Greetings All,
Update on the previous post.
Tim is as just over 41,000 dollars!
Please give if you can!
Bidder 70.org
Today we have a post from, Michael Hinckley, Contributing Editor at the new A World Of Progress TeamZine. We have set our official launch date for January 16 and I will posting a link here to the new site that morning. For now, please enjoy Michael's piece on Israel and Gaza.
Israel And GazaMichael HinckleyI am not amazed, nor even surprised, that Israel had launched a raid into Gaza. Nor am I stunned that such a raid has turned into a week (and more) of bombings and death. What I am curious about is the timing and objectives of Israel.
In an Egyptian-brokered cease fire established in June of 2008, HAMAS and Israel agreed to cease hostilities for a six month period to allow aid into Gaza. That agreement lapsed in December, around the 16th, during which time, HAMAS has fired what are essentially symbolic missiles into the south of “Israel” (since HAMAS was technically firing into what was, prior to the 1967 war and 1948 war, Palestinian territory now held by Israel in violation of armistices and UN resolutions, but I digress). So for nearly a month, Israel has been dealing with the headache (or slightly less dangerous than a headache) of HAMAS missiles launched into its territories but chose last week to do something about it.
Why did they wait so long? Why did they not wait longer? A plausible answer might be the Israeli fears that Obama, with his already high rating among Arabs, might be a little less lenient than the Bush administration on Israeli aggression and military actions. In fact, many Israeli opinion editors (and, I think, politicians in the Likud party) see Obama’s inexperience not as a “fresh start” but more along the lines of having to reinvent the wheel to bring him into the pro-Zionist fold.
Another puzzler for me was the objective of Israel’s offensive into Gaza. According to official statements, it was to “kill the leadership of HAMAS” and render it ineffective, but Israel has already been doing just that; assassinating HAMAS leaders, such as the killing of quadriplegic HAMAS leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin in 2004 by firing a laser-guided missile at his car. Since around 2000, Israeli commandos have hunted down and assassinated Hamas leaders, but Hamas - which is a very ideologically-driven organization - seems to have become only stronger, particularly as Iranian money supports many of their actions and efforts. Additionally, by attacking with F-16s, M-1 Abrams tanks, artillery and now ground troops, the Israelis have upped the resistance of the Palestinians to Israeli objectives, as happened in the Intifada of the 1980’s and in Lebanon in 2006. To the Palestinians, who lack such armament despite the “rockets” they have (which are woefully ineffective and inaccurate), it is yet another example of Israel’s overbearing demeanor; Gaza is a mere 124 square miles yet thousands of Israeli armed troops, hundreds of armored vehicles and airships, and literally thousands of tons of ordinance have been dropped on a people who lack basic infrastructure such as running water, electricity or sewers. The result - I predict - will be a cease fire, several dead HAMAS leaders, dozens of dead Israeli soldiers, and hundreds (if not thousands) of dead Palestinians who are too poor to evacuate (and even if they could, where could they go? The border with Egypt is tightly controlled and the border with Israel has troops on it - shall they swim to Crete?). After the cease fire, HAMAS will return, fairly quickly I believe, and become even MORE anti-Israel than before only this time fuelled by increased Gazan hatred and frustration. Rocket attacks will begin again and suicide bombers targeting civilians will increase within a year.
Some might argue that this is actually HAMAS’ fault, and I would be disinclined to disagree with them; this is most definitely HAMAS’ fault. But it is also Israel’s fault; their superior position militarily and their belligerent politics toward the Palestinians have made them choose hostility and land over peace and security. To Israeli hawks, the only good Palestinian is a dead Palestinian. Likewise, HAMAS has actively fought against normalization of relationships, productive talks between the Palestinian authority (let alone Israel) and itself, and become increasingly belligerent. To HAMAS, and organizations like it such as hezb Allah (Hezbullah), a dead Palestinian is a useful Palestinian - as a recruiting and propaganda tool.
So what should Israel do? Well, in the short term, cease fire and withdraw from Gaza; it’s a no-win situation anyway, HAMAS will live on and will claim victory no matter what, so what use is national pride? Immediately after the withdrawal, Israel should begin dismantling the barricade walls surrounding Palestinian cities and villages and remove settlements in the Jordan valley and the “occupied terrirories” (as Israelis call them) of Palestine. By treating the West Bank portion of Palestine as a separate entity worthy of respect, the more amenable Palestinian Authority will accrue prestige and validity, which may serve it well in future elections against HAMAS - bloodshed and loss of land vs. peace and increased autonomy. Additionally, allowing only medical and food aid into Gaza (to avoid a humanitarian crisis) while actively investing in the infrastructure and businesses of the West Bank will further reward the “good” Palestinian government and punish the “bad” Palestinian government. Finally, Israel needs to give up the illusion that it will ever have East Jerusalem; Muslims all over the world are adamant about that and Israeli resistance not only fuels terrorists like HAMAS and hezb Allah, but also put the back of the PA up, since East Jerusalem and an autonomous Palestinian state’s capital are stated goals of the Palestinian Authority. Since Mahmoud Abbas has already stated that the PA recognizes Israel’s right to exist and the PA holds no love for HAMAS “thugs” (as they call them), there is little risk that such generosity will signal to West Bank Palestinians that Israel is weak or soft. Eventually, HAMAS will become discredited IF and only if Israel works to make the PA more legitimate by actually abiding by treaties and agreements instead of unilaterally revoking them or failing to live up to their end of the bargain. Only a peaceful course of “soft power” will destroy HAMAS; arms and violence will only increase resistance.
I would not be surprised to see the West Bank and Gaza become two distinct and separate states, similar to Bangladesh and Pakistan, in the following years if Israel really is serious about peace and security. It may take some serious negotiating, and some severe concessions on the part of both parties, but it is do-able if Israel wants it to be.
—————–Resources————-
Justin Eliott “Obama’s Israel Shuffle ” in Mother Jones 1 Feb 2008
Ed Lasky “Barack Obama’s Middle East Expert ” on American Thinker 23 Jan 2008
Al Ahram (Egypt) “Obituary: Sheikh Ahmed Yassin: 1938-2004 ” 31 Mar2004
Aron Heller “Israel Eyes 2002 Saudi Proposal for Peace ” in The San Diego Union-Tribune 20 Oct 2008
“Text of the Saudi Peace Proposal, 2002 ” from al Bab
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Peace Y'all
