Written before the Israeli incursion into Rafah, Zvi Bar’el argues that Palestinian militants might be shifting tactics. The killing of an IDF officer in Nablus yesterday, might be an indication of this shift.
“The attack by Hamas and the Islamic Jihad in concert against a military target yesterday has to a great extent restored their lost prestige after the killing of Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz Rantisi. These organizations, under pressure by the IDF and limited in their ability to carry out attacks in Israel because of the separation fence, have changed their tactics and are focusing their activities against the targets in their immediate environs: settlers and soldiers. Within a week they have succeeded twice – the killing of the Hatuel family and the blowing up of an IDF armored personnel carrier, killing six soldiers. This type of action ostensibly legitimizes these organizations in the eyes of the Palestinians and the Arab public in general, as the attacks do not exceed what they perceive to be the framework of opposition to the occupation.”
