Daily Alert Archives

Israel Must Control All of Gaza's Borders

(Jerusalem Post) Gerald M. Steinberg - The return of the IDF to Gaza marks the rediscovery that as long as the Palestinian war continues, there is no substitute for an Israeli military presence on the ground. The innovative arrangements that accompanied the withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Gaza in August 2005 have all collapsed. The transfer of responsibility for preventing the smuggling of weapons and terrorists to Egyptian and European border monitors was a complete failure. The warheads of the Kassams and the anti-tank missiles fired in the recent attack were brought in under their noses - or perhaps their feet. Following detailed negotiations, Israel agreed to allow Egypt to bring in additional forces and weapons (beyond those specified in the 1979 peace treaty) so that they could block the illicit activity. But even if the kidnapped soldier is released, Israeli forces cannot simply turn around and leave, waiting for the next round in the war. Reoccupying the poor and hate-filled cities would be a mistake, but the days when Palestinian terror cells could simply go from Egypt into Gaza with their weapons are over. Israel now has no choice but to resume direct control over Gaza's borders. The lessons of the Gaza disengagement must also be applied to the West Bank, where Israel will need to maintain tight control over the Jordan Valley. Perhaps the next time Israel agrees to transfer border responsibility, it will be after the Palestinians have finally accepted the need to prevent attacks from being launched from their side of the border.
2006-07-04 00:00:00
Full Article