Political Bull - Political Ideas about the world we inhabit

Israel and Gaza: Climbing Out of The Abyss

Most penal systems incorporate carrot and stick policies for dealing with their prisoners. Time off for good behavior is written into the laws and policies of most systems as a means for ordered incarceration. The deprivation of privileges is the other component for maintaining order within the walls of a penitentiary. Viewing Gaza as anything other than a penitentiary is a mistake and viewing the tactics of the incarcerated as anything other than self-destructive is equally misguided.

by Edmund Ross




Within a prison (and it is easy to view Gaza as a giant prison) the fate of the incarcerated is determined by both the guards and the imprisoned. Unlike a standard prison where nearly all the inmates "earned" their ticket inside, the Gaza residents are genuinely victims of a whole series of injustices.  This; however, does not change the situation, nor the facts.  They are incarcerated and their sentence is indeterminate.

How they are choosing to extricate themselves from this situation is behind the current crisis.

This video from Al Jazeera shows life in Sderot among the rocket attacks from Gaza.
 


This video shows life in Gaza.


The resistance strategy employed by Hamas is destined to intensify both the duration and hardship of their incarceration, which is being manifest in the current demolition of the Strip.  As long as they choose armed resistance they give Israel the "excuse," or from Israel's perspective, "justification"  for everything it does.

The way out of the abyss WILL NOT come from Israel!  It is clear from the two videos above that while Isaelis suffer, their suffering is mild compared with the Palestinians.  They have much less incentive to choose peace.

The way out will only occur in one of two ways, both of which will be determined by the Gazans.  Either the Palestinians acquire weaponry sufficient to actually achieve the destruction of Israel or they cry "uncle."  Ending armed resistence removes any justification/excuse as well as the political will to maintain the prison.  At present the Gazans have chosen armed resistence without possessing the ability to inflict more than mild damage.  It should be pretty clear that this is not the path to anything but more time "in the hole."  Not seeing this makes them either the most dedicated,committed and self-sacrificing  or the stupidist people on Earth.



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Political Bull - Political Ideas about the world we inhabit