Israel shows weakness in Gaza

Jerusalem Post ^ | 09AUG05 | Daniel Pipes

[familyop]

Are Israel's critics correct? Does the "occupation" of the West Bank and Gaza cause the Palestinians' anti-Semitism, their suicide factories and their terrorism? And is it true these horrors will end only when Israeli civilians and troops leave the territories?

The answer is coming soon. Starting on August 15 the Israeli government will evict some 8,000 Israelis from Gaza and turn their land over to the Palestinian Authority. In addition to being a unique event in modern history (no other democracy has forcibly uprooted thousands of its own citizens of one religion from their lawful homes), it also offers a rare, live, social-science experiment.

We stand at an interpretive divide. If Israel's critics are right, the Gaza withdrawal will improve Palestinian attitudes toward Israel, leading to an end of incitement and a steep drop in attempted violence, followed by a renewal of negotiations and a full settlement. Logic requires, after all, that if "occupation" is the problem, ending it, even partially, will lead to a solution.

But I forecast a very different outcome. Given that some 80 percent of Palestinians continue to reject Israel's very existence, signs of Israeli weakness, such as the forthcoming Gaza withdrawal, will instead inspire heightened Palestinian irredentism. Absorbing their new gift without gratitude, Palestinians will focus on those territories Israelis have not evacuated. (This is what happened after Israeli forces fled Lebanon.)

The retreat will inspire not comity but a new rejectionist exhilaration, a greater frenzy of anti-Zionist anger, and a surge in anti-Israel violence.

Palestinians themselves are openly saying as much. Ahmed al-Bahar, a top Hamas figure in Gaza, says that "Israel has never been in such a state of retreat and weakness as it is today following more than four years of the intifada. Hamas's heroic attacks exposed the weakness and volatility of the impotent Zionist security establishment. The withdrawal marks the end of the Zionist dream and is a sign of the moral and psychological decline of the Jewish state. We believe that the resistance is the only way to pressure the Jews."

Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, says likewise that the withdrawal is "due to the Palestinian resistance operations... and we will continue our resistance."

Others are more specific. At a mass rally in Gaza City last Thursday, some 10,000 Palestinians danced, sang and chanted, "Today Gaza, tomorrow Jerusalem." Jamal Abu Samhadaneh, commander of Gaza's Popular Resistance Committees, announced on Sunday, "We will move our cells to the West Bank" and warned that "The withdrawal will not be complete without the West Bank and Jerusalem." The Palestinian Authority's Ahmed Qurei also asserts, "Our march will stop only in Jerusalem."

PALESTINIAN intentions worry even Israeli leftists. Danny Rubinstein, Arab affairs specialist for Haaretz, notes that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon decided to leave Gaza only after anti-Israel carnage there had escalated. "Even if these attacks were not the reason why Sharon came up with the idea of disengagement, the Palestinians are certain that that is the case, and this has reinforced their belief that Israel only understands the language of terror attacks and violence."

Arutz-7 has collected other leftist comments:

o Yossi Beilin, former justice minister and chairman of the Yahad/Meretz Party: "There is a concrete danger that following the disengagement the violence will greatly increase in the West Bank in order to achieve the same thing as was achieved in Gaza."

o Shlomo Ben-Ami, former foreign minister, Labor Party: "A unilateral retreat perpetuates Israel's image as a country that runs away under pressure... In Fatah and Hamas they will assume that they must prepare for their third intifada – this time in [the West Bank]."

o Ami Ayalon, former Shin Bet chief: "Retreat without getting anything in return is liable to be interpreted by some of the Palestinians as surrender.... There is a high chance that shortly after the disengagement the violence will be renewed."

o Eitan Ben-Eliyahu, former Air Force commander: "There is no chance that the disengagement will guarantee long-term stability. The plan as it stands can only lead to a renewal of terrorism."

Events, I predict, will prove Israel's critics totally wrong, but they will learn no lessons. Untroubled by facts, they will demand further Israeli withdrawals. Israel's one-car crash is dismally preparing the way for more disasters.

The writer is director of the Middle East Forum. http://www.DanielPipes.org/

[familyop]

Ping.

[dr_lew]

It's a no-brainer. Look at an old map of the mid-east. See Palestine? It's Israel! The acceptance of "Palestinians" and a "Palestinian state" in political opposition to Israel is the acceptance of the ultimate dissolution of Israel, a simple fact which, is far as it may be from the mind of the West, does not escape the Arabs.

[American in Israel]

There is a high chance that shortly after the disengagement the violence will be renewed."

Renewed?! They are shelling Israel almost daily now. The violence has escalated drastically since announcing the pullout. Only a leftist could call a daily mortar barrage and artillery rocket shelling a ceasefire!

It is beyond obvious that Israel's existence has nothing to do with the slaughter, is it the Jews fault that Muslims attack each other too? Is it the childs fault when a rapist comes to school? Israel is just the local justification to Jihad, it take little excuse for psychopaths to kill. Frankly, Muslims kill because they chose a religion that commands it.

If you always wanted to be a homocidal maniac, Join a Mosque, it's not murder then, its a religion.

[robertpaulsen]

"no other democracy has forcibly uprooted thousands of its own citizens of one religion from their lawful homes"

Lawful homes? Hardly. It is against the Geneva Convention to transfer a civilian population (of one religion or a hundred religions) into an occupied territory.

