Israel Bombs Gaza Strip in Retaliation for Rocket Attack

This week, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has again launched airstrikes against targets in the Gaza strip in retaliation for a militant-launched rocket attack that struck a house in the southern Israeli city of Bersheeba. The residents, a woman and her three children, were treated for shock but were unharmed by the attack which left their house in ruins. In response, Israeli fighter jets struck 20 targets in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the death of at least one militant. The air raids also destroyed a terror tunnel, used to smuggle fighters and arms into Israel; a training camp; tunneling sites and equipment; and caches of weapons parts.

The Israel government blamed Hamas for the attack and accused them of attempting to scuttle the ongoing peace talks for a long-term ceasefire that is being mediated by an Egyptian delegation. Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus described the type of rocket used as a, “…midrange, locally produced rocket possessed only by two groups in Gaza: Hamas and Islamic Jihad”. However, Hamas has vehemently denied responsibility and, in a rare move, distanced itself from the attack stating that, “We reject all irresponsible attempts that try to change the direction and sabotage the Egyptian efforts, including the overnight firing of the rocket”. Egyptian mediators now face the difficult task of trying to keep a dialogue open between both sides.

The road to peace between Israel and Palestine remains rocky. The two countries have fought three separate wars in the past 10 years, and the cycle of violence generated by terrorist rockets and the inevitable Israeli military response has caused devastation and death for civilians on both sides. The latest came in 2014 when Israel launched Operation Protective Edge in an attempt to weaken Hamas’ infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. The week-long war ended the lives of 66 Israelis and 2,100 Palestinians.

US interests are greatly threatened by violence in the Middle East, especially between Israeli and Palestine. Criticism of Israel’s counterterrorism methods by biased organizations such as the UN Human Rights Council has increased the chances of violence against a key ally and one of the only true democracies in the Middle East. The US role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has mostly been one of a mediator. Beginning in 1979 with President Jimmy Carter’s instrumental role in the Camp David Accords, the US has carefully worked with both sides over the years to bring about a stable and long-lasting
peace. To make sure both sides remain committed to this process, the US must keep an open dialogue between the leadership of both states in order to minimize violence and encourage engagement with international mediators.