There Goes the Gaza Blockade

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

First, some pics ! Everything went in a rather orderly fashion, and about 700 Palestinians crossed into Egypt. A couple hundred travelers went the opposite way, entering from Egypt to Gaza.

These last two are from the Egyptian side - the Egyptian passport administration hall, and some Egyptian soldiers making sure there's no trouble.

[Jenn! 918]

Why would people be going from Egypt into Gaza?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

The end of Isreali occupation of the West Bank and Gaza was predicated on the Palestinians getting their proverbial ##it together. When is that going to actually happen?

Well, this is what the treaty actually says:

When the self-governing authority (administrative council) in the West Bank and Gaza is established and inaugurated, the transitional period of five years will begin. As soon as possible, but not later than the third year after the beginning of the transitional period, negotiations will take place to determine the final status of the West Bank and Gaza and its relationship with its neighbors and to conclude a peace treaty between Israel and Jordan by the end of the transitional period. These negotiations will be conducted among Egypt, Israel, Jordan and the elected representatives of the inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza. Two separate but related committees will be convened, one committee, consisting of representatives of the four parties which will negotiate and agree on the final status of the West Bank and Gaza, and its relationship with its neighbors, and the second committee, consisting of representatives of Israel and representatives of Jordan to be joined by the elected representatives of the inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza, to negotiate the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, taking into account the agreement reached in the final status of the West Bank and Gaza. The negotiations shall be based on all the provisions and principles of UN Security Council Resolution 242. The negotiations will resolve, among other matters, the location of the boundaries and the nature of the security arrangements. The solution from the negotiations must also recognize the legitimate right of the Palestinian peoples and their just requirements.

http://www.ibiblio.org/sullivan/docs/CampDavidAccords.html

It mentions UN 242 a lot.

However, Begin went straight home to Israel after signing the agreement, and (facing outrage from Israel‘s loony right wing that he had “given away too much“) immediately started talking about how he was actually against withdrawing from the West Bank and Gaza, issuing his 18 point “interpretation” of the accords that made it clear: no matter what he had signed, he opposed any territorial “compromise.”

33 years later, it's been excuse after excuse from successive Israeli governments, who have all continued the same tactic - stalling for more time, agreeing only to talk about talking about peace and refusing to enter into any meaningful negotiations - meanwhile, racing as fast as they can to change the political and demographic “facts on the ground” in the West Bank, expanding Israel’s illegal settlements and their accompanying infrastructure at an ever-increasing pace.

In 1966, there were 0 illegal settlers living in the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights.

In 1972, there were 10,608

In 1983, there were 106,595

In 1993, there were 281,800

In 2004, there were 441,165

In 2007, there were 484,862

In 2009, there were 516,569

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_settlement

So as I said, Israel has had plans from the beginning to annex the occupied West Bank, and since 1967 has done everything it can to "change reality" to strengthen its hold.

Now for how all this history relates to the topic. The Egyptian people are eyewitnesses to all of this - they know the history quite well. Now suddenly there's a game-changer -- the dictator's boot has been removed from Egypt's neck, and the new Egypt makes it very clear that it will no longer collaborate with Israel in tormenting the Palestinians.

The new Egypt is charting a new foreign policy - one that represents the will of its own people and its own national interests. An important part of that foreign policy is addressing what’s happening right on their own doorstep with their Palestinian brothers.

So don't be surprised if the treaty and the issue of Israel's non-compliance comes up for review. Also, Israel will need to learn some new skills in dealing with its neighbors - like Diplomacy 101 !! - as the status quo (carpet bomb, blockade, occupy, ethically cleanse, annex) will likely no longer be tolerated by the large military power on its southern border. The Egyptian government is now representing their own people's wishes - a population who is very sympathetic to the Palestinians' struggle for their rights.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Why would people be going from Egypt into Gaza?

Visiting relatives? Going home?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Why would people be going from Egypt into Gaza?

If you are a West Bank Palestinian, the only way to go to Gaza is through Egypt - Israel refuses to allow them to pass through (unless you have special permit or diplomatic pass.)

A lot of Gazans were abroad when the closure started and have family there that they've been unable to see in 4 years or more. There are also engaged people (for instance a woman in Gaza with a fiance in the West Bank) who have been waiting 4 years to have their weddings. There are all sorts of reporters and human rights activists who have been unable to get in. And maybe some tourists want to see Gaza

[Ban Hammer 12,897]

Why would people be going from Egypt into Gaza?

entrepreneurs

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Read this article while having coffee.

This caught my eye;

Israel, which controls Gaza's cargo crossings, allows most consumer goods into Gaza, but it still restricts exports as well as the entry of much-needed construction materials, saying they could be used by militants. Israel also enforces a naval blockade aimed at weapons smuggling.

