A humanitarian plan for the people of Gaza
In 2007, the terrorist Hamas group forcibly expelled the Fatah government from Gaza and took control. So Hamas actually became the illegal occupier of the Gaza Strip. After two wars with Israel in 2009 and 2012, Israel was given assurances by the international community that Hamas would no longer be able to import weapons into the Gaza Strip… In a short time, Gaza will become a humanitarian disaster. The rubble will soon become infested with animals and insects seeking food and shelter. Disease will become widespread and medical services will be lacking.
By Israel Zwick, July 31, 2014
Now that the war in Gaza is winding down in the direction of a military victory for the Israel Defense Forces, the folly of the Obama-Kerry diplomacy has become readily apparent. The ceasefire plan that they encouraged Prime Minister Netanyahu to prematurely accept would have rewarded the terrorist Hamas government with a perceived victory. It would have given them de facto recognition as the legitimate government of the Gaza statelet, with the authority to negotiate for the residents of Gaza. Hamas would have proclaimed a victory, noting that their rockets were able to reach almost all major residential areas in Israel. Their system of offensive tunnels and arms depots in civilian areas would have remained essentially intact, ready for the next round of fighting at their choosing. Israel would have been forced to withdraw its forces from Gaza knowing that their population centers will remain in danger from Hamas rockets and tunnels. To add to the insult and danger, Israel would have been asked to ease the military blockade of Gaza to facilitate the quick resupply of materials to Gaza for “humanitarian” purposes.
It was only in 2008 that Barack Obama rose rapidly from being and obscure junior Senator in Congress, to becoming President of the United States, the least qualified President in American history. Since he knew little about the history of the Middle East in the few years before his election, we should provide him with a brief refresher course. In 2005, under international pressure, Israel “disengaged” from Gaza by dismantling about 20 small, scattered Jewish communities and expelling close to 10,000 Jews, many of whom still don’t have permanent homes or jobs. The land was turned over to the Palestinian Authority with the agreement that food and consumer goods would enter Gaza only through land crossings to prevent the importation of large quantities of arms by ship or air. Israel reserved the right to patrol the waters around Gaza to prevent the unloading of ships bearing arms. Essential consumer goods were still reaching Gaza by truck transport.
However, things didn’t turn out as the “international community” expected. Gaza did not develop into another Dubai or Singapore. In 2007, the terrorist Hamas group forcibly expelled the Fatah government from Gaza and took control. So Hamas actually became the illegal occupier of the Gaza Strip. After two wars with Israel in 2009 and 2012, Israel was given assurances by the international community that Hamas would no longer be able to import weapons into the Gaza Strip. We see now what happened to those “assurances.” Instead of dismantling the illegal Hamas government, the Obama-Kerry plan would have legitimized it and allowed it to continue to threaten the entire population of Israel.
Now that the third war in five years is winding down, where do we go from here? Much of Gaza is in ruins, as a result of Hamas using homes, schools, mosques, and UN buildings to build tunnels, store long-range rockets, and launch them against Israel’s population centers. Because of the reckless carelessness that the Hamas government displayed towards its civilian population, the Gaza infrastructure has been largely destroyed. There is now rubble where homes, schools, mosques, and medical facilities once stood. Families have been destroyed, the wounded are lacking medical care, there is insufficient food, potable water, and sanitary facilities. There is insufficient electricity to power essential services. In a short time, Gaza will become a humanitarian disaster. The rubble will soon become infested with animals and insects seeking food and shelter. Disease will become widespread and medical services will be lacking. When the war is finally over, hopefully soon, the International Red Cross, the UN, the United States, and various other humanitarian groups will be rushing to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, and rightfully so. It is truly tragic that the innocent people in Gaza have to suffer because of the evil hatred, intolerance, and folly of their Hamas rulers.
However, the Israel Defense Forces still needs more time to comb through the cities of Gaza to search for tunnels and stored rockets. This could still take several months and would interfere with humanitarian efforts to rebuild the infrastructure of Gaza. It will be a long time until the infrastructure in Gaza can be rebuilt well enough to provide essential services. In the interim, something must be done to assist the civilians who are suffering in Gaza.
Temporary relocation of the population is a solution that needs to be considered. The “international community” concerned about the welfare of the Gaza population, has in its possession numerous large ships and planes capable of transporting large numbers of people in a short period of time. The countries that supported Hamas, notably Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, have large tracts of uninhabited land that can be used to establish tent cities. Food, potable water, and medical facilities, can be made readily available. The people of Gaza, who have been called “refugees” for the last 60 years, can be resettled into new, temporary refugee camps. Then they can be given the option of being resettled in a country of their choice or wait until Gaza is rebuilt and return to the homes they once had. Most likely, they will choose to be resettled in a friendly country such as Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon, or Saudi Arabia, where they will welcome and won’t feel that they are “occupied.” Those that have family in Egypt, Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, should be allowed to join their families. Family reunification should always be a consideration. Some should be allowed to join their families living in Judea and Samaria.
President Obama and his feckless Secretary of State John Kerry, whose policies contributed to causing this mess in Gaza, will most likely allow many of the Gaza refugees to settle in the United States. One possible location for the many Gaza refugees is New York City which has seen its Muslim population mushroom in growth since Obama became President. Mayor De Blasio will surely welcome them with open arms, and provide them with free public schools, job training, and essential services. Before long, they will be integrated into the population to become proud, and productive citizens of the United States of America.