During the Israeli election season, some political parties called for victory over Hamas and over-confidently touted their ability to achieve that goal. Even if election slogans ought to be forgotten, it is worthwhile examining this demand for victory methodically.

There are five explicit principles that govern Israel’s relationship with Hamas: the massive difference in military power; the internecine Palestinian dispute and strife; Hamas’s determination to harass Israel and not allow Israelis to enjoy periods of calm; the methods of power deployment whose effectiveness is questionable (Hamas is also frustrated); and the fact that a deployment of force often leaves to escalation. Therefore, without a policy change, a security deterioration is inevitable.

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