Former Israeli diplomat reveals plans for "post-Hamas" Gaza

As Israeli forces prepare for a ground operation into the Palestinian Gaza Strip, a former Israeli diplomat assured that Tel Aviv has no intention of establishing a permanent presence in the Hamas-controlled territory.

According to Israel's former ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, who spoke to Newsweek, his country's primary goal is to use substantial force to restore deterrence and prevent Hamas from conducting further infiltration and rocket attacks, as witnessed over the weekend.

Israeli ground forces are expected to enter Gaza to eliminate Hamas' capabilities, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to do. Danon, who now serves as a member of Israel's Knesset (parliament) representing the PM's Likud party, clarified that Israel does not plan to reassert permanent control over the impoverished enclave, from which its forces withdrew in 2005.

As the former ambassador said, "In the long-term, we have no intention to hold Gaza. Our goal is not to govern Gaza. Our goal is to fight Hamas, and then hopefully a new regime will emerge to govern the daily lives of the Palestinians in Gaza". He further explained, that he doesn't believe that there is "any alternative but to chase Hamas and destroy their infrastructure".

The publication recalls, that the Hamas militant group has governed Gaza since a violent coup in 2007, following their victory in legislative elections in 2006 and their defeat of the Fatah party, which traditionally controlled the Palestinian Authority and currently maintains nominal control over the West Bank.