CFR Daily News Brief 7/9 Israel Escalates Strikes as Gaza Rockets Increase Range

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Daily News Brief July 9, 2014

Top of the Agenda Israel Escalates Strikes as Gaza Rockets Increase Range The Israeli air force on Wednesday ramped up its campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip (WaPo) as long-range rockets fired from the Palestinian enclave reached deep into Israeli territory (Haaretz). Twelve Palestinians were killed in the strikes Wednesday, Gaza's health ministry said, bringing the total death toll since Monday to thirty-five (Ma'an). The Arab League on Tuesday called for the UN Security Council to convene an emergency session (AFP). Meanwhile, Israel's Gaza campaign has renewed debate on its policy of using telephone calls and leaflets to warn occupants of buildings about to be bombed or shelled (NYT). Analysis "When external crisis strikes Israel, its politicians tend to close ranks. Not this time. Upset with what he sees as the vacillating policies of Israel's prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel's foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, declared he is dissolving the 20-month-old pact between their two political parties," writes the Economist. "If I were John Kerry, I'd go to Israel now under only one condition. If Benjamin Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas called, asked for my help, and made clear they were prepared to deal seriously with the peace process when this round calms down. Otherwise, Mr. Secretary, stay home," writes Aaron David Miller in Foreign Policy. "A third approach is needed. While protecting Israel's civilian population militarily, Israel should try to catalyze Hamas's ultimate transformation to an unarmed political party in a Palestinian state. For theological reasons, even in a best case scenario Hamas will remain at arm's length from a final status agreement," writes Ofer Zalzberg in the Times of Israel.