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Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Baby steps... but it's a start
Wow!
According to today's Jerusalem Post, the Israeli government is actually considering turning off the water and electricity to Gaza in response to the continued Kassam barrages.
Hellooooo... what took you guys so long?! What country in the history of the world continues propping up an enemy state that is waging open war against it??? What country continues to supply them with power, water, money (yes, Israel provides a significant portion of the PA's operating budget) and even guns/ammunition?!
I advocated turning off the water and electricity to Gaza back in March, but everyone yelled at me and said Israel couldn't do that... it would create a 'humanitarian disaster'.
Look how long it took our government to figure out that if the Gazastanians have to pay to create their own water and power infrastructure instead of getting these essential services from 'the Zionist entity', they will have less money to buy weapons and explosives.
I can't keep helping these guys out like this!
Source: Today's Jerusalem Post
Posted by David Bogner on September 4, 2007 | Permalink
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I said last summer (to AbbaGav, not to you) that you should be given emergency executive powers to straighten things out in Israel. While not perfect, your suggestions and perspectives almost always have been infinitely more rational, common-sensical, and pragmatic than ANYTHING I see discussed in the online papers.
You said once that Israel just doesn't seem able to produce a somewhat honest, thoughtful yet decisive major candidate in any party.
So -- since I have no vote -- I nominate you.
Posted by: Pam | Sep 4, 2007 10:02:44 AM
Gazastanians
There has got be a better name than that. It makes them sound like Oompa Loompas. Then again I suspect that Olmert has been relying upon the Oompa Loompas to set policy.
Posted by: Jack | Sep 4, 2007 10:15:32 AM
Gazastains? Too perjorative maybe?
Posted by: oceanguy | Sep 4, 2007 3:13:43 PM
It's not like there's any sort of crisis occurring in Sderot, right?
Posted by: tnspr569 | Sep 4, 2007 4:04:22 PM
I agree with you on all but one point--which is that I have a funny inkling that they're going to feel that the need for guns trumps the need for water and electricity. Call me a pessimist.
They want their own state? Let them run it.
Posted by: uberimma | Sep 4, 2007 5:04:30 PM
Any bets on how long it will take before -
- The international media slams Israel for its "human rights violations"?
- The Palestinian authorities to warn that such actions will only "trigger more violence"?
- Jimmy Carter refers to the shutdown as another example of "Israeli apartheid"?
- Olmert folds like a wet noodle to international pressure and turns the water & juice back on without any concrete results to show for it?
Here we go again, folks.
Posted by: psachya | Sep 4, 2007 6:22:38 PM
Ok, cmon everyone, lighten up and just do what the Bosnians are trying to achieve. : )
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=49750&cl=3946514&ch=68276&src=www.yahoo.com
Posted by: jaime | Sep 4, 2007 6:47:47 PM
I agree completely on electricity... but I'm skeptical about water (just as I'm uncomfortable about cutting off the food shipments from the UN).
While providing food and water to Gaza does provide material help to the enemy, it's absence will mean that Israel is directly responsible for hundred to thousands of deaths. And let's not delude ourselves here - it won't be terrorists who will be dying, as they control all of the weapons. It's going to be the youngest, oldest, and weakest... those who don't provide a threat to Israel.
I see no problems in cutting off fuel shipments, electricity, money, etc... in fact, they should have done this ages ago. But a policy that will leave a million people starving and dehydrated... that's something I have trouble stomaching.
At the same time that they implement this policy, they should finally retake the Philadelphi corridor. Egypt has been getting marginally better at things on their side of the border (mostly to save their own skins), but literally tons of weaponry are passing underneath the border into Rafah every month. Israel should clamp down on the smuggling of weapons, eliminate their fuel and power, and eventually - as we know that these measures won't be enough - move in with force.
Ender
Posted by: matlabfreak | Sep 4, 2007 7:30:01 PM
I agree with matlabfreak. if you cut the water supply, you will be blamed for many things.
the Jerusalem Post posted an article that does not mention water, but does mention electricity and fuel.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1188392534398&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Posted by: David S. | Sep 4, 2007 10:12:10 PM
I advocated turning off the water and electricity to Gaza back in March, but everyone yelled at me and said Israel couldn't do that... it would create a 'humanitarian disaster'.
Israel won't cut off water, as it would create a humanitarian disaster. Some halfway form of collective punishment that brings on international condemnation but isn't severe enough to put real pressure on Hamas -- that sounds like exactly what Israel would do.
Posted by: JSinger | Sep 5, 2007 10:25:45 PM
We blew up their power station and water infrastructure and now we can once again charge them for electricity and water. I think its kind of evil to want to collectively punish millions of people who are already living in extreme poverty.
Posted by: r | Sep 5, 2007 10:37:58 PM
...that sounds like exactly what Israel would do.
And what they did do? Some sonic booms over northern Syria in what I can only figure is supposed to be a vague threat to Hamas or Islamic Jihad activity up there. Is Dan Halutz back?
We blew up their power station and water infrastructure...
In fairness, Israel only blew up the power infrastructure. Water infrastructure was never built, as they used the provided pipes to build Kassams instead. I do agree with your point, though.
Posted by: JSinger | Sep 6, 2007 8:54:25 PM
If Palestinian government wants water and electricity, surely it can figure out how to prevent rocket launches from Palestinian territory.
Posted by: Bob | Sep 7, 2007 5:29:51 AM
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