Better Plan - Return Gaza to Israel.

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Jul 19, 2010 at 12:35

In the general disenfranchisement mentality of the world community against Israel and that nation's desperate efforts to provide security for its residents, one might see how the proposal by FM Lieberman could generate some plausible expediency for the problem that is Gaza. That the proposal proposes an extension of global oversight for what should be a local issue belies the trouble that Israel faces on an increasing basis. In spite of the wishful thinking that following the FM's proposal might provide some modicum of security by severing all connections with the Hamas controlled strip, it actually fails on several levels for a variety of reasons, some of which are not only not retractable, but are irresolvable.

First and foremost, relinquishing Gaza in the first place was both a tactical and strategic mistake, one that Israel has paid dearly for, and will continue to do so. There is no way short of retaking Gaza that that effect can be reversed. Given the circumstances that would be required to accomplish that action, it is unlikely that Israel would be able to take that action without consummating a declaration of war with the rest of the world. It is a defeat that is not retractable without a major conflict as the result; yet that is likely to be a result in any event.

Next, that to expect the European community to commit any forces to the security of Israel is unlikely for the very reasons that Hamas and Hizbollah are allowed to conduct their activities under the watchful (insert laughter for the pun here) observation of the United Nations. In the process of Islamization of the various sectors of European society, such a thing as policing the efforts of the invasion forces of Hamas and Hizbollah as they do in Lebanon and other locations cannot be considered a practical solution when it cannot be agreed who should be the leader of those actions when it might offend the resident Muslim sensitivities.

And if one should think Egypt might be put under the pressure of policing Gaza, at the risk of making a redundant comment, does one not think that there are no Muslim sensitivities in Egypt?

FM Lieberman is proposing his plan for one significant reason; that he desires to diffuse the underlying and subliminal mentality that gives the failed Gaza flotilla its hero status to those that hate Israel. He is still of a mentality that appeasement, whatever its form, can be used to develop security for Israel. But it is a fact that that silence of peace he is looking for is unobtainable over the din of the enemies calling for Israel's demise. He dares not think what price needs to be paid for reaching the silence of that peace; and yet that price keeps doubling every time someone proposes the next 'hudna.'

Strangely, it does appear Europe will become involved in the process that will free Israel from its submissive relations with the western world, even that of the failing relations with the United States. But, we have written of that before, and it has been written before the age of its fulfillment. Gaza is expected to be returned to Israel; and Europe will pay a dear price for its recalcitrant attitude in letting Israel be subjected to the whims of her neighboring enemies.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".