Bad bets

I*Consult reflects on the recent rescue of a number of Fatah loyalists from Gaza who were saved by Israel over the weekend. He points out that Israel was simply doing something it had done a number of times before and casts the effort in a positive light.

Israel Matzav writes that this is an ill-conceived effort to prop up a weak (and undeserving) ally.

IDF reserve officer Yoel Tzur accused the government of ordering an ‘idiotic’ rescue when it ordered IDF soldiers to risk their lives to rescue the Fatah-affiliated Hilles clan, which was fleeing Gaza on Saturday. According to Tzur, the rescue was not a ‘humanitarian’ act, but was an attempt once again to prop up the flimsy government of ‘moderate’ ‘Palestinian’ President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen.

Fatah’s refusal to receive the members of the Hilles clan is being spun:

Mr. Abbas ordered nearly 200 fighters from his own Fatah faction back to Gaza, insisting that Fatah must retain a presence there. Gaza has been controlled by Hamas since a violent takeover in June 2007.

Fatah is not ready to write off Gaza, and Mr. Abbas also fears that Hamas there could export rebellion to the West Bank, which Fatah still dominates.

This is, of course, only spin. It’s hard to see how 200 Fatah terrorists could hold any sway over thousands of armed Hamas terrorists.

Marred by a single gratuitous swipe at Israel, Fugitive Peace portrays this flip flop as Abbas making another bad bet on Mohammed Dahlan.

At any rate, bad tactical mistake by Abbas to backtrack. His most reliable ally in Gaza, the Hillis clan, must now feel like it has no backing from him. This makes Fatah’s foothold in the strip even weaker than before, and it makes Abbas more dependent on Dahlan.

So Israel is betting on Abbas who has now shown weakness by turning to Israel to aid his allies and then betraying those allies, ostensibly to strengthen his position in Gaza. In all likelihood this makes him appear increasingly weak, undermining his own standing in Ramallah.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad.