The political calculations behind Israel's decision to go back to war

Israel's renewed war on Gaza, which on Tuesday killed more than 400 Palestinians, including over 100 children, is perhaps the most blatant politically motivated Israeli military move since the beginning of the conflict.

Meanwhile, expulsion orders are forcibly displacing thousands of Palestinians across Gaza once again.

Even Amos Harel, the moderate military commentator for Haaretz, defined the attack as a war for the sake of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

It seems that the motivations behind the assault and the manner in which it was carried out are related to political developments inside Israel. 

We can note at least three: Netanyahu’s political survival, his dominance of the military and security services, and the wish to appease allies without provoking the public.

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