Hamas exposes Israeli weakness in Gaza

By Adam Entous - Analysis

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Hamas has exposed Israel's inability to rein in the Gaza Strip, proving it holds the power to blow open the border and turn a crippling Israeli blockade into a public relations nightmare for the Jewish state.

Israel's stated goal last week in tightening its cordon around Gaza and cutting off fuel to its main power plant was to pressure Palestinian militants to halt rocket attacks that have sowed panic in southern Israel.

But a global outcry forced Israel to ease the ban on fuel and aid shipments to the Islamist-run territory and hours later Hamas militants blasted open the wall between Gaza and Egypt to let tens of thousands of Palestinians pour across.

The lights are back on in Gaza City for now and Hamas's leader-in-exile has vowed no let up in the rocket salvoes.

Danny Ayalon, Israel's former ambassador to the United States, said Israel had walked into a Hamas trap.

"This was a resounding failure, a public relations disaster," he said. "And we've lost deterrence for the next time."

Israel had largely avoided Western censure for its military and economic cordon since Hamas seized control of the coastal territory in June after routing rival Fatah forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

But by cutting off fuel to the power plant, Israel went a step further than most could accept.