Friday September 23, 2005

I've Been Thinking:

A lot of organizations have think tanks and strategy centers.
Al Mustaqbal is the Hamas Strategy Center.
The Center evaluates terror methodology and develops new ideas for attacks against Israel.
The Center also maps out the social services Hamas provides for Palestinians.

Al Mustaqbal recently published several important and enlightening studies.
I've read the studies. The bottom line is that Israel's withdrawal from Gaza is forcing Hamas to change their modus operandi.

Most important: Attacks against Israel will continue but on a smaller scale so as not to draw large-scale retaliation and the possibility of re-invasion of Palestinian cities. The studies call for a period of quiet followed by an escalation in attacks.

Next: Methods of attack must be changed. With no Jews in Gaza the focus will turn to the West Bank and Israel's security fence will certainly impair the ability to attack easily. Rockets and drive by shootings are the new attacks of choice.

Finally: Hamas does not believe that the Palestinian Authority will successfully disarm them. Their fear is Israeli retaliation, nothing else.

What can I say? Hamas has said it all.