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Sunday Jan 27, 2008
The use of bombs to breach the border wall between Gaza and Egypt along the 'Philadelphi' route has a Hamas signature. The fact that the border is now completely open significantly changes the reality on the ground - a reality shaped by the IDF's exit and Israel's disengagement from the Gaza Strip.
From an economic perspective, the removal of the barrier holds no long-term importance. In the short-term, thousands of Gazans are able to purchase basic products at cheap prices at the Egyptian Rafah and Al-Arish. It will be "rejuvenating" for them to get out of Gaza, after the months of suffocation they underwent due to Hamas's rise to power and Israel's counter-measures since.
However, even if the border with Egypt remains open, Egypt cannot serve as the economic front that Israel had been for Gaza until last June. Poor Egypt is not an attractive destination for Gazan imports. The prices offered in Egypt for agricultural products and light industrial materials from Gaza would be much lower than the prices they would be able to obtain in Israel. No investments would be made in a Gaza run by Hamas and the destroyed private sector will not rise without economic relations with Israel. Even if this border breach is considered an achievement for Hamas, it cannot feed the 1.5 million people in Gaza.
On the other hand, there is security-related significance to this border breach. With Egyptian border security weak, Hamas can now smuggle in weapons, explosives, raw materials for Kassam-making and a vast amount of money to further finance the terror regime, undisturbed. From a military perspective, Hamas can further strengthen and solidify its hold on the Strip based on military might and would no longer have to rely on popular support. All the surveys recently taken show a significant drop in Hamas's political influence and in support for its rule.
Hamas's new-found strength can manifest itself in the form of longer-range Kassam launchings, able to reach Ashkelon and Netivot, and of heavier and deadlier explosive devices due to improved capabilities. Israel can find itself "sucked" into an undesired large-scale military operation in Gaza whose heavy price is daunting and final achievements cannot be ensured.
If Egypt does not use all the measures at its disposal to close its border with Gaza, it will carry the responsibility for any such deterioration.
1 | B.A - Netherlands, Sunday Jan 27, 2008
Looking for someone to blame, Mr. Sneh? Well take a very long and piercing look in the mirrow. Egypt is not the one who left Gaze. Now you have the opportunity to trully leave Gaza. Even Gazans say there is no difference between them and Egypt(ians). But the irony is: you won't leave Gaza. You claim you have left, but still you want to be in control.
2 | PM USA, Sunday Jan 27, 2008
BA-Israel left Gaza and was repaid with daily rockets. Isreal would love to have nothing to do with Gaza. Why should Israel be forced to feed and provide utiliities to those who promise to destroy them. The other Arab countries are only willing to supply the Gazans with weapone, not food, electricity or investment in their economy. Hamas and the Gazans force Israel to exert some control as no one else will.
3 | Jacob, Sunday Jan 27, 2008
Israel left Gaza as demanded by everybody. Controlling borders is a security necessity. To say that Israel is more responsible for the people in Gaza than Egypt or other Arabs is simply absurd. To feed an enemy that is trying to distroy you is unheard off.
4 | GRT, Sunday Jan 27, 2008
BA: I wouldn't say having rockets streaming over the border at Israeli citizens is being 'in control'. How delusional are you terrorist supporters going to allow yourself to get?
5 | B.A - Netherlands, Sunday Jan 27, 2008
To 2, 3 and 4.
You are making my point. Israel left Gaza. That destroyed the lives of many Israelis as they knew it. The breach of the Gaza-border provided Israel with an unique opportunity. I thought that Israelis would grab that opportunity to stop all forms of supplies to Gaza, force the UN attending the Pals to operate from Egyptlet and let the chips fall where they may. But no, Israelis are not doing this. Instead, they are once again rushing to restart the supplies!! By so doing, Israelis are saying: we are responsible for Gaza. It is hard to fathom.
6 | hyman peskin montreal canada, Sunday Jan 27, 2008
Israel did not leave Gaza out of a sense of compassionate good will. It left because the territory was ungovernable. The settlers received large funds to establish themselves there and the Gazans were largely neglected. Is it any wonder that there is such a bitter legacy of hatred and violence? You reap what you sow.
7 | hyman peskin montreal canada, Sunday Jan 27, 2008
Israel did not leave Gaza out of a sense of compassionate good will. It left because the territory was ungovernable. The settlers received large funds to establish themselves there and the Gazans were largely neglected. Is it any wonder that there is such a bitter legacy of hatred and violence? You reap what you sow.
8 | Martiin List,M.D. USA, Sunday Jan 27, 2008
Gazans elected Hamas and continue to wholeheartedly support it.Their rockets terrorize daily 250,000 Israelis within their reach. This is an undisputable act of war.Respond with all lethal power and turn Gaza into a huge pile of rubble, starting with the sea-side palaces. As for the population, they are collateral damage, no different from their targetting Israeli towns and villiges. Stop the 'humanitarian crap', war is war, they initiated it and continue doing so daily, hence, no apologies needed.
