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Last update - 03:06 25/01/2008 ANALYSIS: Hamas outmaneuvers Israel with three quick moves By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondents Tags: Egypt, Muslim Brotherhood  In a week when Israeli leaders were boasting about their successful adoption of the conclusions in the Winograd Committee's interim report, which included in their view the attack on Syria, recent events on the Gaza Strip and Egyptian border are raising concerns to the contrary: Perhaps not enough lessons were learned or have been implemented. This week Hamas checkmated Israel in three quick moves. No less worrying are the problematic developments regarding Egypt. Cairo would like to avoid a confrontation with Hamas and its parent organization, the Muslim Brotherhood, which is a lot more important for Egypt than the angst in Israel. This is a strategic change that will make any future operation by the Israel Defense Forces in the Gaza Strip more difficult and could make relations between the two countries even more complicated. These are moments of glory for Hamas, after a long period during which the organization was battered by Israel. It conducted its campaign brilliantly last week, and it seems, so far, with complete success. At no stage did Israel have a sufficient response to the initiatives of Hamas: It did not when the group plunged the Strip into darkness on Sunday, or when it caused the clashes along the border on Tuesday, and certainly not when it brought down the Philadelphi wall on Wednesday. Advertisement All the while Hamas benefited from an impressive level of Arab support including the Muslim Brotherhood in the neighboring countries and favorable broadcasts on Al Jazeera, many of whose reporters openly promote an agenda favoring the Muslim Brotherhood. While all this was happening, Hamas managed to pay salaries this week to 20,000 civil servants in Gaza, even before the border was turned into an open passage in which people, arms and goods moved freely. But Hamas did not only beat Israel in this round -Egypt and the Palestinian Authority also lost. The Ramallah-based state is now further and more disconnected from Hamas than ever. With impressive timing that still leaves us guessing whether the breach of the Rafah wall was was preplanned, the group's politburo chief, Khaled Meshal, held a National Palestinian Conference in Damascus on Wednesday. The event was meant as a challenge to the PLO and PA leadership, and to stress that there is an alternative leadership for the Palestinian people. In attendance were leaders of militant Palestinian organizations who came to reiterate that they would never relinquish the right of return to the "territories of 1948," armed struggle and jihad. The dramatic broadcasts from the Gaza Strip underscored the summit in Damascus and presented the Hamas leadership as the real decision makers for the Palestinian people, while PA President Mahmoud Abbas was trying in vain to explain that "the Palestinian people desire peace." The scenes from the Gaza Strip, which showed happy crowds of people loaded with goods returning home from Egypt, support the notion that Israel's decision to impose an economic embargo on the Strip was fundamentally mistaken. Israel tried to punish the entire Gazan population to cause it to overthrow Hamas rule. Preventing soda, cigarettes, cleaning materials and newspapers was thought to be an effective means of pressure in the war against the Qassam rockets. In this Jerusalem also accepted recommendations from the Fatah leadership, who wanted to settle old scores with their Hamas rivals. But the security establishment, like the media, failed to appreciate correctly the enormity of the poverty in Gaza, and with it the hatred for Israel. It only pushed Hamas to bring down the wall, in a manner that will now make it difficult to restore the blockade on the Gaza Strip Bookmark to del.icio.us   Google N for Nakba Israeli town sues Google over claim it was built on ruins of Palestinian village. A Belgian treat U.S. Jew says he was kicked out of a Bruges cafe because he was wearing a skullcap.   1.   LOL Israel, PLO, & Egypt all got OWNED 03:13  |  PeaceNOW 25/01/08   2.   The maneuvering game ain`t over yet 03:21  |  Genuine Tosefta 25/01/08   3.   Hamas wins 03:27  |  Avi 25/01/08   4.   What glory? They causes thousands to suffer 03:31  |  David 25/01/08   5.   Brilliant!!! I love those guys!! Hola Hamas!! 03:40  |  Assad-u-LLAH 25/01/08   6.   Even Whewn You Flush A Toilet, There Are Winners and Losers! 03:42  |  Stash 25/01/08   7.   As usual, Haaretz misdiagnoses 03:55  |  Edifice 25/01/08   8.   Nonsense! Israel can overrun Gaza in a week 03:57  |  B (The other one) 25/01/08   9.   