"Absorbing their new gift without gratitude ..."

Hah! You steal $10 from me, reluctantly give it back, and I'm expected to be grateful?

"Palestinians will focus on those territories Israelis have not evacuated"

No. The Palestinians will be so happy to get Gaza that they'll tell Israel to just go ahead and keep the West Bank. And Jerusalem.

[Polybius]

Are Israel's critics correct? Does the "occupation" of the West Bank and Gaza cause the Palestinians' anti-Semitism, their suicide factories and their terrorism? And is it true these horrors will end only when Israeli civilians and troops leave the territories?

Of course not.

The Palestinians will hate the Israeli's guts just as much after the withdrawal as before the withdrawal.

However, the Israeli withdrawal behind The Wall will put a physical barrier between Israel and these fanatics.

If Israel were really wise, it would create a "Guest Worker" program with Mexico, with free El Al flights, to contract with Mexicans to "do the jobs Israelis don't want to do" instead of having Palestinians travelling back and forth across the Israeli border.

The non-Israeli Palestinians need to dumped overboard from the Good Ship Israel just as you would dump overboard a shark you caught in your fishing net and the Israelis need to stop jumping off the Good Ship Israel to swim in shark-infested waters.

What about Palestinian rocket attack over the fence?

One hundred eyes for an eye by the Israeli Air Force.

I'm not Jewish and I don't have a dog in internal Israeli politics. I'm just stating what would make military sense to me if I were entrusted with the security of Israel as if Israel were my own family.

[thoughtomator]

Those poor Indians! We should just give Manhattan back and hope they accept our apologies.

[familyop]

From robertpaulsen's comment #5...

robertpaulsen quoted from the article:
"no other democracy has forcibly uprooted thousands of its own citizens of one religion from their lawful homes"

Then robertpaulsen commented:
"Lawful homes? Hardly. It is against the Geneva Convention to transfer a civilian population (of one religion or a hundred religions) into an occupied territory."

robertpaulsen quoted from the article:
"Absorbing their new gift without gratitude ..."

Then robertpaulsen commented:
"Hah! You steal $10 from me, reluctantly give it back, and I'm expected to be grateful?"

robertpaulsen quoted from the article:
"Palestinians will focus on those territories Israelis have not evacuated"

Then robertpaulsen commented:
"No. The Palestinians will be so happy to get Gaza that they'll tell Israel to just go ahead and keep the West Bank. And Jerusalem."


robertpaulsen (Sinbad?), your comments are disgusting, pro-terrorist rhetoric that we should only expect from anti-American sites like DU, "antiwar.com" or Stormfront. No one stole (as you accused) anything from terrorists in Gaza (including Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda and others). Those terrorists you are propagandizing for cheered and danced in their streets to the news of the 9/11 attacks against our USA. And of course, by international Mandate and documented history (Jews have always been in Israel despite the many attempts by evil empires to exterminate them), Gaza has been part of Israel for a long time.

Mandate for Palestine [July 24, 1922]

Conferred upon Great Britain by the Supreme Council of the Principal Allied Powers on April 25, 1920 at the San Remo Peace Conference; Confirmed on July 24, 1922 by the Council of the League of Nations; Came into force on September 29, 1923.

[Excerpts:]

Article 4
An appropriate Jewish agency shall be recognized as a public body for the purpose of advising and co-operating with the Administration of Palestine in such economic, social and other matters as may affect the establishment of the Jewish national home and the interests of the Jewish population in Palestine, and, subject always to the control of the Administration, to assist and take part in the development of the country.
The Zionist organization, so long as its organization and constitution are in the opinion of the Mandatory appropriate, shall be recognized as such agency. It shall take steps in consultation with His Britannic Majesty’s Government to secure the cooperation of all Jews who are willing to assist in the establishment of the Jewish national home.

[...]

Article 6
The Administration of Palestine, while ensuring that the rights and position of other sections of the population are not prejudiced, shall facilitate Jewish immigration under suitable conditions and shall encourage, in cooperation with the Jewish agency referred to in Article 4, close settlement by Jews on the land, including State lands and waste lands not required for public purposes.

It's a shame, BTW, that Britain abused the responsibility.

[Slings and Arrows]

I appreciate the refutations, but you should know that robertpaulsen is a long-time Israel-hating troll. Replies only encourage him. Ignore him and he'll go away.

[Thinkin' Gal]

We stand at an interpretive divide.

Wow, dream imagery yet again:

Israeli police officers attempt to disperse a group of young anti-disengagement protesters climbing on giant Hebrew letters saying 'Go In Peace', at the entrance to Jerusalem, Monday, Aug. 8, 2005. A group of young Israelis staged a demonstration along Jerusalem's main road entrance to protest against Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, scheduled to start on Aug. 17. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Children playing on "orange" letters, indeed. Waiting for the show to begin...

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"There is a high chance that shortly after the disengagement the violence will be renewed."

I believe Israel is pushing for a war. If violence is renewed after Gaza, Israel will just level Gaza and push the Palis into the Sinai and subsequently Egypt. Then the Egyptians will have to decide in front of the world whether they will take the Palis in or leave them hanging.

Don't be suprised when the Israelis do the same thing and push the Weat Bank Palis back to Jordan.

The Israelis need a big excuse and this might just be it. What will happen? The UN sends Peace Keepers? Israel will never allow it.

[familyop]

Thanks for filling me in.