Mohammed Awni Abu Oun
The latest Al-Quds Sword Battle between the Palestinian Resistance and the Israeli occupation formed a milestone in the history of the Palestinian cause. It contained within its pages a group of qualitative achievements recorded by the Resistance at all mental, military and political levels. However, it represented a serious setback and unprecedented state of fragmentation within the internal front of the Israeli occupation.
The Palestinian Resistance's achievements ranged between the direct impact on the scene and the field results that accompanied the 11th days of the Israeli aggression, and the extending effects that laid the foundation for new rules of engagement with the Israeli occupation, forcing it to end its daily crimes committed against Al-Quds and Al-Majid Al-Aqsa.
In contrast, Al-Quds Sword Battle highlighted the Israeli occupation's failure at all mental, military and political levels. This state was translated through its reluctance in taking decisions during the battle and the subsequent state of deterrence imposed by the military and popular Palestinian resistance.
Military and Political Leadership's Performance
The political leadership of the Palestinian Resistance gave an advanced, significant performance during Al-Quds Sword Battle, as its leaders showed a great ability of communication with the field leaders in a way that reflected an integration between the political decision and its application. Furthermore, the statements given by Ismail Haniyeh; the chief of the political office of Hamas, and Ziad Al-Nakhala; the leader of the Islamic Jihad, outlined the shape of the battle with the Israeli occupation.
The state of stability in the performance of the Palestinian Resistance strengthened the appearance of those leaders, along with the other resistance's leaders. During the battle, the Resistance presented a new elite group of national leaders and symbols. Most importantly, Mohammed Dief, Abu Obaida; the spokesperson of Izz ad-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, and Yehia Alsinwar, Ismail Haniyeh and Ziad Al-Nakhala; leaders inside Palestine and abroad. This new development has led to grab the Palestinians' attention to this new group of leaders adopting the approach of resistance.
On the other side, the great power and manifest organization of the Palestinian resistance shocked the Israeli occupation and exposed its leaders' arbitrarism, who kept out of sight to not give any statements about Israel's political and field state. That led the Israeli society to accuse them of defeat and cowardice and to believe, instead, the Palestinian Resistance, to the extent that they had become waiting for Al-Qassam's statements to keep pace with the updates of the military operation.
The military leadership of the Israeli occupation was not better than the political one. The Israeli army's attitudes reflected a great operational vacuum and deficit in its bank of targets. That was explicit through the target of civil objectives; such as towers, streets and infrastructure, the lack of effective objectives that actually targeted the Resistance's capacities and leaders, the reluctance in determining the path of escalation, and the adaptation of the policy of reaction and reprisal attacks.
Strategic Gains
The last round of the battle between the Palestinian Resistance and the Israeli occupation consolidated a number of equations within the context of comprehensive confrontations, and achieved essential gains for the resistance, which might make a big difference with the occupation.
The most prominent equation was the end of Israel's individuality of Al-Quds and its settlers' ongoing attacks. The Palestinian Resistance determined that any sort of violations against Al-Quds or Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa will lead to the target of the heart of the Israeli occupation and the 1948 occupied Palestinian lands. This determinant was created by the revive of the beliefs of the united nation and the collective, national responsibility, as the Israeli occupation has tried for several years to strengthen the mental and geographic division among the Palestinian lands and people.
An essential gain represented in the unity of the Palestinian, national feeling has appeared during the last battle. All Palestinians from all around the world united and came out to stand in solidarity with Al-Quds and Al-Majid Al-Aqsa. The most surprising event was the breakout of the Palestinians of the occupied territories of violent confrontations with the Israeli police in Lud, Be'er Al-Sabe', Al-Jalil and the like.
Regarding the internal Palestinian state, Al-Quds Sword battle granted the Palestinian Resistance a great popularity. That does not mean that the resistance was not popular amid the Palestinian community before; yet the Palestinians have become so confident of the resistance's ability to hurt the Israeli occupation and sure that the Israeli occupation's end is very near; nearer than any time before.
Concerning the relations between the Palestinian Resistance and the Israeli occupation, the Resistance confirmed that the policy of deterrence that the occupation has sought for years to consolidate failed to bring its leaders to knees. Instead, this policy went upside down, making the Israeli occupation suffer from the ghost of the resistance, especially that the Resistance's rockets could reach all the occupied cities and imposed a difficult reality represented in transferring the confrontation to inside the Israeli entity.
Finally, Al-Quds Sword Battle represented a great victory for the Palestinian Resistance and a strategic defeat for the Israeli occupation, its goals and projects. It also imposed new rules of confrontation to be as solid bases for the battle of liberation; if they were invested and developed effectively.