Operation Protective Edge: The Goals, and the Strategy to Achieve Them

[Valin]

Institute for National Security Studies:

Amos Yadlin

July 9, 2014

 

 

The strategic purpose of the operation is derived from the state’s obligation to fulfill its basic obligation to protect its citizens and enable them to pursue a normal way of life. Restoring deterrence to achieve another period of quiet was a major strategic achievement of prior operations and a primary objective of the current campaign. While deterrence addresses the motivation to fire at Israel, the current operation should also deal with the capabilities of Hamas and smaller terrorist organizations, particularly Islamic jihad and the Popular Resistance Committees. The operation must be directed mainly against the military wing of Hamas and the other terrorist organizations, and strike a severe blow against their commanders, operatives, launching capabilities, and production capacity.

 

On the evening of July 7, 2014, it finally became clear that Hamas was not prepared to cooperate with the Israeli government’s policy of restraint and Egypt’s mediation efforts to restore a ceasefire and return to the understandings achieved after Operation Pillar of Defense. Hamas’ demands for a different agreement that restricts Israeli actions; its demands that the Rafah border crossing be opened and that prisoners from the Shalit deal who have been sent back to prison be released; and the rocket barrages that have not stopped notwithstanding Israel's restraint, have forced Israel to enter a campaign it did not want.

 

What follows are twelve understandings about the objectives of the current campaign, Operation Protective Edge, and how it differs from Operations Cast Lead and Pillar of Defense.

 

(Snip)