The Hamas Leader Who Studied Israel s Psyche and Is Betting His Life on What He Learned – WSJ

When Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was imprisoned in Israel more than a decade ago, he explained to an Israeli official a theory now central to the war in Gaza. 

Sinwar said that what Israel considers its strength that most Israelis serve in the army and soldiers hold a special status in society is a weakness that can be exploited, said Yuval Bitton, who spent time with Sinwar as the former head of the Israel Prison Service s intelligence division.

The idea proved accurate in 2011 when Sinwar was one of 1,027 Palestinian prisoners freed for a single Israeli soldier. 

Now, Sinwar is holding hostage 138 Israelis, including soldiers, and the Hamas leader is betting he can force the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners and establish a permanent cease-fire. He s relying on his judgment of Israeli society after two decades studying it in jail, learning Hebrew, watching the local news and getting inside the Israeli psyche. 

But first, Hamas has to survive Israel s powerful and deadly counterattack. If Hamas has miscalculated, Sinwar could be overseeing the destruction in Gaza of the U.S.-designated terrorist group and lose his own life.

The gamble has already come with huge costs, including devastation across huge swaths of Gaza and the deaths of around 17,700 Palestinians.

via www.wsj.com

Sounds like an extremely evil dude.