are diametrically opposed.

Only nine days ago, the government declared the Gaza Strip "hostile territory" in an attempt to up the pressure on Hamas to end the rocket attacks. But Hamas' response has been the opposite; the shooting has only intensified.

Terrorist groups in Gaza, including Hamas' military wing, have also increased efforts to carry out attacks inside Israel.

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Most of the 54 mortars fired Wednesday landed near the Sufa crossing terminal. The mortars fired Thursday by Hamas militants targeted crossing points at Eretz and Kerem Shalom. There has also been a great deal of intelligence on Hamas' plans to target the crossing points into Gaza.

As such, a paradox has emerged in which the Israeli government, the U.S. and Fatah believe that by exerting greater pressure on the Gaza Strip's residents, the people will overthrow the Hamas regime there, while the Islamic group is doing its best to shut down the crossings - perhaps assuming that if the civilians suffer more, they will side with Hamas.

Senior Hamas officials deny that they intend this. Ismail Haniyeh says Hamas is interested in opening the crossings, but he was hard-pressed to explain the obvious attempt by Hamas militants to destroy the crossings.

"The military wing decides its targets in an effort to bring an end to the siege over the Strip," he told Haaretz.

But how is shooting at the crossings expected to contribute to lifting the siege? Only Hamas seems to know the answer.

Perhaps it is meant to be a message to Israel that the organization is not afraid of a direct confrontation with the Israel Defense Forces and that only a cease-fire agreement with Hamas - an offer Israel rejected recently - will end the attacks.

However, it is doubtful whether all Hamas factions support this approach. After the recent rocket attack against the Zikim military camp, for example, Haniyeh asked the leaders of the factions involved in rocket attacks to stop temporarily. But Haniyeh's ability to influence these factions is very limited.

Among the militants continuing the attacks are those encouraged by Iran. As for Hamas, it is keeping to the limits it has set for itself: It claims responsibility for the mortar attacks, but the Qassam attacks are being outsourced to other groups it supports.

