The essays compiled in The Lessons of Operation Protective Edge cover a wide range of key topics, among them: the implications of Israel’s Iron Dome anti-rocket/missile defense system; the challenge of the tunnels; the legal aspect of Israel’s military action; the potential demilitarization of Gaza; relations between Israel and the Palestinians and the balance of power in the Palestinian arena itself; the civilian front in wartime; Israeli public opinion; the implications for Jewish-Arab relations in Israel; economic ramifications; the role of Arab nations during the campaign; a regional approach as the key to an Israeli-Palestinian settlement; Israel’s relations with Egypt; with Turkey; and with the United States; and the enhanced efforts to delegitimize Israel in light of the fighting.
Operation Protective Edge was the third round of fighting between Israel and Hamas since 2008. Manifesting the prominent characteristics of asymmetrical confrontations, the 2014 military campaign demonstrated the difficulty in foiling attempts by a non-state organization to translate its relative military weakness into political gain. Similarly, the need to recast concepts such as “deterrence” and “victory” and adapt them to asymmetrical confrontations was made amply clear. Thus one key lesson to emerge is the need to revise security concepts and basic assumptions that inform situation and threat assessments, as well as related political recommendations.
The essays compiled in The Lessons of Operation Protective Edge cover a wide range of key topics, among them: the implications of Israel’s Iron Dome anti-rocket/missile defense system; the challenge of the tunnels; the legal aspect of Israel’s military action; the potential demilitarization of Gaza; relations between Israel and the Palestinians and the balance of power in the Palestinian arena itself; the civilian front in wartime; Israeli public opinion; the implications for Jewish-Arab relations in Israel; economic ramifications; the role of Arab nations during the campaign; a regional approach as the key to an Israeli-Palestinian settlement; Israel’s relations with Egypt; with Turkey; and with the United States; and the enhanced efforts to delegitimize Israel in light of the fighting.
The volume concludes with an essay by Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amos Yadlin, Director of INSS, analyzing the strategic balance of the operation and proposing policy recommendations designed to provide a better response to the security challenges Israel can be expected to face in the short and long terms.
Contents
Preface
Part I: The Strategic-Military Perspective
Operation Protective Edge: Strategic and Tactical Asymmetry / Udi Dekel
Defining the Victor in the Fight against an Army of “Terrorilla” / Yoram Schweitzer
Operations Cast Lead, Pillar of Defense, and Protective Edge: A Comparative Review / Gabi Siboni
Iron Dome Protection: Missile Defense in Israel’s Security Concept / Emily B. Landau and Azriel Bermant
Rocket Warfare in Operation Protective Edge / Yiftah S. Shapir
Subterranean Warfare: A New-Old Challenge / Yiftah S. Shapir and Gal Perel
Operation Protective Edge: The Cyber Defense Perspective / Daniel Cohen and Danielle Levin
Operation Protective Edge: The Legal Angle / Pnina Sharvit Baruch
Demilitarization of the Gaza Strip: Realistic Goal or Pipe Dream? / Kobi Michael
Israeli Deterrence in the Aftermath of Protective Edge / Mark A. Heller
Rethinking the Deterrence of Hamas / Avner Golov
Part II: Israel and the Palestinian Arena
Operation Protective Edge: Leverage for Returning the PA to the Gaza Strip / Shlomo Brom
Changing Course and Discourse: The Intra-Palestinian Balance of Power and the Political Process / Anat Kurz
Organizational Change within Hamas: What Lies Ahead? / Benedetta Berti
The Final Countdown for Hamas? Palestinian and Arab Discourse on the Social Networks / Orit Perlov
Part III: The Israeli Arena
The Civilian Front in Operation Protective Edge / Meir Elran and Alex Altshuler
Operation Protective Edge: A Public Opinion Roller Coaster / Yehuda Ben Meir
Operation Protective Edge: Implications for Jewish-Arab Relations in Israel / Nadia Hilou, Itamar Radai, and Manal Hreib
Operation Protective Edge: Economic Summary / Eran Yashiv
Civilian Settlement: Not Designed to be a Fortress of Power / David Tal
Part IV: The Regional and International Arenas
Reviving a Regional Approach / Gilead Sher and Liran Ofek
The Gaza Campaign: An Arena for Inter-Arab Confrontation / Yoel Guzansky
Operation Protective Edge: Deepening the Rift between Israel and Turkey / Gallia Lindenstrauss
Egypt: The Non-Neutral Broker / Ephraim Kam
The United States and Israel in Crossfire / Oded Eran
A New Opportunity to Confront the Delegitimization of Israel / Gilead Sher and Einav Yogev
Conclusion
The Strategic Balance of Operation Protective Edge: Achieving the Strategic Goal Better, Faster, and at a Lower Cost / Amos Yadlin
The opinions expressed in INSS publications are the authors’ alone.
