(New York Times) Editorial - As Secretary of State John Kerry and other officials convene in Cairo for an international conference of prospective donors to discuss the reconstruction challenge in Gaza, one question arises over and over: What is the point of raising and spending many millions of dollars (the Palestinians say $4 billion is required) to rebuild the Gaza Strip just so it can be destroyed in the next war? Israel and Hamas have fought three wars in the last six years. Ending this depressing cycle will require a durable solution, not just short-term emergency aid and a temporary cease-fire until bombs start falling again. That, in turn, requires imaginative diplomacy to make sure any rebuilding program is linked to a permanent cease-fire. Israel has a right to insist that Gaza not be used as a launchpad for attacks against Israelis. To that end, it has demanded that Hamas be disarmed. But it is not at all clear how that can be achieved.
2014-10-13 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive