Israel steps up its offensive

The daily's Middle East correspondent Hans Henrik Fafner explains that the activities of Hamas and Hizbullah must be seen as part of a whole. He asserts that Hizbullah's "meticulously planned kidnapping was intended to force the Israeli leadership to do the one thing it feared most: open up a second front. At the same time the focus of attention has now shifted to the Syrian regime. In the eyes of the Israelis, and in the eyes of some in the West, Hamas' moves are orchestrated not in the Gaza Strip but in Damascus, where Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal is making his mark. Israel and the US have warned Syria not to protect Hamas by continuing to tolerate Meshaal's presence. From that point of view, the current developments have another facet. Should the Israeli government go along with the right-wing's demands that it declare war on Hizbullah, the two conflicts – that with Hamas and that with Hizbullah – would melt into one. The crisis would be well on the way to spreading throughout the entire region."

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