A Settler Against the Occupation
Alongside Israel, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority there was one more crucial player in - and trigger for - the Gaza conflict: Israel’s West Bank settlements.
The most peaceful places in Israel during Operation Protective Edge were the settlements in the West Bank. It is a paradox because these settlements are actually the source of the crisis. Apparently, only three actors are involved in the Gaza "play": Hamas, shooting rockets at Israel indiscriminately from Gaza and trying to sneak in through underground tunnels; Israel, responding with mighty air raids and a land invasion; and the Palestinian Authority, watching from the sidelines. On the surface, the settlements are not a factor, and Israel's combat with Hamas has nothing to do with the occupation of the West Bank. But this is just the superficial view.