Posted 8:18 AM by steve

In yesterday's WSJ, Max Boot argues that Israel can not muster the will needed to win its fight against Hamas (and unstated, against Hezbollah as well).

Boot attributes Israel's lack of resolve to do what is necessary to win to its being a 'liberal democracy', that unlike regimes such as Russia, Syria and Burma, Israel's "military operations are conducted under the intense scrutiny of lawyers, judges, opposition politicians, reporters and human-rights activists..." as well as "the "international community," which monitors Israeli actions with a degree of interest and antipathy reserved for no other state in the world" that together limit Israel's military options in dealing with its enemies.

Boot is right that Israel has tied one hand behind its back but misidentifies the culprit. It isn't the 'international community' that is forcing Israel into using less-then-effective tactics in fighting Hamas, the real reason is that Israel really doesn't view Hamas or Hezbollah as threats to Israel's continued existence.

Sure, Hamas makes life hell for Israelis in parts of southern Israel. And Israel knows that Hamas and Hezbollah would like nothing more than to get rid of Israel altogether.

But deep down, Israel doesn't believe that either group presents an imminent danger to Israel's existence. Israel views Hamas and Hezbollah as nuisances, as (unlike Teddy Roosevelt) speaking loudly and carrying a little stick, as pests to be dealt with with flyswatters as opposed to real threats that justify using every weapon in Israel's arsenal.

It's not that Israel is hampered by 'there's only so much we can do' it's more that they feel that 'there's only much we should do in going after Hamas, given that much of Israel (as well as practically no one among the 'international community') doesn't connect the dots from A to B, where A is Hamas lobbing rockets into southern Israel and B is Israel (at least the Jewish Israelis) having to flee Israel or being wiped out in a nuclear attack.

The big question: what will it take for Israel to view Hamas and Hezbollah as real threats, and if and when that day comes, would Israel finally take off the gloves.... and regardless of the criticism they'd receive from the 'international community'?