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Comment and Opinion

Haaretz: Iran’s Fighting Force in Gaza, Calling and Firing the Shots: This Is Islamic Jihad in Palestine, by Yaniv Kubovich

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Hamas did in fact take control of the recent demonstration on the Gaza border with Israel but it is not the only party responsible for the subsequent escalation in Gaza – or for putting a stop to it. Hamas may finance, direct and decide the level of intensity of the border protests, but to a large extent it is Islamic Jihad that will determine whether the confrontation with Israel remains along the border — or escalates into the firing of mortar shells and rockets over the border.

In recent years, members of Islamic Jihad have managed to create clear rules of the game vis-à-vis the Israeli army. Unlike Hamas, which is also responsible for the civilian population in Gaza and has political ambitions, Islamic Jihad is committed to nothing other than armed confrontation with Israel. It therefore dictates how the Israel Defense Forces conducts itself: Any incident in which Islamic Jihad inflicts casualties or property damage – for the most part involving the firing of rockets or a significant attack along the border fence, is immediately countered with an Israeli military response.

Read the full story at Haaretz.