OPINION: How did Israel allow this to happen?
Up until last week the conventional wisdom held that Hamas was not seeking a confrontation, writes Richard Pater, director of the Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre (BICOM)
I have been a regular visitor to the communities in the Gaza Strip periphery for over 20 years.
I have long admired the residents rugged stoicism and their spirit and values, which most closely resemble the mythology of the early Zionist pioneers who built the young state a hundred years ago.
Never did we conceive that pogroms, as were suffered by stateless Jews in exile, would revisit this generation of high-tech-savvy Jews living in a sovereign Jewish State.
Up until last week the conventional wisdom held that Hamas was not seeking a confrontation.
It sat out the last two rounds of fighting and let the much smaller Islamic Jihad take the lead on rocket fire.
It had benefited from the Qatari cash injection, and subsidised fuel to which Israel and Egypt had acquiesced.
Hamas, we would say, wants to prove their governance credentials and deliver economic improvements.
As such, Israeli officials were considering expanding work permits, easing on import-export restrictions.
Just this summer, this ‘full-on‘ right wing Israeli government even approved exploration of off-shore gas off the Gaza coast! With hindsight, it appears we were duped and the Israeli leadership were complacently lulled into hubris.
Right now, there are far more questions than answers. But even now, beyond the shock, this event changes the paradigm. Compounding the disgrace, it now appears to be accurate that Egyptian intelligence had warned Israel two weeks ago something big was being planned; but they had said this before, so why listen this time?
What Israeli intelligence apparently failed to pick up on was a sophisticated and detailed invasion plan.
The initial stage included a massive barrage of rockets – as a decoy. This coincided with coordinated drone strikes (a familiar Russian / Iranian playbook) on strategic targets including tanks, surveillance camaras, and military communications antennae.
In certain places it also included a cyber-attack that took down electricity and cellular coverage. They were not able to call in support.
The next stage of the plan included two-seater motorised paragliders. For example, in Netiv Haasara, where at least 21 people died, the surviving security coordinator described three paragliders crossing the fence.
They were well prepared, and split up knowing exactly where there were landing spots in the north, centre and south of the community, which allowed them to take control and commit the massacre.
Of his group of emergency volunteers, only he survived – the other five all died fighting the intruders.
They lay dying and no one could reach them for four hours. Hamas were able to breach the barrier, possibly with pre laid explosives, but once in control on the Israeli side were also able to open gates allowing truckloads of terrorists to enter.
It took over 48 hours for Israel to re-establish control and find temporary solutions to plug the holes with tanks and drones.
Recriminations will follow. For now, Israel is grieving.
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