Contents
Israel’s Narrative
The Truth about the 2014 Gaza War
Humanitarian Law
The Legal War
The Diplomatic Arena
Hamas’ Strategy Revealed
Hamas’ Weapons and Targets
Hamas’ Tunnel Network
Gazan Casualties
Timeline of the War

DEBKAfile Exclusive Analysis March 14, 2015, 11:11 AM

While the opinion polls tab Yitzhak Herzog, co-leader of the opposition Zionist Camp party (former Labor) a highly credible contender for ousting Binyamin Netanyahu, the same credibility does not characterize the four pledges he made to the voter ahead of the March 17 election – however sincere his intentions.

In his first 100 days as prime minister, Herzog vowed if he is elected to lead the campaign to bring down the prohibitive cost of housing; mend Israel’s relations with the United States, i.e. the Obama administration; revive peace talks with the Palestinians; and create a “regional platform” for Israel’s foreign relations.

The last three goals would, he promised, be subject to considerations of Israel’s nation security.
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DOES PRES. OBAMA’S APPOINTMENT OF ROBERT MALLEY PRES. OBAMA’S REAL BELIEFS?

From  the unclassified public record Robert Malley’s  very strong antipathy toward Israel is well documented. Also, from the unclassified public record is very clear that Susan Rice is very well aware of his active  involvements in behalf of Hamas and of Yasser Arafat. The questions that Ed Lasky raised in 2008 are even more relevant today, given  Malley’s White House promotion and  his being placed in charge of Israeli-Palestinian affairs (and other major areas of responsibility):

a. Why would Barack Obama have on his foreign policy staff a man who has been widely criticized for a revisionist history of the Middle East peace process sharply at odds with all other accounts of the proceedings? Read more…

By Caroline Glick, JPOST

The next 22 months until President Barack Obama leaves office promise to be the most challenging period in the history of US-Israel relations.

Now unfettered by electoral concerns, over the past week Obama exposed his ill-intentions toward Israel in two different ways.

First, the Justice Department leaked its intention to indict Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez on corruption charges. Menendez is the ranking Democratic member, and the former chairman, of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He is also the most outspoken Democratic critic of Obama’s policy of appeasing the Iranian regime.

As former US federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy wrote this week at PJMedia, “It is perfectly reasonable to believe that Menendez may be guilty of corruption offenses and that his political opposition on Iran is factoring into the administration’s decision to charge him. Put it another way, if Menendez were running interference for Obama on the Iran deal, rather than trying to scupper it, I believe he would not be charged.”
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(Reuters) – MAJOR WORLD POWERS HAVE BEGUN TALKS ABOUT A UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION TO LIFT U.N. SANCTIONS ON IRAN IF A NUCLEAR AGREEMENT IS STRUCK WITH TEHRAN, a step that could make it harder for the U.S. Congress to undo a deal, Western officials said.

The talks between Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — the five permanent members of the Security Council — plus Germany and Iran, are taking place ahead of difficult negotiations that resume next week over constricting Iran’s nuclear ability.

Some eight U.N. resolutions – four of them imposing sanctions – ban Iran from uranium enrichment and other sensitive atomic work and bar it from buying and selling atomic technology and anything linked to ballistic missiles. There is also a U.N. arms embargo.
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DEBKA

Five days before Israel’s snap election, people who have seen Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu close up say he looks weary and, behind his controlled façade, shocked to discover that his Likud party faces the real possibility of being thrown out of office on March 17. At a meeting of the party faithful, Wednesday, March 11, he warned – not once but again and again – that if they don’t get a move on fast, Israel could be stuck with “Bougie and Tzipi” [Yitzhak Herzog and Tzipi Livni co-leaders of the opposition Zionist Camp] as prime ministers.

The former Labor party keeps on overtaking Likud in opinion polls – not by much but consistently. When the figures hit 24-25 Knesset seats to his party’s 21, Netanyahu finally bestirred himself to go stumping across the country.
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By Danny Danon, JPOST

When entering the voting booth on March 17 Israelis must not be confused.

I have been engaged in Israeli politics since my days as a student activist at Ramat Gan’s storied Blich High School almost 30 years ago. Those who support me, and even my most critical detractors, all agree that my political activism is based on a passionate belief in an ideological path that I have hewed closely to throughout my years in public service. While I can understand why voters often search for the political party that closely matches their ideology, I know that in this election there is only one choice for those who want a proud, right-wing Israeli government.

During my travels all over the country throughout this election campaign, I have encountered too many voters who believe they are voting in a strategic manner. With the purest of intentions, they believe that by strengthening satellite or sectorial parties they will have a say in forming the ideological makeup of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s next government.
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By Martin Sherman, JPOST

The bitterest irony is the spectacle of scores of ex-senior security officials who spent their adult life defending Israel, now promoting a political initiative that will make it indefensible.

One does not have to be a military expert to easily identify the critical defects of the armistice lines that existed until June 4, 1967. A considerable part of these lines is without any topographical security value; and, of no less importance, the lines fail to provide Israel with the essential minimum of strategic depth – Deputy PM Yigal Allon, former commander of Palmah strike force, 1976.

…historians a thousand years hence will still be baffled by the mystery of our affairs. They will never understand how it was that a victorious nation, with everything in hand, suffered themselves to be brought low, and to cast away all that they had gained by measureless sacrifice and absolute victory… Now the victors are the vanquished… that is the terrible transformation that has taken place bit by bit. – Winston Churchill, in the House of Commons, March 1938.
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Arab Zionist who has received death threats gives forceful support speech at Likud rally,’. Netanyahu promises ‘you will be a Likud MK

By Ari Yashar, INN

Mohammed Zoabi, the fearless Zionist Arab youth from Nazareth who received death threats and had to go underground after criticizing his radical pro-Hamas aunt MK Hanin Zoabi, gave an impassioned speech of support for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu at a Likud rally this week.

In a video clip posted to Netanyahu’s Facebook page earlier this week, the young Zoabi is seen at the podium declaring forcefully “I’m a proud Israeli Arab Zionist.”The video of Zoabi’s speech, in Hebrew, can be seen below.

“I came to support a leader of every single citizen of Israel. I came to support a leader who always, always was there at the side of the Jewish people, …who will never give up or concede; the time of the Jewish people giving up and conceding on Israel is over,” stated Zoabi.

The youth continued, “we are living here in the state of Israel, a Jewish democratic state, the state of the Jewish people and a state of all its citizens, and Mr. Netanyahu defends every citizen of Israel, Arab and Jewish alike.”
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Netanyahu in media blitz says Labor could defeat him, but could the polls be fabricated?

By Gil Ronen, INN

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu launched a media blitz Thursday, granting interviews to Israeli television channels as well as other news sources, in a last-minute attempt to shore up support ahead of Tuesday’s national elections.

Netanyahu cited polls that show Likud’s main rival, Labor under Yitzhak Herzog, leads over Likud by several MKs. While most of the public wants a right wing government, he said – if Labor defeats Likud, the president could task it with creating the next government with the support of the Arab MKs.

However, News1 editor Yoav Yitzhak warned readers that the polls are not necessarily accurate.

“Guys, don’t believe the polls,” he wrote. “Some of them are purposely slanted. Yedioth Aharonoth refrained from publishing a poll last weekend whose results indicated that Likud is gaining strength.”
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T. Belman. In a previous preface I said that Obama’s proposed deal is Iran is only a hudna. Nonie Darwish, a friend of mine, amplifies this. I might add that no peace agreement with any Muslim country or the PA can last longer than 10 years. Muslims have the duty to wage war with non Muslim countries until they accept the dominance of Sharia and Islam.

By Nonie Darwish, AMERICAN THINKER

It is interesting to see President Obama trying to make a nuclear deal with Iran because Iran, an Islamic theocracy, must make a deal that is Sharia compliant. The Obama administration has to know and must feel a need to work with Iran’s Sharia requirements but is not making the predicament clear to the American people who are unaware of it. This is why:

Islamic law places jihad as not only a duty of every Muslim, but more importantly as the duty of every Muslim head of state. Permanent peace agreements with non-Muslim countries are forbidden since peace with the enemies of Islam is not a value, but in fact discouraged and would be treason if pursued for the purpose of peace. The relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims, as dictated by Sharia, must remain a hostile one unless non-Muslims abide by and live under Sharia. True peace with non-Muslims is forbidden and the only thing allowed is truces that must never exceed 10 years.
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BREITBART

NAPLES, Florida — In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News, likely 2016 GOP presidential candidate Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) staked out a bold position on a foreign policy matter—pushing to arm Kurdish fighters against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) even more than the U.S. has already done, but also calling for the creation of a new nation of Kurdistan.

