Palestinian protesters kneel behind a barricade as they hurl stones at Israeli troops, not seen, during clashes at a demonstration against Israel's military operation in Gaza, in the Shuafat refugee camp, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2008. More than 280 Palestinians have been killed and more than 600 people wounded since Israel's campaign to quash rocket barrages from Gaza began midday Saturday, according to Palestinian medical sources. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)From Times Online:
Ever since Hamas seized control of Gaza 18 months ago, a full-scale military conflict with Israel has been inevitable
When Gazans contemplate the death and destruction caused by Israeli aircraft over the weekend, they may conclude that their tiny, over-crowded coastal strip was the latest victim of a Middle Eastern “perfect storm”.
Unlike corners of the globe afflicted by typhoons and hurricanes, the Middle East is blessed by good weather but plagued by recurring man-made disasters usually triggered by the lethal convergence of military and political interests.
Ever since Hamas militants seized control of Gaza from the Palestinian Authority 18 months ago, a full-scale military confrontation with Israel has been inevitable. Hamas is committed ideologically to the destruction of the Jewish State and its replacement with an Islamic alternative over the full territory of mandate Palestine.
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