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Iran warned Hamas not to accept an Egyptian truce proposal, even threatening to cut off assistance to Hamas if the terrorist organization accepted the ceasefire.
The January 12, 2009 edition of The Jerusalem Post reported:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231424929369&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
This development is geopolitically important for at least four reasons:
1. It is perhaps the most transparent example of the balance of power implications involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Iran has a vested stake in precluding arrangements that would impair its ability to influence regional developments through its Hamas proxy. Iran continues to be engaged in a wide range of efforts to tilt the region's balance of power against the U.S., Israel, their Western allies, and moderate Sunni Arab states.
2. Iran prefers to maintain pressure on Israel through its Hezbollah proxy to the north, its ally Syria to the east, and its proxy Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
3. A radical statelet in the Gaza Strip would be in Iran's interests, as it could destabilize Egypt, maintain pressure on Israel, and undermine the ability of moderate leaders to emerge and enter into pragmatic deals to reach peace with Israel.
4. Continuation of the conflict can divert attention from Iran's nuclear activities.
The January 12, 2009 edition of The Jerusalem Post reported:
Iran is exerting heavy pressure on Hamas not to accept the Egyptian proposal for a cease-fire with Israel, an Egyptian government official said on Sunday...
"As soon as the Iranians heard about the Egyptian cease-fire initiative, they dispatched the two officials to Damascus on an urgent mission to warn the Palestinians against accepting it," the Egyptian government official told the Post.
"The Iranians threatened to stop weapons supplies and funding to the Palestinian factions if they agreed to a cease-fire with Israel. The Iranians want to fight Israel and the US indirectly. They are doing this through Hamas in Palestine and Hizbullah in Lebanon."
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231424929369&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull
This development is geopolitically important for at least four reasons:
1. It is perhaps the most transparent example of the balance of power implications involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict. Iran has a vested stake in precluding arrangements that would impair its ability to influence regional developments through its Hamas proxy. Iran continues to be engaged in a wide range of efforts to tilt the region's balance of power against the U.S., Israel, their Western allies, and moderate Sunni Arab states.
2. Iran prefers to maintain pressure on Israel through its Hezbollah proxy to the north, its ally Syria to the east, and its proxy Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
3. A radical statelet in the Gaza Strip would be in Iran's interests, as it could destabilize Egypt, maintain pressure on Israel, and undermine the ability of moderate leaders to emerge and enter into pragmatic deals to reach peace with Israel.
4. Continuation of the conflict can divert attention from Iran's nuclear activities.