Israeli analysts recognize this danger. The U.S. government has, in the person of Martin Indyk, its ambassador to Israel, acknowledged this danger. Indyk noted how the Israeli-Palestinian clashes of recent weeks have caused some in the Arab world to float the idea of resorting to a military option against Israel. Hezbollah, the Lebanese Islamist organization that expelled Israel's forces from south Lebanon earlier this year, is probably the key, for Israel has promised to punish Hezbollah aggression by hitting Syrian targets. Palestinian snipers kill Jewish children, Israeli forces respond with artillery shells, one of which goes astray and kills 20 Palestinian children.
Furious demonstrators pour into the streets across the Middle East.
Riding these sentiments, Hezbollah attacks northern Israel. As promised, Israel retaliates against Syrian targets, prompting a mobilization of Syrian, Egyptian and other forces, including Israel's. Saddam is a likely candidate. This is an exceedingly difficult pair of objectives and they are getting even harder to achieve as each new day of violence simultaneously diminishes Israeli deterrence and heightens Arab anger. The sooner Israel seriously begins the effort to dissuade potential enemies, the better its chances to dispel the winds of war.