Like any journalist, I have a tendency to be fairly cynical about the motives of those in power. Perhaps I am being disingenuous then, when I wonder if there could be any connection between the timing of Israel’s rather brutal air attacks on Gaza and Israel’s forthcoming general election, in February.
There is a perception that wars often do wonders for unpopular governments – although Blair’s Iraq War may be the exception. From what I heard while in Israel, the Likud party that leads its government coalition is none too popular with the more nationalist/religious members of its electorate – a section of society that wields a lot of power and seems to be growing.
Many settlers, religious people and conservatives seem convinced that the party is basically corrupt, in thrall in western governments and too soft on the Palestinians (oh the irony).
Could there be some connection between this fact and the timing of the onslaught? This is not something I have read anywhere so far in the analysis of these events.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not condoning Hamas’ attacks on Israeli communities – I don’t believe in violence as a mean to achieve anything. I just can’t help but ask myself: why now?