A Perspective on Gaza

A Perspective on Gaza

In August 2005, Israel took a bold risk for peace by unilaterally withdrawing from the Gaza Strip. In a dramatic move that caused great trauma among the Israeli public, Israel dismantled all 21 Gaza settlements, many of which had been firmly established for more than 35 years, and relocated approximately 8,500 residents.

Israel had hoped that the people of Gaza would use this opportunity to develop their economy – that a Gaza free of an Israeli presence would lead to stability, security and peace. When the Israeli government withdrew its citizens from Gaza, they left many homes and greenhouses intact as a basis for a Gazan economy. These greenhouses and the collateral agri- business connected to them were worth 14 million dollars, produced sales of over 100 million dollars and employed thousands of Palestinians.

However, rather than utilize these resources or seek to develop an economy of their own, the residents of Gaza destroyed much of the Israeli infrastructure which had been left behind. In January of 2006, the people of Gaza democratically elected Hamas, a group recognized as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. The international community, represented by the “Quartet” of the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations set three requirements for recognizing Hamas: acknowledging Israel’s right to exist, renouncing violence and accepting previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements. Hamas said no to all three.

The international community understood that there is no point in attempting to negotiate with a group that does not recognize Israel’s right to exist. As Israel continued to allow aid to flow through border crossings into Gaza, Hamas and other terrorist groups in the Strip increased their attacks. To date, these groups have fired more than 7,000 rockets and mortars into Israel.

It has now been three years since an Israeli soldier named Gilad Shalit was kidnapped from within Israel by Hamas. During that time, in violation of the Geneva Convention, the International Red Cross has not been allowed to visit him and check on his well being. Israel has made significant efforts to exchange hundreds of Hamas combatants for this one soldier. Most Middle Eastern analysts now believe that were a prisoner exchange to take place, the blockade of Gaza would be suspended. This is also why the G8 this summer called for the immediate release of Gilad Shalit.

Israel has been placed in a difficult position. On the one hand, the Jewish State does not want to occupy the Gaza Strip. On the other, Israel has an obligation to protect its citizens. To this end, Israel has sought to alter Hamas’ cost-benefit ratio for firing rockets at Israeli civilians. Since Hamas violently crushed the Fatah opposition within the Gaza Strip in 2007, Israel has reduced the flow of goods into the Hamas controlled area. In times when Hamas fires fewer rockets, more goods are allowed into the Strip. When they fire more rockets, or are successful in their attempts to murder Israeli civilians, the crossings are shut down entirely.

Israel lives in a tough neighborhood. Its neighbor, Hamas, has a charter which calls for Israel’s destruction. Hamas receives massive funding and weapons from the Iranians via 800 tunnels which go between the border of Egypt and Gaza. (One wonders why Egypt is not held responsible for the blockade as well as Israel.) If the humanitarian crises there are really as great as we are led to believe, then why isn’t Hamas relieving the suffering by means of those tunnels? The answer is clear and it is that amidst the standard level of fiscal corruption, there is more interest in importing weapons through these tunnels than there is in bringing in supplies for the people of Gaza.

Let us not be confused about the situation in Gaza. The flow of goods from Israel is restricted, but not shutdown. Egypt operates their border with Gaza independent of Israeli control. Most importantly, Israel and the Quartet have both expressed a desire to allow more goods into Gaza once Hamas accepts the principles laid down by the Quartet.

The responsibility for the situation in Gaza rests with the people of Gaza and the Hamas government which they elected, a government that refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist, refuses to halt violence and refuses to abide by previous agreements. Put simply, if Hamas wants Israel to allow more goods into Gaza, it must first abandon its dream of destroying the Jewish State.

Finally, I share concern and pain for all people in the area - the poverty of Gazans, and the fear of Israeli parents about their children getting bombed in their bedrooms at night. With all of the above, I am fully supportive of President Obama's initiative to push parties to the negotiating table, and I pray for peace.