Sharon’s Gaza maneuver

The American Thinker ^ | August 22nd, 2005 | Douglas Hanson

[AliVeritas]

The withdrawal of Israeli settlements from the Gaza strip is proceeding as well as could be hoped given the circumstances. Most Americans cannot even imagine the trauma of having their families uprooted and sent elsewhere, so many have seen it as another retreat in the face of terrorism. But the Israeli government’s order for its Jewish settlers to leave Gaza is not about surrendering to the forces of terror at all. It is a sound tactical play in the face of a changing enemy, and a maneuver that we would expect from an old fighter such as Ariel Sharon.

To understand the tactical significance of the withdrawal and of the Gaza strip itself, we must go back to the Six Day War. On May 15, 1967, Israel determined that Egypt had concentrated large forces in the Sinai Peninsula. There was a United Nations Emergency Force that physically separated the two potential belligerents, but true to form, this UN force withdrew on May 19 simply because Egyptian president Gamal Abdel-Nasser demanded it.

[conservativecorner]

Very powerful argument BUMP! The writer provided historical facts that make me see this Sharon decision in a whole new way both militarily and politically. GREAT POST!!

[Dark Skies]

If the Palestinians and their terrorist allies continue their assaults on the Israeli people, there will be hell to pay, and this time, there will be no Israeli citizens in the way of a full-blown assault.

Not "if"...but "when."

[omega4412]

Abhorrent as the withdrawal is, it changes the situation. Instead of 9500 Israeli hostages among 1.3 million Palestinians, Gaza will contain 1.3 million targets.

[Paradox]

How do you say "strategery" in Hebrew?

[Cicero]

I'll reserve judgment on this. What does Sharon plan for the West Bank?