Another surprise of the Hamas attack on Israel – beyond the onslaught itself – was the emergence of the Hamas military wing as an affiliate of the Islamic State (ISIS). This showed Hamas was fighting as the front in a global struggle for the revival of ISIS. This is appalling news for Christians in the Middle East and Europe, and even Muslims, many of whom fell victim to ISIS’s indescribable brutality during the war in Syria, North Africa, and continental Africa.
Hamas’ Islamic motives – beyond serving as an Iranian proxy – explain why European and Arab nations responded with alacrity in support of Israel. U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin Lloyd was commander of the U.S. Army Central Command, which fought against ISIS. He told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, “I was the guy that initially put the ISIS campaign together. And I know a lot about ISIS, and this is worse than what I saw with ISIS.”1
Hamas Commander Mohammed Deif
Years ago, Hamas commander Mohammed Deif appeared in Afghan dress. It was unclear why anyone purporting to represent the Palestinian struggle would appear in such clothing. It is now clearer: from the beginning, Mohammed Deif did not see himself waging a war to liberate Palestine but rather leading Hamas’ contribution to the Islamic global struggle.
Israel has become a central element in repelling the global Islamic campaign. The global nature of the attacks also explains why targets have been placed on Jewish communities around the world.
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