Standoff between Hamas, Islamic Jihad behind Rocket Fire on Israel

 

 

Prayer Focus:

Thank you Lord for the period of quiet that southern Israel has enjoyed since the end of Operation Pillar of Defense. (November 2012) Ask the Lord to shield this part of the country from the violence in Gaza and calm their hearts.

 

Scriptures:

"Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their hearts; they continually gather together for war."  Ps 140:1-2

 

"For He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed your children within you. He makes peace in your borders, and fills you with the finest of wheat." Ps 147:13-14

 

"'For I', says the Lord, 'will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.'"

Zech 2:5

 

Surprising though it may be, there is a close connection between the civil war raging in Syria and the Monday [June 24] overnight shooting from Gaza at southern Israel. The direct cause of the shooting is a skirmish between Hamas and the second largest group operating from the Strip, the Islamic Jihad.

 

There have been considerable tensions between the two terror organizations, as Hamas supports the Sunni Syrian rebels, while the Islamic Jihad remains faithful to the Shiite regime of Iran, a supporter of Bashar Assad's Alawite regime.

 

In fact, Iran and Hezbollah have given financial support to the Islamic Jihad, while before the Syrian uprising and Hamas' subsequent turning against Assad, the Islamic Republic has bankrolled both Gaza-based groups.

 

As things stand, there is a profound rift between Iran and Hamas, which has forced the Palestinian group to seek other sponsors and produce its own artillery as a substitute for the shipments from Iran, which have grown increasingly rare—though haven't come to a complete halt; whereas the Islamic Jihad and other Salafist groups at the Strip are enjoying massive support from Iran.

Iran is apparently pushing the Islamic Jihad to act against Israel in order to turn some of the international spotlight away from Syria. It's important to emphasize—both Hamas and the Islamic Jihad are of the Sunni persuasion, yet while Hamas decided to pledge its support to the Sunni rebels in Syria, the Jihad remained faithful to Iran.

What apparently caused the rocket fire on Israel overnight Monday was an incident on Sunday wherein Hamas operatives shot dead an Islamic Jihad official. Hamas denied the allegations, saying he was shot accidentally from his own gun; yet the rival group says he was killed because he was one of the main operators of the rocket launch team.

Hamas is seeking to establish itself as Gaza's legitimate ruler, one that cares for the welfare of its citizens, whereas the Islamic Jihad is guided by Iran and Hezbollah.

The Islamic Jihad has not assumed responsibly for the overnight attack, yet it issued a statement to the effect it terminates its relations with Hamas and thus no longer sees itself as bound to the understandings achieved between the Gazans and Israel in the wake of Operation Pillar of Defense.