Attacked

What has been clarified by this round of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is, first and foremost, the character of Israel's adversaries. They are Islamist terrorists, and proud to be so. More ominously, they are Islamist terrorists come to power. Hamas is no longer only a movement; it is now also a government. Hizballah, of course, is not a government, but it is a part of a government. It is not incorrect to say that, over the last 30 years, Lebanon has exchanged a PLO mini-state within its borders for a Hizballah mini-state within its borders.

There is also a larger strategic dimension to the Hamas-Hizballah offensive. These provocations stink of Assad and Ahmadinejad. The Hamas action in Gaza appears to have been ordered by Khaled Mashaal, the Hamas leader who resides in Damascus. Nor can anything of significance take place in Lebanon without the sanction of Damascus.