The best thing for Isreal 03:59  |  Avrum 25/01/08   10.   One more blow 04:01  |  Frank 25/01/08   11.   Amos, I see you grinning with glee 04:05  |  roger 25/01/08   12.   Hamas outmaneuvers Israel (keeping the lie alive) 04:10  |  akiva (zionist) 25/01/08   13.   Flawed analysis? - 1st try 04:51 HT 04:51  |  BBSNews 25/01/08   14.   TIME TO TELL EGYPT: GIVE BACK SINAI, YOU ARE THE SAME OLD ENEMY)) 05:03  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 25/01/08   15.   NOW IS TIME TO RETAKE GAZA,WIPE OUT TERROR,TELL EGYPT:MOVE OVER)) 05:05  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 25/01/08   16.   That`s because Israel is too soft on Gaza. 05:08  |  Nechama 25/01/08   17.   At the very least: check IDs and bags 05:14  |  observer 25/01/08   18.   haaretz tells the TRUTH about the "crisis" 05:29  |  CK Tan (on vacation) 25/01/08   19.   Hamas outmaneuvers Israel 05:34  |  jerry 25/01/08   20.   Israel guilty of the same cultural arrogance as the US 06:05  |  Jon 25/01/08   21.   More Troops 06:10  |  Johnny 25/01/08   22.   I AM ONE CRAZY MAN!! 06:12  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 25/01/08   23.   Hamas & Gaza now Egypt`s problem 06:15  |  Andrew Hamilton 25/01/08   24.   Highlights What Israel Has Always Said 06:23  |  Brad 25/01/08   25.   BBS- gloat while you can 06:25  |  AGM-142 25/01/08   26.   I LOVE HAMAS! 06:26  |  Assad-u-LLAH 25/01/08   27.   BBSNEWS: What Seige? 06:27  |  Brad 25/01/08   28.   Hooray! Let Egypt have them 06:37  |  Judith 25/01/08   29.   Hamas outmaneuvers Israel 06:52  |  cheer4 25/01/08   30.   Gaza Marrying East 06:54  |  Ron 25/01/08   31.   Would Israel really expel the Gazans? 06:55  |  Peace Lover 25/01/08   32.   Today "Litle Berlin Wall Blown Off" 07:00  |  Old Melt Katrock 25/01/08   33.   The israeli tactics have made Hamas 07:18  |  Kris 25/01/08   34.   stupid move of Hamas and Egypt 07:19  |  Rasputin 25/01/08   35.   AGM-142 Popeye - 1st try 07:21 HT 07:21  |  BBSNews 25/01/08   36.   Oh Please... 07:25  |  ScotGuy 25/01/08   37.   Haaretz celebrates for Hamas, how nice 07:26  |  Gili 25/01/08   38.   Untended consequences: Don`t say I didn`t warn you 07:28  |  Natallie Durson 25/01/08   39.   Too Much Blah Blah just to say `Rape` Israel 08:17  |  Joseph E . 25/01/08   40.   Did Arabs Capitualted , ? Did Arabs Raised the White Flag ? 08:24  |  Joseph E . 25/01/08   41.   AGM-142 Popeye - 2nd try 08:37 HT 08:37  |  BBSNews 25/01/08   42.   the manouvres are about fatah and peace 08:51  |  v hardman 25/01/08   43.   This is a blessing for Israel. 16:17  |  Realist 25/01/08   44.   Durson 19:20  |  Jeff 25/01/08   45.   Hamas 19:50  |  Paul 25/01/08   46.   Hamas 20:34  |  Paul 25/01/08   47.   Hamas Has Won A Bag Of Worms 21:19  |  Sarah 25/01/08   48.   Hamas + Gaza - Wall = Egypt`s problem 23:38  |  Give Gaza to Egypt 26/01/08   49.   Truth 05:37  |  Reb 12/02/08   50.   re #8 `Nonsense! Israel can overrun Gaza in a week` 10:01  |  Colin Wright 12/02/08

Today Online Bradley Burston: Sderot as Stalingrad, Hamas as Samson Responses: 14 Akiva Eldar: Netanyahu could be the peace candidate Responses: 1 Ahmed Yousef: Palestinian revenge was inevitable Responses: 1 Israeli town sues Google over claim it was built on Arab village Responses: 93 Mayor: I won't let Jerusalem be turned into illegal outpost Responses: 10 Rosner's Domain Ambassador Ayalon: Why does Obama think talking to "Hitler" can succeed? Maryland Jewish legislators for Obama (WTR) Poll: Is it legitimate to cut electricity to Gaza? Think Clinton won the Jewish vote in California? Think again Factor: How's McCain better than Obama More Headlines 10:08 Housing Min. denies delays in East Jerusalem construction 09:41 Hamas: Israeli attempt to overthrow our rule doomed to failure 09:41 Gaza, Iran on agenda as Olmert meets Merkel in Berlin 08:37 ANALYSIS: Hamas banks on IDF invasion to deliver final blow to Abbas 09:32 Krakow church holds service slamming 'kikes who spit on us' 09:43 Palestinian PM: Israel has failed to keep 'road map' promises 06:28 Police arrest 5 Palestinians who petitioned against IAA digs under their homes 05:59 Barak tells Knesset U.S. unlikely to attack Iran's nuclear installations 04:26 Peki'in house rented to Jew set on fire as deterrent to other Jews 06:36 Indian community in south Israel town enjoy Hindi play funded by U.S. Jew 03:46 Ashkenazi: IDF ready to widen Gaza actions as much as needed 00:17 U.S. Congressman, Holocaust survivor Tom Lantos dies at 80 21:49 Israeli town sues Google over claim it was built on Arab village Previous Editions Select Day 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb 07 feb 06 feb 05 feb 04 feb 03 feb 01 feb 31 jan 30 jan 29 jan

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