re: #599 lawhawk

There are no Israelis at all in Gaza - except the captured Gilad Shalit.

Gaza is like any other country that has secure borders and trade routes. Gazans have chosen a path of war and conflict - attacking border crossing, energy distribution sites, etc.

It has a port and an airport, and yet chooses to use all of that infrastructure in furtherance of the Hamas goal of Israel’s destruction. Israel has no right to defend itself from that by maintaining security?

The Israelis aren’t providing internal security in Gaza - that’s now up to the Palestinians themselves, just as surely as the Palestinians are providing civil administrative control for 90% of the West Bank as per Oslo, Wye, Camp David, and all the related deals. Palestinians control their own destiny in Gaza, and they chose war. They first did so via suicide bombers, so Israel had no choice but build a security fence. That in turn led to the rocket war, and Israel had no choice but go after Hamas terrorists responsible for that. Or do you think Israel has no right to defend its citizens from incessant threats and attacks? Because that’s the very path you’re walking down.

Hamas could have chosen to spend its considerable energies on infrastructure, luring economic development, and settlement of the refugee camps rather than continuing the status quo that only feeds on the extremism and cultivates yet more resentment against Israel because Hamas demands nothing less than Israel’s destruction and a right of return that would overwhelm Israel demographically and physically.

They chose war and violence and to ignore the economic opportunities posed by the Gaza disengagement.

Curious. Very curious.

I’m not saying you don’t make valid points here. But you are glossing over the significance of Israel’s control over Gaza. All imports and exports are allowed into Gaza at the whim of the Israelis. Power is allowed into Gaza at the whim of the Israelis. People are allowed into Gaza at the whim of the Israelis. Military checkpoints within and surrounding Gaza are still staffed by the Israelis.

To simply say that the Gazans are in control of their own fate, and that Hamas has squandered the opportunity to allow economic development is completely false. My position is not radical on this, in fact it’s supported by roughly half of Israel. It’s only in the United States that being “pro-Israel” means believing that Israel is 100% right 100% of the time and that the Palestinians are responsible for ending this conflict themselves.