What the hell is a Gaza?

I know what you’re thinking. “Adam, what’s your take on the war in Gaza right now?”

Great question, reader. First, let me say that just because I’m Jewish, that doesn’t mean I speak for all Jews, or that I put Israel before I put America (because I don’t), or that I can’t sympathize with Palestinians, or that I want to go into retail*. I have been to Israel once, but I am an American and would not want to be any other nationality.

*I had a professor last year say that he would not go into retail unless he was “at least third generation Jew.” I wonder if he realized just how horrible that statement is. Jews, historically, have not been allowed to own the land necessary to produce goods, so they instead had to become merchants. Then we got good at that and people hated us for it. In addition, Catholics and Moors in medieval Europe made us be bankers because of their own usury laws prevented them from doing it, but they needed the capital. Then they resented the shifty Jews for doing that service too. Also, I do not want to go into retail.

Let me sum up the situation for the ignorant among you: the Gaza Strip is a piece of land about the size of Philadelphia located along the Western border of Israel.

Israel gave it to the Palestinians a couple of years ago as a show of good faith, more or less. It had been captured along with the West Bank, the Golan Heights, and the Eastern part of Jerusalem in the Six Day War in 1967, when most of the Arab World attacked Israel unprovoked in an attempt to drive Israel into the sea.

The Gaza Strip is currently governed by Hamas. Hamas was founded with the intent of destroying Israel. In other words, all negotiations towards peace on the part of Hamas have been in bad faith. In American minds, national security means protecting our people first and destroying our enemies second (insert George W. Bush joke here). In the minds of the extremists that run Hamas, their strict interpretation of Islam comes first and the wellbeing of the population second. Part of this belief is that the entire Middle East be Moslem states. They want to drive the heathen Jews away or kill them.

Hamas has been shelling Israeli border towns with rockets and mortars since it took control of the area through a democratic election. Iran has played a key roll in supplying the rockets, bringing them in through tunnels along the Egyptian border. Hamas has been lobbing missiles at Israeli towns and actively trying to kill civilians. They want to provoke Israel into a war. They want to provoke a holy war throughout the Middle East. They want to provoke World War III.

The big question is, why has Israel acted as it has? Surely, it wants to stop the rocket attacks on its town. But what will stop these attacks? Wiping out Hamas is a lofty goal, but what will replace it? Can Hamas regroup even if Israel wipes out its foundations now? I would guess so. If not in name, then in function. Breaking the government might create a power vacuum, which might yield scarier results than Hamas itself. Climates like that make it easy to recruit terrorists.

I am a firm believer that violence begets violence. I do not see Israel’s endgame, but if it is merely as a means for punishment, then this strike is a terrible idea. If Israel can find a way to install the kind of friendly government that it wants, or at least a more moderate government like has taken over the West Bank, then it will have a success. But what are the odds of that happening? And are those odds worth the risks losing a worldwide propaganda war, or possibly starting a much greater war?

 

One interpretation: Israel is working to something bigger. The real enemy is Iran. Iran supplies the rockets. It wants to become the region’s superpower and is using region-wide hatred for Israel as a vehicle for gaining influence. Iran is also attempting to build a nuclear arsenal. Israel wants to stop Iran from becoming nuclear and is running out of time. Meanwhile, America is about to change leadership and thus overhaul its foreign policies. Bush has given Israel free reign. No one is quite sure just how much authority Obama will give Israel. If there is any time to act, now is that time.

 

Further reading

Thomas Friedman of the New York Times, who has lost my attention with some of his other writings but remains one of the foremost authorities on Middle East relations.

My friend Eric at The Israel Situation. We don’t always see eye-to-eye, but he’s bright and informed. If you want to know more, he’ll set you on the right path.

 

If anyone wants to debate in the comments, go for it. Just no name-calling, bigotry, or utter stupidity. Feel free to tell me I’m wrong. Just don’t call me a dumb Jewbag.