Israel’s Airstrike Gamble

Rocket attacks on Israeli civilians do absolutely nothing to further the Palestinian cause. While ending those attacks is the immediate goal, the broader challenge for the United States and its regional partners is to develop a stronger set of incentives that rewards moderation through a genuine easing of occupation and closure, with the stated goal of ending both.

The rocket that landed in the Mediterranean Sea south of Tel Aviv yesterday represents yet another troubling escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Not since the 1991 Gulf War, when Saddam Hussein’s Scud missiles fell on the city, has Tel Aviv come under similar missile attack. There are reports of more rockets fired at Tel Aviv this morning, and the world waits to see whether the 16,000 Israeli reservists called up today means a ground invasion of Gaza similar to 2008-2009’s Operation Cast Lead.

The above excerpt was originally published in The American Prospect. Click here to view the full article.

The positions of American Progress, and our policy experts, are independent, and the findings and conclusions presented are those of American Progress alone. A full list of supporters is available here. American Progress would like to acknowledge the many generous supporters who make our work possible.