This more proactive, preventative approach runs the risk, of course, of doing the opposite, of triggering more conflict and also inviting even more international condemnation. It would have to be managed very carefully. Even if successfully executed with little cost, adopting the “campaign between the wars” to Gaza won’t solve Israel’s Gaza problem—but it could lead to longer intervals between wars, reducing bloodshed and insecurity in Israel and in Gaza, and that alone would offer a significant advance. The odds of that would be raised if the United States could succeed in helping rebuild Gaza without such aid being funneled through Hamas.

What could reduce bloodshed even more, and diminish the ultimate necessity for an Israeli removal of Hamas and reoccupation of Gaza is, according to leading Israeli national security expert IDF brigadier general (ret.) Mike Herzog, the transformation of the remarkable air defense system Iron Dome to an even more effective protective shield using lasers to knock out greater quantities of rockets and missiles, which might be possible in a few years. This would help fully neutralize the Hamas rocket/missile threat.

Israel would certainly like to reach that blessed juncture. It would contribute a great deal to Israeli security and regional stability. Until then, the best Israel might hope for is to achieve longer intervals between major military campaigns.

Michael Makovsky, a former Pentagon official, is President and CEO of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA).

Image: Reuters.