The Gaza Strip is an enclave of Palestinians which has been under Palestinian jurisdiction since Israel voluntarily withdrew its military and its settlements in 2005. It comprises an area of 140 sq. miles, around 25 miles long, and between 4 and 8 miles wide – – – about twice the area of Washington D.C. It has a population of just over a two million people, mostly refugees from parts of Palestine that became Israel after its founding in1948. Since 2007, it has been forcibly ruled by Hamas when its victory in the 2006 Palestinian elections was not recognized or accepted by Israel, the US and many of our allies. Hamas was founded in 1987 after the so-called 1st intifada (an uprising by Palestinians against Israeli rule). It advocates a fundamentalist version of Sunni Islam, somewhat aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood. It has a Social wing dedicated to improving the lives of its people, and a Military wing dedicated to pursuing, by military means, what it considers the rights of its people.
While Gaza is an autonomous enclave it must rely on Israel for just about everything. No people or product goes in or out of Gaza without Israeli consent. Israel controls its airspace, its coast line, its border and much of its electrical power and water supply. Still, we cannot, in any way, exonerate or excuse Hamas for its aggression and we deplore the targeting of noncombatants. But the world must try to understand why all this is happening, for without understanding there can be no resolution and without resolution conflicts, in some form, will likely be repeated.
Events that unfolded on Saturday, October 8th are shocking on several fronts:
- How Hamas, in tiny Gaza, was able to amass such lethal firepower and war wherewithal.
- How so many innocent people were caught up in a conflict not of their making, and how much destruction has been wreaked on both Israel and Gaza.
- How Israel, with all of its sophisticated controls all around Gaza, could not have been aware of this mounting danger.
- How the world has allowed the dire situation in Gaza to fester for so long without being effectively addressed.
This surprise attack is and should be roundly condemned the world over. But what is condemnation, but hollow words? Where there is crime there must be punishment. But where are the efforts to forestall crime? The Palestinians face a no win dilemma. If they attempt to resist what they consider to be injustices, Israel has cause to clamp down on them harder. If they do not resist, Israel sees no urgency to address their grievances. This is not the Israeli people, it is the rigid, unforgiving policies of its ultra conservative government.
Clearly, Hamas understands it cannot prevail against the large and sophisticated Israeli Army. This is, in essence, a suicide mission and the eventual cost to Hamas will be huge. With its one-time Arab brethren supporters in the Gulf now signing accords with Israel, this may be a last ditch, desperate, and costly effort on their part to draw attention to their plight. But such counterproductive actions and the price paid by so many innocents does not engender sympathy for the Palestinian cause. Hamas should be held fully accountable for its aggression and for all human rights violations to which it is a party.
Israel has ironclad control over both Gaza and the West Bank. Clearly, it wants harmony in the area, security for its people and peace with its neighbors. It must ask itself if its current policies are achieving those objectives.
While we insist on Israel’s security we do not serve its long term interest when legitimate concerns of the Palestinians, concerns which have persisted for decades, are not effectively addressed. Israel is a valued ally and we should hold it to the same value system we hold for ourselves..
– – – – Just the view of a common man
Views of a Common Man 