(San Antonio Express-News) Jonathan Gurwitz - Now the Israelis are gone. And upon their departure, Palestinians celebrated by torching abandoned synagogues and houses and turning Gaza into a three-ring circus of lawlessness, weapons, and violence - inflicted chiefly on fellow Palestinians. If Gaza sovereignty is the first step toward Palestinian statehood, then what has transpired since the Israeli withdrawal doesn't engender support for that state. After Israeli troops departed, Palestinian militants breached Gaza's border with Egypt, overwhelming Egyptian troops. Thousands of people and weapons crossed unimpeded, prompting fears that al-Qaeda has established a new stronghold in Gaza. Is there any doubt now what would happen if Israel withdrew to its pre-1967 borders on the West Bank?
2005-09-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive