Gaza ground attack: Israel wants to show who's boss - Chandra Muzaffar

Israel wants to demonstrate to the Arab world and to everyone that it is in control and it can do whatever it wants, said academician and analyst Dr Chandra Muzaffar commenting about the recent ground attack in Gaza.

The International Movement for a Just World (JUST) president said the reason why Israel is eager to show its power is because it fears the merger between Hamas in Gaza and Fatah in the West Bank.

"Israel wants to make sure this doesn't happen. And Gaza (even after numerous attacks) still stands up to provide a base for Hamas. So it wants to crush it," said Chandra when contacted by Astro AWANI.

Although Gaza and the West Bank have been said to be politically divided, but fellowship is strong when conflicts like this arise.

He said although the obvious reason stated by Israel is to protect Israeli lives and destroy the tunnels used by Hamas Islamist fighters to infiltrate nearby parts of Israel, but the truth is it wants to send a clear message that it is in power.

"I don't think the rockets sent by Hamas were a threat to Israel," he said.

"You raise your head, we (Israel) will clobber you," said Chandra, simplifying on what the Israelis really want to tell the whole world.

But according to Chandra, the problem lies with Israel as they refuse to tolerate any justice nor deal with the question of justice towards the Palestinians.

Israel even refused to accept the establishment of a Palestinian state made on only 22 percent of Palestinian land.

"Unless there is tremendous pressure by the United States or Britain, I don't think there would any solution to this," he opined.

The attack on Gaza had entered its 13th day with early morning Israeli strikes in the southern city of Rafah killed five men, raising the total death toll to 348 Palestinians.

Israel's Government Press Office (GPO) had also warned foreign press that it will not be responsible for the journalists' safety in the Gaza Strip, reported Reuters on Saturday.

Through an emailed statement, the GPO said that Gaza and its vicinity are a battleground and covering the hostilities exposes journalists to life-threatening danger due to the launching of Israel's offensive attacks.

Israel on Thursday, had launched a ground operation in Gaza for the reason of stamping out rocket attacks from the Palestinian enclave and crushing Hamas which controls the Gaza Strip.

The ground invasion happened on 10th day of the Jewish state's offensive towards Gaza. Dozens of women and children were among those killed in the Israeli attacks.