Haaretz editorial: The babies of Gaza depend on the government of Israel more than the Hamas government, and the decision to punish them for the Qassam rockets does not contribute to the safety of the residents of Sderot

October 30, 2007 8:33 am henrymunsonjr Gaza under Hamas, Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Acting out of frustration in Gaza - Haaretz, October 30, 2007

One can appreciate the frustration behind the defense establishment’s proposal to sporadically cut the electricity supply to the Gaza Strip: Powerful Israel stands by helplessly while Qassam rockets continue falling on Sderot and the Negev. And these are attacks that in the not-so-distant future may become increasingly more accurate and effective.

The operations carried out by Israel Defense Forces units in Gaza - in which a paratrooper was killed and a Golani Brigade soldier was seriously injured yesterday - are becoming more complicated, according to briefings, because they are increasingly encountering better organized and trained foes.

It is easier for Israel to attack a reactor in Syria than hit nearby Beit Hanun, because it is difficult, if not outright impossible, to avoid civilian casualties there. Cutting off the supply of electricity, fuel and baby food is also a blatant blow against civilians - and only against them. One cannot claim that there will not be a serious humanitarian effect on the Gaza residents when, from the onset, they are subject to a permanent humanitarian crisis.

Attacking infrastructure is always problematic, and many believe that it never achieves anything, even if carried out in response to action targeting Israeli civilians. The inherent assumption in applying more severe sanctions against Hamas rule in the Gaza Strip is that it is easier to bring down Hamas than to defeat it in battle or talk with it, and that every blow against Hamas contributes to the strengthening of Mahmoud Abbas. This is the new idee fixe guiding Israel’s policy in the territories, at least until the Annapolis summit. This approach may collapse, just like the ones that preceded it.

The Gaza Strip is not independent, and will remain so for the foreseeable future. The babies of Gaza depend on the government of Israel more than the Hamas government, and the decision to punish them for the Qassam rockets does not contribute to the safety of the residents of Sderot.

Comments are closed.