Why the conventional wisdom about decapitating Hamas and Hizbullah might be wrong
It has become almost an article of faith: assassinations don’t matter. For more than a year Israel has been killing leaders of Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist group, and Hizbullah, a Lebanese Shia militia. Each time it does, a chorus of officials and analysts insist that Hamas and Hizbullah will simply regroup and regain their previous strength. Maybe so: Israel’s history offers ample reason for such scepticism. But there is also good reason to believe that this time may be different.
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This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Killing an idea”
Middle East & AfricaOctober 26th 2024
From the October 26th 2024 edition
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Israel’s limited missile strike on Iran may be the start of a wider assault
Whatever Iran’s response to the attack, it carries risks for the regime
Israel’s leaders are watching America’s election closely
Who wins will shape Israel’s approach to its three wars
How African churches are keeping the faith alive abroad
A revamped version of the prosperity gospel appeals to young immigrants
Mozambique’s ruling party wins a dodgy election
Two opposition figures were murdered days before the result was announced
Gold is booming. So is the dirty business of digging it up
It is mined in Africa, traded in Dubai and lucrative for warlords and jihadists
Yahya Sinwar made Hamas his own fief
Will his successor embrace more violence or compromise?