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Gaza invasion will seriously weaken Israel, says UK daily

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Jan 5, IRNA -- A leading British newspaper warned Israel Monday that its re-invasion of Gaza will backfire badly on its image in the world.
"Israel’s decision to pour ground troops and armor into the Gaza Strip is a dangerous gamble," the Financial Times (FT) said, warning that it will fail if its aim is to cut the heart out of its most implacable Palestinian opponents.

"Mounting casualties, including civilians, from Israel's disproportionate air, sea and artillery bombardment in densely populated urban areas will so blacken its reputation, and so undermine moderate Arab and Palestinian opinion, that its political position will be seriously weakened," the daily said.

It said that the infighting over the strategy is such that Haaretz, a leading newspaper, has called for a ceasefire -- in the Israeli cabinet.

In its editorial Monday, the FT suggested that the overall aim was to re-establish the credibility of Israel’s deterrent power 'lost in the 34-days' war against Hizbollah in Lebanon in 2006, which offered a very public exhibition of the limits to Israel's otherwise overwhelming military might'.

But it said that Hamas has deep roots and will be 'able to inflict casualties on Israeli troops if they enter the deadly labyrinth of Gaza City and its refugee camps, as they were suckered into the treacherous ravines of south Lebanon'.

"Israel has failed to control Gaza or shut down Hamas in the past, even after assassinating nearly all its veteran leaders," the editorial warned.

It referred to Israel mounting probably its most extensive public relations offensive, which includes keeping journalists out of Gaza, with the aim 'to place sole blame for this crisis on Hamas and slot it into the global 'war on terror'.'

"But the claim that the Islamists’ extremism is the main cause of Gaza’s misery, after Israel offered Palestinians freedom by pulling out of the Mediterranean enclave in 2005, is less than a half-truth," the daily said.