GAZA conflict and a Viable Solution - JULY 28 – 2014

GAZA conflict and a Viable Solution  - JULY 28 – 2014 -

A long time ago, in 1948, it was confirmed the Israel-Egypt Agreement.  Article V of the agreement declared that the demarcation line was not to be an international border. At first the Gaza Strip was officially administered by the All-Palestine Government, established by the Arab League in September of 1948. All Palestinians in Gaza Strip was managed under the military authority of Egypt, functioning as a puppet state, until it officially merged into the United Arab Republic and dissolved in 1959. From that time of the dissolution of the All Palestine Government until 1967, the Gaza Strip was directly administered by an Egyptian Military Governor.

Israel captured the Gaza in the Six-day-war.

From 1967 to 1994 Israel took control of everything, but pursuant to the Oslo Accords Signed in 1993, the Palestinian Authority become the administrative body that Governed Palestinian Population centers, and in 1994 Israel granted the right of self-governance to Gaza through the Palestinian Authority.

Prior to this, Gaza had been subjected to military occupation, most recently by Israel (1967-94), and Egypt (1948-67), and earlier by Great Britain (1918-48), and Turkey when Gaza had been part of the Ottoman Empire.

However, Israel kept control of most of sanitation, all borders, mail, main roads, airports, sea ports, electricity and water supply. Today this entire system is under control of Israel.

This alone brings uncertainty to what type of service had been offered to the Palestinians and Israelis living in Gaza.

Since 2007 the Gaza Strip has been De Facto governed by Hamas, a Palestinian Group claiming to be the representatives of the Palestinian National Authority and the Palestinian People.

Gaza forms a part of the Palestinian territory defined in the Oslo Agreement and UNSC resolution of 1860.

Gaza Strip is located at the Southwest corner of Israel, bordering Egypt on the South. It is bound by the Mediterranean Sea to the West. The strip has 28 miles long and 4 miles wide. It has, however 1.2 million Palestinians.

Most Palestinians in the Gaza Strip fled or were purged in 1948 from homes inside modern-days Israel, or are the descendants of these refugees.

There are approximately 6000 Israeli settlers also living in Gaza, and they claim at least 25% of the available land.

Most of the areas claimed by the state of Palestine have been occupied by Israel since 1967 in the aftermath of the six-day war.

In 2014 Hamas and Fatah formed a Palestinian Unity Government within the state of Palestine. Rami Hamdallah became the coalition’s Prime Minister and has planned for elections in Gaza and the West Bank.

In July 2014 a set of lethal incidents between Hamas and Israel led to the Israeli Military launching Operation Protective Edge.

An Escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict began in June 2014 following a series of events including the collapse of American-sponsored peace talks. Also, the kid-nap and murder of three Israeli teenagers and an increased rocket attacks on Israel by Hamas militants.

On July 16, 2014 Hamas and Islamic Jihad offered Israel a 10- year truce with 10 conditions.

As of July 26, 2014 over 200 thousand Palestinians dispersed.

At least 165 thousand Palestinians taking shelter in UNRWA schools.

1.2 Million have no access to water and sanitation. 3000 Housing units have been destroyed. Palestinians are allowed 4 hours of electricity per day.

A Viable Solution:

Israel must leave with its military force from the West Bank area, and return home.  Accept the fact that Gaza forms a part of the Palestinian territory defined in the Oslo Agreement and UNSC resolution of 1860, and sell the entire utility department along with water supply, electricity, gas, roads and anything that pertain to that area. Israel must recognize that the “Gaza majority” want to be part of Palestine, with complete Jurisdiction being given to the Palestinians.  Gaza needs to be controlled by the Palestinians with International rules of tolerance. The entire police department, security, homeland security, borders, roads, must be controlled by each individual state, and in this case Palestine.

It doesn’t make sense to occupy a territory when it doesn’t bring any profit. It is not necessary to fight over vendetta of parents of parents, when we are passed the Second World War, and we need to move on.  We cannot start a war over something we once had, we gave it away but we want to control its expenses. It seems like a divorce to me; one of those very hairy ones, where one partner never let-go off the other completely. Let’s live life.

“Go Israel, go and help the people of Gaza to get back on their feet. The people are not the rebellions. They are mere people, like you and me. Sell to them roads, schools, bridges and make them a nation, as you are. Help them with education and teach them abstention of making babies”.  

Israel must accept a truce and feel secure for opening hand of something that everyone took a piece off since the beginning of times. It is time to let them be.  It is time to start peace, with the gift of letting it go.

I know, it doesn’t make sense, to stop such a long war,… but we are talking about 1.2 million people without electricity, water or any infra-structure to support life. No food, nothing to look forward to. I am talking about a strip of land with so much to give and to do. Lets forget a long time ago, and start anew.

Milton

UPDATE ----Today - August 7, 2014 - Israel has removed at least 70% of its TROOPS ... artillery from GAZA. Israel is removing troops from the West Bank - Something that never happened before. Sooner than we think they will start reconstruction.



UPDATE ---- Today - August 15th 2014. More conflicts are emerging. People from Iraq are leaving their lands. It is a mess. The US government can not help it alone. We need more troops from all over the world to unite and stop this conflict by force. It is about time to stop it.