There is no nation or organization on earth that is more hostile to Israel than Hamas (the Hamas covenant can be found at Know Your Enemy).
The Gaza strip is controlled by Hamas. Given time they will eliminate the opposition from Fatah and co-opt other factions. They have been moving toward Islamification of Palestinian society, closing (or blowing up) Internet cafés, harassing “improperly dressed” women, etc.
Hamas is prosecuting a war against Israel by firing Qassam rockets and is preparing for a larger struggle by stockpiling weapons, building fortifications, and digging infiltration tunnels under the border with Israel.
Nevertheless, Israel provides water, electricity and other services to this enemy nation. The absurdity of a situation in which Israeli electricity powers Qassam rocket production is not lost on right-wing Israeli cabinet member Avigdor Lieberman, who has proposed a real “disengagement”:
Israel will start regarding Gaza and the West Bank as two separate entities – the Palestinian Authority jurisdiction will cover the West Bank alone, Gaza will be regarded a hostile, independent political entity – Hamastan. The Palestinians can blame no one but themselves for this – it is their own doing, their own choice.
Gaza will be isolated both from Israel and from the West Bank. There will be no ‘safe passage’ between the two Palestinian entities – not for goods, not for people, not for Abbas. Israel will complete the disengagement from Gaza by gradually cutting all ties – including water and electricity supply, trade, taxes etc.
To avert a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, this will not be done instantaneously – we will give six months notice to allow for Gazans, and the international community to prepare for this new reality. All goods and services that are currently provided by Israel can be rerouted through Egypt.
Hostile actions from Gaza will then be treated in the same way as attacks from Syria, for example. And the “international community” that has been so supportive of the Palestinians can then take responsibility for them:
Israel will welcome the deployment of NATO troops in Gaza to keep the law and order, and the EU to invest in Gaza to create jobs and income for Palestinians.
The nation of ‘Palestine’ is entirely a creation of this ‘community’. If left to themselves, the Palestinians would have to develop an economy and find a modus vivendi with Israel. As long as they are propped up by international aid, they can continue to put all of their energy into war and preparing for more war.
But this is not up to Israel. It is, however, in Israel’s power to at least not contribute to it.
Technorati Tags: Israel, Lieberman, Gaza, Palestinians, Hamas
It is clear that the present Olmert government is incapable of bold and wise initiatives. What the Second Lebanon War taught it is that it must maintain itself in power, and not rock the boat.
We need a Netanyahu led government which is ready to take new initiatives , such as the one Leiberman has proposed here.
The Iranian question also requires a kind of action and initiative we are not about to see from the Olmert government.
I am not sure Netanyahu can do the job. But it seems pretty certain that Olmert will not do it.