9 | David Mozes, Sunday Jan 27, 2008
Dear MK Sneh,
Does not the current situation on the ground suggest that "The Israeli Intiative", while "out of the box thinking" is the direction we should be moving in, To say that the Egyptians will be responsible for any "deterioration" is all well and good. But it places us in a reactive, rather than proactive postion. Inasmuch as we have a peace treaty with Egypt and Jordan and all three are linked to the USA does not a three party agreement with USA support make more sense than continuing along the Oslo road?
Best wishes,
David Mozes
10 | JC New York, Monday Jan 28, 2008
the Pals are voluntarily leaving Gaza. Israel should move back in and push Hamas and the remaining Pals into Sinai/Egypt where they belong and where they have chosen to go. Seal the Philadelphi border and thus ensure Isreali security.
11 | Shlomo,Israel, Monday Jan 28, 2008
People do not change.What was will be.If Israel wants security she must take the intentions of the arab world seriously.
12 | Gil,Germany, Monday Jan 28, 2008
No none wil linvest into a Hamas-run Gaza?
Iran,even using middlemen ,arab or non-arab,
will invest billions,just to keep the plan of an islamic republic Gaza working.
The Investment can be disguised as agriculture,industrial,a new harbour,A NEW AIRFIELD for the goodies from Iran to come in.
Like armor-piercing anti-tank missiles.
Instead of only reacting for what Hamas does,
Israel must act,whatever way,even crazy,not predictable,Israel has lost the momentum.
And,with all sincerety- why not wait until the first Egyptian Border Guards are shot dead by Gazans?
13 | Expellee, Gush Katif, Monday Jan 28, 2008
Hyman Peskin from Montreal Canada, do you have any idea how good the Arabs had it when we were living in Gush Katif? We settled on empty sand dunes so as not to displace anyone. Before the Intifada the Arabs welcomed us. We employed them, and were rewarded with injured and murdered employers. We brought advanced agricultural methods to the region. Before we arrived the Arabs thought that the ground was cursed and that nothing would grow. With G-d's help we made the desert bloom! Even the amount of rain increased when the Jews came to Gush Katif, and the Arabs themselves have said that.
14 | Expellee, Gush Katif, Monday Jan 28, 2008
Many growers have been phoned by their former employees who say that since the Jews left, they have not been successful in raising crops in the greenhouses left to them. The greenhouses that weren't looted and razed to the ground that is.
The territory is governable by Israel. The IDF did not do all that it could and so terrorism grew from rock-throwing to mortar launching and then missiles.
Learn a bit about the history of Gush Katif before you comment, please.
15 | Jeremias-kopenhagen, Monday Jan 28, 2008
look at the map gaza is a part of egypt the gazans are arabs like the egyptians and many have relatives in the "other side" so let them be a part of egypt and spare Israel for 2 palestinian states one in gaza and one in the west bank. with their insane demography in a few years they will be more people in gaza than in israel proper. Can israel afford that.?
.
16 | Lachmich, Monday Jan 28, 2008
Hamas is Egypt's proxy in Gaza like Hizballah is Iran's proxy on Israel-Lebanon border.
Now Mr. Sneh what are you going to do besides saying nu,nu,nu,nu via the JPost.
17 | SHalom, Wednesday Jan 30, 2008
Everybody knows that the current situation on the Gaza/Egyptian border is the result of the diengagement, but nobody knows what is rationale behind futher concessions and the division of Jerusalem. The Olmert government has to be removed either by democratic means, or by force, before they succeed and completely destroy the jewish state. Israel needs a new and strong government to say no to Rice and her boss!
18 | Jeff Jaffee, USA, Sunday Feb 03, 2008
Creator of all the real estate in the Universe commanded Jewish people to settle the Land of Israel. Giving away Judea and Samaria will fail as Oslo agreement and Disengagement failed. Hamas ruled Gaza will be strategic threat to Israel. Mistakes were made but it is still not too late to correct them: take over the Gaza border and stop the flow of arms.
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About this blog
The Weekly Portion
Former Deputy Defense Minister Dr. MK Ephraim Sneh comments on the headlines of the past week.
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Recent Comments
Said, London: I'm interested in your resolutions, MK Sneh. But I'm more interested to know what kind of peace plan you have in mind, which do you favour: The Roadmap, the Clinton Parameters, the Arab Initiative, the Benny Elon Plan, etc?
Joe, Israel: Looks like the last clean person in the leadership
Let us see if the ships (Israeli voters) will go as usuall and vote for
the bad and the criminals again
Dave, New York: Ephraim shalom. To make peace, or any agreement with the Palestinians, there must be unified leadership on the part of the Palestinians. Even in democratic Israel, it is not easy to make hard, unpopular decisions. If a deal is struck with Fatah, Hamas will not honor it. The same goes in reverse. Israel must concentrate on strengthening itself internally, so when the time comes for war or peace, it will always have the advantage. Israel cannot dictate the time needed for the Arab world to mature enough to make a real peace, and it is foolish and arrogant try. Mandate first, peace later.
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