Muhasilović: I fear Gaza will be divided into two parts

(Patria) - Professor of International Relations and Geopolitics at the International University of Sarajevo, Jahja Muhasilović, was a guest on the Federal Television show "Rezime". The topic was the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.

Muhasilović says this is a continuation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with slightly greater intensity.

- It happened, I can't say, a surprise. The Israeli-Arab war has become seasonal. Hostilities have never completely ceased since 1948, when Israel was officially founded.

What is specific this time is the number of victims on both sides, because in the history of Arab-Israeli conflicts, so many Israelis have never died before - says Muhasilović.

He also points to the element of surprise, given that Israel, as he states, was caught most unprepared for the invasion by Hamas soldiers.

- Hamas has evidently sophisticated its method of warfare against Israel. They eliminated their communication systems and started taking village by village. In a very short time, they managed to double the territory of Gaza - notes Muhasilović.

One of the new tactics, he adds, is that Hamas is abducting Israeli civilians to the Gaza Strip to use them as human shields. And this, he assesses, will likely prove to be a successful tactic.

- Israel is slowly gaining control, and this time the number of victims on the Palestinian side will be much higher than before. This will likely lead to re-occupation, and I fear that Gaza will be divided into two parts - adds Muhasilović.

Iran's interests are manifold, he says, primarily because the reconciliation of Arab countries with Israel does not suit them.

- Destabilization of the region suits Iran. All their infrastructure is invested in destabilization - says Muhasilović, adding that neither Israel nor the US benefits from opening a pan-regional front at this moment, where they would have to fight Iran.