THE GAZA GREENHOUSE EFFECT-RUTH KING 2006
November 2006 Outpost – Monthly Publication of Americans for a Safe Israel.During the summer of 2005, cheered by both left and right, Israel would leave Gaza. Many saw the
area as a drain on Israeli military forces and not crucial for Israel’s long-term security. And doubters relied on Ariel Sharon: if he proposed it, then it must be right. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice gushed: “This is an historic moment for both sides, and the commitment of both sides to a successful disengagement process has been impressive.”
American philanthropists, buoyed by the possibility that Gaza’s Arabs would continue the prosperous agricultural businesses created by Jews (a major source of export income) purchased existing farms, greenhouses and agricultural equipment from Jewish residents to give them to the Arabs.
This would give the Arabs, who were ostensibly ready to get down to the business of disciplined self-rule, a big economic boost. Inspired by this notion, Mortimer Zuckerman, a staunch supporter of Israel,
persuaded other moguls, not proven friends of Israel, to ante up $14,000,000 for this noble enterprise.
Just think, …the world would see how generous the Jews were…how flexible…..how devoted to
peace. Global warming was just around the corner. Right? Well, not exactly. In short order the Arabs of
Gaza ransacked, looted and destroyed the homes and farms. They turned their energies to more congenial enterprises, like digging tunnels for smuggling weapons and showering the village of Sderot with missiles.
They elected the unapologetically terrorist Hamas oneof whose leaders declared “The jihad and the resistance are the only ways to liberate our homeland, not negotiations and agreements.”
Nonetheless, the media quickly put out the spin that Hamas won because of its “humanitarian”
work in providing food, shelter, band-aids and bubblegum to the Palestinian Arabs.
And while the administration tirelessly avers that the peaceful “Palestinian people” yearn only to
live in a democratic state beside Israel, Ehud Yaari (Jerusalem Report, October 16) offers this sober assessment of the facts on the ground in Gaza. (Yaari, author of Toward Israeli-Palestinian Disengagement is currently an associate of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, hardly a right-wing group.)
“…..an unprecedented arms-acquisition effort is under way in the Gaza Strip. Close to 20 tons of
standard explosives have been smuggled in since Israel withdrew last summer. Thousands of RPG grenade launchers and large quantities of rifles, pistols and grenades are coming in through the tunnels under the Philadelphia Route, separating the Strip from Egypt. Several Katyusha rocket launchers, like those used by Hezbollah against northern Israel, are already in the hands of Hamas and other terror groups. It is only a matter of time before they also get hold of shoulder-launched anti-aircraft rockets and, even more troubling, third generation anti-tank missiles, like the Russian Koronet. Such weaponry will enable the terrorists to effectively target vehicles and structures 3-4 kms. inside Israel, and not to have to depend on their primitive high-trajectory Qassam rockets.
Also under way is a feverish campaign to dig tunnels into Israel under the security barrier around the Strip, with the aim of facilitating terror attacks in Israel.” For those in the Bush administration (and elsewhere) who propose more peace processing by propping up Abbas, Yaariv offers this caution:
“Fatah is not on the way back to power….Abbas and his Fatah cohorts are doing their best to hang on to their power and privileges, but they lack the momentum and the determination to go the offensive against Hamas….In fact, Hamas is gradually penetrating the security apparatuses that were the heart of the Arafatian regime and which are rapidly ceasing to function in the West Bank….At most, Fatah will manage to survive as the junior partner to Hamas or, perish the thought, its fig leaf.“
In spite of the evidence of a colossal failure in Gaza, on October 11 Madame Secretary Rice delivered this assessment at the inaugural dinner of the American Task Force on Palestine, a new Arab advocacy group. “For decades, Hamas dwelled in the shadows, able to hijack the future of all Palestinians at will,without ever having to answer for its actions. Today, however, the Palestinian people and the international
community can hold Hamas accountable. And Hamas now faces a hard choice that it has always sought to avoid: Either you are a peaceful political party, or a violent terrorist group — but you cannot be both.”
Well dear Secretary Madeleine Powell Rice, it is risible to believe that Hamas has any intention of
being “a peaceful political party.” Indeed, you diminish President Bush who, on the same day, in his own address to the nation, spoke of the dangers in leaving Iraq abruptly….the betrayal of allies who want democratic co-existence; the creation of a void to be filled by terrorists; the bad example it would set for our enemies. Just substitute the words West Bank for Iraq and his words apply to Israel. President Bush says he will not cut and run. And on the very same day you urge Israel to cut and run.
Hamas has made and declared its choice and all the hot air about Arab democracy has not brought
any global warming at all…..anywhere. rsk
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