Israelis using Gaza to establish ground rules with Obama?

This from The Times on the Israeli advance into Gaza.

Tzipi Livni, foreign minister and candidate for prime minister, threatened further escalation if Hamas hit back.

“The moment they fire we will respond with great force,” she said. “It could be that several operations will be needed.”

This comment underlines that this conflict may be as much about internal Israeli politics as it is about dealing with external threat. Further, it suggests Israel is prepared to escalate the conflict.

Israel may well be seeking understand the boundaries that it has as regards the incoming Obama Administration.

Many have assumed that Russia or Iran might be the ones to test the new Administration, but Adam suggests that it is the Israelis who are seeking to establish ground rules, their ground rules early on and to gain the advantage whilst Obama is finding his feet and pre-occupied with the economic crisis.

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