Cutting off water and electricity in Gaza is counterproductive, immoral, and illegal, Haaretz editorial
September 6, 2007 12:42 pm Hamas, Israeli-Palestinian conflictFaced with Sderot and Gaza - Haaretz, September 6, 2007
The distress of Israel’s government, which is responsible for defending its citizens, periodically gives rise - and with greater force than usual this week - to desperate ideas. One such idea, which is being advocated by Minister Haim Ramon and, more guardedly, by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, is hitting Gazas water and electricity networks. Stopping the flow of water and electricity is a painful and punishing step, but ostensibly not a fatal one. Its goal is to cause the Palestinian public to pressure Hamas and Islamic Jihad to stop the fire.
This idea is complete nonsense. Factually speaking, cutting off water and electricity can kill. Moreover, there is no proof that making the Palestinian public suffer would make Hamas take pity on it and embark on a cease-fire. On the contrary: Hamas consistently sabotages the flow of essential goods through Gazas border terminals. What is being presented as a way to avoid war is counterproductive, immoral and illegal.