Dr No wrote on Nov 22
nd, 2012 at 7:59am:
Mantra, rule number one. Never start something you aren't going to win.
Hamas is NEVER going to win.
Germany, WW1.
Germany, WW2. Must be slow learners.
Japan, WW2.
Saddam Hussein, Kuwait.
You are sorely mistaken Dr No. Time is on the Palestinians side. Israel relies on a number of extremely volatile and unreliable factors, not only for her continued oppression of Palestinians, but for her very survival. They are:
1. Continued unconditional US support. The US supports Israel primarily for strategic reasons. This strategic justification is rapidly wearing thin - as geostrategic dynamics in the region rapidly shift even as we speak. The US can only justify billions of dollars of essential aid year after year for so long. Also Israel's increasingly erratic behaviour will soon be too much for even the US to handle.
2. Continued subservience of the major arab states. The main arab players in the region are US puppets - we all know that. As such, they dutifully toe the US line in regards to Israel. Recent events related to the so called "arab spring" are obviously changing this. Hamas now have their political brethren with a large stake in Egypt - and also occupies the office of PM. Syria will almost certainly soon fall to the islamists. Those are the two most important rivals to Israel. Beyond this, even if there is no popular revolution in Saudi Arabia, it is hard to imagine their pro-zionist stance as remaining tenable for long. Geopolitical forces in the region are already changing - the influence of the US is waning, and Russia and China are quickly filling the void. There is no way they will be as sympathetic to the Israelis as the Americans.
3. Jewish majority in Israel. Obviously this is essential for the very survival of Israel - as a "jewish state". However demographics are against them. They can't compete in birth rates to their arab counterparts, so they rely heavilly on a continual flow of jewish immigrants. This obviously can only last for so long. Even worse for Israel is their self-destructive insistence of maintaining hold of the west bank and calling it part of Israel. By incorporating this arab population, their demographic position becomes even more tenuous. With no 2 state solution in sight, what is Israel to do with this population of non-citizens? Grant them citizenship, and Israel at a stroke almost loses its jewish majority. Keep trampling on their rights and continue to deny them citizenship while claiming ownership of the land they occupy, is obviously self-defeating in the long run.
Long story short, the Palestinians are here to stay, and they can only grow stronger over time. Time is on their side - as their arab brothers and the powers that are rapidly replacing US influence will understand the need for a viable solution, and will abandon the hopeless zionist project. Israel on the other hand is unsustainable as it is - even with an obsene amount of US assistance. When this assistance dries up - as it inevitably will - then Israel is doomed.