Who Owns The Gaza Problem?
I was in Gaza back in 1978. I visited some friends, Israeli friends, who were staying there temporarily. Gaza in 1978 was not much to look at. The residents I encountered were nice enough; shopkeepers, restaurateurs, people on the street. If there was anger toward Jews or Israelis then, it simmered in the background. The people of Gaza went about their lives, perhaps in a state of quiet desperation, perhaps quietly waiting for their ‘time’ to come.
It came, first with violence in the streets, attacks on the Israeli communities in Gaza; then with terror from the air (the rockets), a ‘war’ (although many would not use the quotation marks I just used) that killed many people from Gaza, as well as Israelis. It continued and escalated when Israel exited from the entire region. Gaza had the opportunity then to re-imagine itself, released from the choke hold that Israel had on it since 1967. I use the phrase choke hold intentionally; the Israeli government felt that controlling the Gaza region was the only way to ensure safety for its citizens - for Israelis. The people of Gaza were second on the priority list.
Gaza had the opportunity to build a society, a community. The raw materials were there. The people, the human resources, were there. Of course, Israel continued to control most of the borders (remember, Egypt also controlled one border). Of course, Israel maintained a very close eye on everything, even without physically being there. Israel controlled water, electricity, fuel, materials, medicine, food, etc. through border controls. Even with these controls, millions of tons of supplies entered Gaza regularly though the Israeli borders. What happened to those supplies once they entered Gaza was not under Israeli control. That was under the authority of the PA, the Palestinian Authority. The PA was the government in Gaza (and the West Bank). The PA had the opportunity to work with Israel to ensure that their citizens, now free of Israeli control, could build a nation, build a community, build infrastructure, schools, hospitals, homes, roads, businesses. Had they done that, had the PA struck out to re-imagine their world, the world would have cheered them, supported them, partnered with them. Israel was ready to do the same.
In 2005, Israel completely withdrew from Gaza; dismantling the Israeli communities, removing all the Israelis, some by force. In 2005, the PA had the unique opportunity to create a new nation, to become a middle-eastern Singapore. There was hope. Then Hamas won an election in Gaza in 2006, and in 2007, violently threw the PA out of Gaza (sometimes literally throwing PA officials out of buildings to their death), establishing a Hamas power structure, intent on destroying Israel. Gone was the chance to create a new Gaza. Gone was the chance to invent a middle-eastern Singapore. Instead, Hamas created a middle-eastern Somalia. Israel responded as it needed to respond; to protect its citizens, to protect itself, it tightened controls on Gaza. Hamas didn’t and doesn’t care about building a nation; it didn’t build roads, schools, hospitals, infrastructure. Actually, it did build infrastructure. It built terror tunnels, it built rocket launchers and placed them in schools, hospitals, apartment buildings. Tunnels (using concrete meant for building schools and hospitals) under the border with Egypt to smuggle in arms, explosives, rocket parts, terrorists. Tunnels under the borders with Israel, to sneak into Israel to kill and/or kidnap Jews.
I recently read someone write that their heart goes out to the people of Gaza. I recently read that we, the civilized world, must care for the welfare of people in Gaza, while at the same time, hold Israel accountable for their role in the suffering of the people in Gaza. I recently read that, while Israel has the right to defend itself, Israel must acknowledge and do something about the suffering of the people in Gaza, that the world has an obligation to hold Israel to account for the way Israel treated and continues to treat the people of Gaza.
Israel holds itself to account for the harm it causes. But make no mistake, Israel does cause harm to others to live another day. Israel cannot afford to lose a war. Israel cannot lower its guard. Israel does not hesitate when it comes to the safety and security of the State of Israel. There are those in Israel, and elsewhere, who could care less about the suffering of the people of Gaza, of the people of the West Bank. There are, though, many who care. There are many who act to help. There are many who work with the government, with the service agencies, with the PA, to help alleviate the suffering.
If only. If only we had partners on both sides willing agree to live side by side. If only the Palestinian people threw out the terrorists, elected real leaders who reject terror and accept political compromise, and work to build a just and peaceful society in a Palestine that exists next door to Israel. The narrative that Israel is solely responsible for the suffering in Gaza is incomplete. The problem is that the narrative that is best consumed by the public is one that places the other side in the wrong and their side as the victims being wronged. There’s enough facts and fictions being thrown around by all sides blaming others. If only we all could get over the blame game, accept the fact of Israel’s existence, and accept the need for a Palestine to exist. Unless and until we get there, the problem of Gaza will continue.
Neal Elyakin
July 20, 2017
Ann Arbor Michigan