These attacks are expected to intensify as we close in on the summit scheduled to take place in Washington in November.
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  1.   It is in Americas interest to cause Palestinian suffering?????? 10:15  |  Natallie Durson 28/09/07
  2.   Lessons from WWII 10:20  |  Amos 28/09/07
  3.   Evolution, Not Revolution 10:58  |  dyinglikeflies 28/09/07
  4.   Lessons from WWII: Israel has to be crushed completely 11:01  |  Andreas 28/09/07
  5.   Hamas has no responsible authorities 11:06  |  Jasmine Murphy 28/09/07
  6.   Haniyeh`s ability to influence these factions is very limited. 11:06  |  Avi 28/09/07
  7.   Lessons nearer to home, Amos 11:08  |  Murray 28/09/07
  8.   Re Natallie #1 11:12  |  Esther 28/09/07
  9.   Others 11:22  |  Josh 28/09/07
  10.   Andreas 11:25  |  Jasmine Murphy 28/09/07
  11.   ISLAM VS. WEST(WHO WILL WIN?) 11:28  |  THE LIBRARIAN 28/09/07
  12.   No mercy 11:29  |  Victor 28/09/07
  13.   who loses ... 11:33  |  ravi 28/09/07
  14.   the Swiss Islamofascist here again (Andreas) 11:36  |  maurice 28/09/07
  15.   will all the brave talk continue when the power is switched off a 11:37  |  victor hardman 28/09/07
  16.   The only hope, the will kill themselves.... 11:37  |  Jean 28/09/07
  17.   Only one way, destroying Hamas and all their leaders 11:39  |  maurice 28/09/07
  18.   Orchestrating the pawns in Gaza 11:47  |  Esther 28/09/07
  19.   4Andreas & 1 natalie D.,`verbal legerdemain`describes it aptly, 11:49  |  lakshmi 28/09/07
  20.   We see the war-war 11:51  |  Michael II 28/09/07
  21.   jean...!!!! 11:54  |  ravi 28/09/07
  22.   Isacharoff doesn`t read own "Haaretz",no paradox, it`s simple: 12:08  |  Absolute Sweden 28/09/07
  23.   For Lakshmi et al 12:21  |  Esther 28/09/07
  24.   #4 whoooo IS GOING TO DO that? 12:26  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 28/09/07
  25.   BARAK COOKING UP SOMETHING NICE FOR THEM 12:32  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 28/09/07
  26.   Jon Feigenbaum,Israel Lefties are trying to do that 12:35  |  Absolute Sweden 28/09/07
  27.   # 8 Esther .. I am not Diabolical! I was humoring you! 13:02  |  Natallie Durson 28/09/07
  28.   Collateral Damage? 13:50  |  Roger Melly 28/09/07
  29.   #2 Lessons From WWII 13:56  |  Bill Foonman 28/09/07
  30.   natalie, suffering, gain and legerdemain #4 and #27 14:15  |  odles 28/09/07
  31.   23esther,simple,it is not Hamas that has kept the crossings 14:24  |  lakshmi 28/09/07
  32.   Lakshmi, Ravi,CF,Natalie,Labras co.SHAME ON YOU ALL 14:29  |  notblackorwhite 28/09/07
  33.   Is it in Americas interest? Natalie 14:33  |  Petra 28/09/07
  34.   Andreas ISRAEL TODAY TOMORROR AND FOREVER!!!!!! 14:34  |  Petra 28/09/07
  35.   No mercy Victor 14:37  |  Petra 28/09/07
  36.   # 1 ?????? 14:51  |  Tony Anthony 28/09/07
  37.   Top #1 Natalie 14:59  |  Simon 28/09/07
  38.   The only real paradox will emerge when Feiglin is PM 15:00  |  Manhigut Guy 28/09/07
  39.   Artical has it wrong 15:03  |  Ron 28/09/07
  40.   Amos #2 15:05  |  Mr. T 28/09/07
  41.   Typical Post Colonial Chaos 15:07  |  Ibrahim 28/09/07
  42.   Crazy Logic 15:11  |  gearoid 28/09/07
  43.   #4 andreas, sorry for you, that won`t happen. 15:13  |  John Allen 28/09/07
  44.   Jasmine Murphy 15:16  |  Mr. T 28/09/07
  45.   the `librarian` 15:18  |  Mr. T 28/09/07
  46.   Absolute Sweden 15:25  |  Mr. T 28/09/07
  47.   Natallie Durson - NOT in LA 15:39  |  Fish 28/09/07
  48.   Roger Melly 15:52  |  Mr. T 28/09/07
  49.   Ibrahim 16:12  |  Nephtaly 28/09/07
  50.   hmmm 16:19  |  Joseph 28/09/07
  51.   34 Mr.T,if you look at my post 19 you`ll get a better picture of 16:35  |  lakshmi 28/09/07
  52.   All religious & cultural traditions prohibit the destruction of 16:45  |  lakshmi 28/09/07
  53.   Mr T 16:49  |  Jasmine Murphy 28/09/07
  54.   Hamas Sees Only `Bullshit` Diplomacy 16:51  |  Double Click 28/09/07
  55.   lakshmi and friends 16:51  |  scanadu 28/09/07
  56.   Hamas and Islamic logic perfectly rational- if you are mad 16:54  |  Chick 28/09/07
  57.   Hamas is not going to get the people to join in this time 17:00  |  Shepherd 28/09/07
  58.   It`s a paradox 17:01  |  Nechama 28/09/07
  59.   Anyone responding to natallie 17:01  |  ami 28/09/07
  60.   Double Click 17:18  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 28/09/07
  61.   You can`t bomb people into being your friends 17:27  |  Jeff 28/09/07
  62.   Israel`s enemy is it`s compassion 17:44  |  Michael 28/09/07
  63.   #2 Amos 17:47  |  David 28/09/07
  64.   Tell me Ibrahim, What do the Pals want?? 17:49  |  Massoud Levy 28/09/07
  65.   31...repeating yourself, read my reply to your other post.... dit 18:01  |  ravi 28/09/07
  66.   59... compassion..!!!!!!!!!!!!! 18:03  |  ravi 28/09/07
  67.   Margie - Post #58 18:34  |  Double Click 28/09/07
  68.   #59 - Michael - No civilized country would be in this position 18:44  |  Rick 28/09/07
  69.   Re Natallie #27 18:50  |  Esther 28/09/07
  70.   #39 Post Colonial Chaos 20:12  |  Nakomis 28/09/07
  71.   jeff,you can`t suicide bomb people into being your friends either 20:25  |  terrornator 28/09/07
  72.   Natallie Durson NOT in LA -- but of course... 21:08  |  S 28/09/07
  73.   #61-Winning Friendship 22:14  |  Nakomis 28/09/07
  74.   What are you thinking? 19:14  |  Paul 29/09/07
  75.   Exactly! 19:16  |  paul 29/09/07
  76.   Gaza Paradox 20:06  |  Emmie 29/09/07
  77.   Paradox 02:11  |  Paul 30/09/07
  78.   Jon Feigenbaum 02:14  |  Paul 30/09/07
  79.   Innocent civvies 02:19  |  paul 30/09/07
  80.   #32, notblackorwhite...shame on us, you say? 03:34  |  Silvienne 30/09/07
  81.   #59, ami...ah, nice deduction! 03:36  |  Silvienne 30/09/07
  82.   It`s kulam 04:41