The Israeli government is on the right course in its approach to the Qassam rocket barrages striking southern Israel, a retired IDF brigadier general expert told Ynetnews.
Shlomo Brom, an analyst at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies, and formerly head of strategic planning for the IDF, said the army should not get sucked into the Hamas – Fatah war raging in Gaza, and expressed support for the government's decision to limit Israel's response to aerial strikes.
"One central lesson we have learned from the Lebanon war, and which has been backed up by the Wingograd Commission, is that we must not respond automatically. We need proper planning and preparation before taking action, and my impression is that the government is doing this," Brom said.
"Although my heart is with the people in Sderot, I don't think the price (being paid by Israel) is that high," he added. "There hasn't been much damage or many injuries, despite our attempts to magnify the human cost by counting victims of shock," said Brom.
"And if that's the situation, why should we get dragged into the war in Gaza? Hamas has had four members killed today. That's not a bad result," Brom said.
The former brigadier general added that Hamas is launching rockets at Sderot in order rectify its image among Palestinians, which has been damaged following the clashes with Fatah. "Hamas is a political movement. It succeeded in the Palestinian elections because it had a pure image in comparison with Fatah. The conflicts in Gaza have not been so good for its image, so in turn it has gone for the simple solution, to blame us," he said.
Brom added that the Palestinian people would probably "not buy into this," as "it is too transparent."
"There has been a Hamas-Fatah civil war there for years, the only question is, at what level is this war on," Brom said. "Up until now it has never been at such a stage, but it can get much worse. It could spread to all of Gaza and turn into a full-scale war," he warned. Brom added that "Hamas has the advantage – it is better organized, trained, and equipped, and it is intent on taking full control of Gaza."