Motivation?
Hamas is the newly elected government of Palestine, bent on destroying Israel. They were being squeezed by the U.S. and Europe to change their stance. Iran was being pressured by the United Nations to stop processing nuclear material. Hezzbolah negotiations with the rest of the Lebanese government was coming to the point they would have to give up their arms. Syria was simply being ignored by the United States. What are nations and people to do when faced by the global community expecting them to behave in a civilized manner?
Hamas leads the way. Israel was moving their troops out of the Gaza Strip. The wall between Israel and the West Bank grew longer. They fired rockets into Israel. That didn’t work. Israel continued to withdraw. The noose of isolation was tightening. They were left with their own people angry and wanting an improvement in living standards. There was no way to make the life of the common people better. They crossed the border and kidnaped an Israeli soldier. Their people would be united after Israeli’s expected response. Success at a high price.
Iran needed a diversion. They saw what the Hamas had done. They knew that a greater conflict would be the focus of the coming G8 conference. If a problem of great enough magnitude were to occur the members of the summit would be fixated on the new problem. They had friends in the region they supported with training, money and munitions. Time to call in a favour. They got what they needed.
Hezzbolah needed to make their enemy strike against them. They saw Israel’s response to the kidnaping of an Israeli soldier by Hamas. They would have to be as bold to pull Israel into a conflict. They would take a political hit at the beginning of the conflict. .. Acceptable. There would be many Lebanese casualties… Acceptable. They would use many of their rockets and missiles to kill Israeli citizens… Desired. Muslim passion would be fanned to fever pitch against Israel and the west… Desired. If all works out well they will have a stronger position in the Lebanese government when it was all over… Expected. Shia Jihadism would be stronger in Sunni nations… and other countries… Dreamed. They kidnapped two Israeli soldiers. They got the response they wanted.
Syria wants the United States to open formal talks with them. They are the pipeline of weapons from Iran to Hezzbolah. They do not want to get directly involved in the conflict. They gain “face” by negotiating with the greater power. To stop the flow of support the powers that be will have to talk to Syria. Their importance will rise as negotiations begins. They still wait. They still hope.
Politics, religion and tribalism are the foundations of a people. In the case above their idiom is war.
Israel, wants to be left alone in peace. They would like to have good economic relations with their neighbours. It is a dream. It is a hope. It appears for a moment before being taken away yet once again.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.