HAMAS'OCTOBER SURPRISE

Fifty years since the Yom Kippur War we are back to square one. Hamas' surprise attack has already achieved limited goals. The myth of Israel's all-knowing Intelligence is shattered. The imperial claim of some sort of territorial inviolability of unilaterally enshrined borders has become unsustainable.

There remain too many questions to arrive at any form of assessment. Hamas took Israeli hostages as collateral while the fighting continues. It also remains to be seen if Hezbollah will make a move at the Northern border. The Arabs are still too shellshocked to act but Egypt can hardly afford to be a mere  onlooker.

Washington will try to salvage the rapprochement between Israel and the Saudis. The further marginalization of Mahmoud Abbas needs urgent intervention.

Israel deserves Western support which has to be calibrated given the need to correct certain major inconveniences that weigh on Israel's bona fide. Sharon locked Gaza up and the time-bomb exploded. It is becoming self-evident that politics are not a playground and that once and forever a two-state solution (with a viable state for the Palestinians) must be worked out now.

One might rightly question religious zealotry but some respect regarding Al Aqsa wouldn't hurt. By the way, do the Jewish hard-liners fight for their country?

Europe's support for Israel should in no way distract from its absolute duty to stand up against Russia, and shouldn't be given a false impression regarding the hierarchy which separates regrettable but non-equal events.