Israeli and American officials have expressed concerns that Hamas will exploit the opening to bring weapons and fighters into Gaza.

Actually, Israel is still blocking vital materials from reaching Gaza - especially construction materials urgently needed to repair the destruction still remaining from the Cast Lead assault - destroyed and damaged homes, schools, hospitals, electric, water and gas facilities, sewage treatment plants, and more.

As Israel and the U.S. already know quite well, if Hamas wants to bring in weapons to Gaza, they are most easily brought through the tunnels.

The Rafah crossing is for people conducting personal travel - it’s not designed as a cargo terminal and handles almost no bulk goods at all.

In fact, four years of Israel’s draconian closure on Gaza have not stopped weapons from getting to Gaza, or stopped terror attacks, or stopped weapons manufacturing in Gaza. Nor has the blockade achieved any of the Israeli government’s other stated goals - it has not freed Gilad Shalit, or encouraged Palestinians to rise up against Hamas.

What Israel’s policy has actually done: turned Gaza into the world’s biggest prison, and caused terrible human suffering and desperation among its civilian population.

Instead of stopping weapons, Israel embargoed items that had nothing to do with weapons - such as coriander, tea, fruit juice, fresh meat, live chickens and cattle, shoes, fabric for clothing, heaters, paper, musical instruments and even children‘s school books. The bans effectively crippled Gaza's normal economic activity - agriculture, industry and exports were all completely shut down. This took away ordinary Gazans' ability to support and feed themselves, making them totally dependent on international aid, as well as dependent on Israel to allow it in.

After bombing sections of Gaza’s electric power production facilities, Israel then refused to allow materials for repairs and cut its fuel allowances to the strip. This has the plant only able to produce a fraction of its average pre-siege output, and gives Israel effective "light-switch control" over Gaza.

Consider: The U.S. consumes 1460 watts per capita; the EU is at 700. Israel consumes 734. In Gaza - a mere 4 watts per capita.

Israeli officials admitted from the start that the siege on Gaza was intended to be a punitive action against Gaza’s civilian population, openly stating that Israel would restrict the movement of goods into and out of Gaza not for security, but to apply “pressure” on the population. The policy was designed to punish the ordinary people of Gaza by making ordinary life so miserable that they would somehow rise up against Hamas.

http://www.gisha.org/index.php?intLanguage=2&intItemId=1904&intSiteSN=113

“It’s like a meeting with a dietitian. We need to make the Palestinians lose weight, but not starve to death.”

- Dov Weisglass, former advisor to Ariel Sharon, 2006

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Since the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in February, Egypt's new leadership has vowed to ease the blockade and improve relations with Hamas.

OP, Please comment.

I kind of touched on this a couple of posts up, but basically Israel's U.S.-financed collaborator is gone and the new Egypt is now re-adjusting its foreign policy to more accurately reflect its own interests and the sentiments of its people. Certainly it wants to have good relationships with all of its neighbors, including Israel and including the Palestinians. And it obviously recognizes that Hamas is part of the Palestinian political process, and considers Palestinian unity to be a positive step for the region in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Unfortunately, Israel's leaders have tried to play a game of "if you want to be friends with me, you can't be friends with him, or him, or him." Imagine if Palestinians refused to negotiate with Likud ! (whose charter states that it does not recognize Palestine and refuses to accept a sovereign Palestinian state.) No self-respecting government in the world goes along with this type of school-yard bullying, and the new Egypt is making it clear that it won't, either.

This interview with Egypt‘s foreign minister (published a few weeks ago) may shed further light on the new Egypt’s position and how it perceives its new role in the region.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/egypts-foreign-minister-on-the-way-forward-after-mubarak/2011/05/05/AFRI3BCG_story.html

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Hopefully it all works out but time will tell.

[Vi-Jay 218]

OP:

Thank you very much for taking the time and effort to express your POV.

I have enjoyed reading your insightful / subjective commentary.

(I am a little embarrassed about my obvious ignorance regarding the issues discussed in this thread. My apologies.)

Edited May 29, 2011 by Vi-Jay

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Good job, WOM

[Jenn! 918]

If you are a West Bank Palestinian, the only way to go to Gaza is through Egypt - Israel refuses to allow them to pass through (unless you have special permit or diplomatic pass.)

A lot of Gazans were abroad when the closure started and have family there that they've been unable to see in 4 years or more. There are also engaged people (for instance a woman in Gaza with a fiance in the West Bank) who have been waiting 4 years to have their weddings. There are all sorts of reporters and human rights activists who have been unable to get in. And maybe some tourists want to see Gaza

Thanks for the explanation.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Cool. Now lots of new weapons can flood into the terrorists hands and kill many Israels. The Israels of course ill respond in kind. Be like the old days.

ding ding ding