Since the entire Southwest Asian cockpit of war is a British creation going back to the beginning of the 20th century, it is noteworthy that the flagship daily of the City of London, the Financial Times, reported knowledgeably and at length about Israel’s war plans on Dec. 1—within hours of the collapse of the week-long “pause” in fighting in Gaza. They projected a long war, with a concentration on both Gaza City and the south, and reported that the entire border of Gaza with Egypt’s Sinai would also be “taken care of.”
“Israel is planning a campaign against Hamas that will stretch for a year or more, with the most intensive phase of the ground offensive continuing into early 2024, according to several people familiar with the preparations,” the FT wrote. “‘This will be a very long war…. We’re currently not near halfway to achieving our objectives,’ said one person familiar with the Israeli war plans.
“Israel’s overall strategy for Gaza is flexible, with timing dictated by multiple `clocks,’ including operational progress on the ground, international pressure and opportunities to free Israeli hostages, the people said.”