“Part of the problem is the Kurds aren’t getting enough arms,” Paul said. “The Kurds are the best fighters. The arms are going through Baghdad to get to the Kurds and they’re being siphoned off and they’re not getting what they need. I think any arms coming from us or coming from any European countries ought to go directly to the Kurds. They seem to be the most effective and most determined fighters.”

In addition, Paul called for giving the Kurds their own country for them to defend against radical Islamists.

“But I would go one step further: I would draw new lines for Kurdistan and I would promise them a country,” Paul said.
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Former security officials denounce PM’s diplomatic moves, decry attack on Meir Dagan

TOI

A number of former officials in Israel’s security establishment are slamming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s diplomatic and security policies, including on Iran, and saying that another Netanyahu term would harm the State of Israel.

The former officials also decry the harsh criticism doled out by the ruling Likud party to ex-Mossad chief Meir Dagan following his speech at an anti-Netanyahu rally in Tel Aviv this past weekend.

Their comments come a day after the PM said officials in the United States and across the world have become more receptive to Israel’s fears over Iran’s suspected nuclear weapons program following his speech to Congress last week.
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Time for a reality check: Isaac Herzog will not be Israel’s next prime minister.

By Steven Klein, HAARETZ

Various media in Israel and abroad continue to speculate that Isaac Herzog could cobble together a coalition against all odds, and replace the incumbent prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. They delude themselves that it’s 1999 all over again, the last time Netanyahu fell, that Herzog’s chances “appear” to be higher than earlier in the election campaign, or that a unity government with a rotating prime minister is a viable scenario.

Folks, it’s time for an intervention.

There is no scenario in which Isaac Herzog will be Israel’s next prime minister, no matter what he declares or what the press reports. Period.
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When it comes to actual building within West Bank settlements, Netanyahu’s track record as prime minister in the past six years has been worse than that of the previous six years.

JPOST

Housing starts in settlements in 2014 dropped 52 percent compared to the previous year, according to Central Bureau of Statistics figures released Tuesday as the Likud and Bayit Yehudi parties vied for right-wing votes by showcasing their strong support for Judea and Samaria.

To help shore up that support ahead of the March 17 election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew by helicopter Tuesday morning to the IDF headquarters in Judea and Samaria, located between the Palestinian city of Ramallah and the Beit El settlement.
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JPOST

The Likud is in even worse shape than polls taken for media outlets show, according to internal polls taken this week for the Zionist Union.

A series of such polls taken by former prime minister Ariel Sharon’s pollster, Kalman Geyer, found the Zionist Union leading the Likud by five to seven Knesset seats – the Zionist Union with as many as 28 and as few as 24 seats, and the Likud with as many as 21 and as few as 18.

“The war is not over, but I believe we are winning the war,” Geyer said.

Likud strategists’ polls taken on Sunday showed a tie between the two parties, but since then, the Zionist Union has taken a lead of at least a seat, 23 to 22.

“I wouldn’t use the word ‘desperate,’ but it is likely that the other side will get the first chance to form a government, and if they get that chance they probably can,” a Likud strategist said. “The only thing that can stop that from happening is a large Likud.”

Shas chairman says he’s against splitting Jerusalem but would agree to evict “isolated settlements”.

By Ben Ariel, INN

Shas leader Aryeh Deri on Tuesday said that there are “large gaps” between his party and the left.

The comments, made in an interview on Channel 20, came after Rabbanit Adina Bar-Shalom, daughter of the late Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, spiritual founder of Shas, indicated at a conference that Shas is left-leaning when she said the party fears a “radical right government” and would push for a two-state solution.

“The gap between us and the left is very large. I do not agree to divide Jerusalem, and I do not agree to evict large communities for no reason,” Deri said.

He did admit, however, that he would agree to evict “isolated communities” as part of a peace deal.
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Kulanu party chairman declares he will not consider which party has more seats when choosing who to recommend as PM.

Arutz Sheva

Moshe Kahlon, head of the Kulanu party, clarified on Tuesday that he will not take into consideration which party has more seats after next week’s election when he chooses who to recommend for Prime Minister.

“We have not made an agreement with anybody,” he told Channel 2 News, adding, “We will not consider the question of who has more seats, we will recommend the candidate who will deal with the cost of living and housing prices.”

In recent days there have been reports that Kulanu was planning to join a post-election negotiation bloc with Yesh Atid, Yisrael Beytenu, or any other party.

Kahlon told supporters Sunday that his party is interested in only one “deal, a deal with the Israeli public. Don’t believe the lies that some are pushing, as they are designed to influence your vote.”
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