By Steve Kramer
KFAR SAVA, Isael — Imagine that Mexico was one of America’s worst enemies. Imagine that Mexico was an undemocratic country that was ruled by terrorists who adhered to a 1-man, 1-vote, 1-time policy and refused to allow new elections. Imagine that Mexico’s rulers educated its youngsters to hate America and everything it stands for, advocated and expedited attempts to kill Americans, and put the needs of Mexicans far below the imperative to destroy America. Then imagine Mexico’s citizens storming US borders by the tens of thousands, while shooting mortars, rockets, flaming kites and explosive balloons into America.
Finally, imagine US military and government officials pondering how to fix Mexico’s “humanitarian crisis,” which is fundamentally caused by 1) political infighting among its rulers, 2) the expenditure of limited capital for armaments and tunnels to destroy America instead of improving living conditions, 3) the necessity to use the Mexicans as pawns to garner the world’s sympathy. Would US citizens think their leaders had lost their minds, or would they agree that the US should support Mexico by feeding and housing its citizens – so that the Mexican government could spend yet more funds to destroy America?
Unfortunately, such a debate is ongoing since March (and before) in Israel, with some members of its Security Cabinet, as well as many of its military leaders, promoting highly expensive welfare projects to improve living conditions for the “poor Gazans.”
At some level it’s a credit to the Jews that we are willing to extend a peaceful hand to our enemies, but the current situation (which has been the case since Israel evacuated all Jews from Gaza in 2006) is definitely not the right time for such efforts.
Since money is fungible (interchangeable), expenditures for humanitarian supplies or housing in Gaza will be spent to destroy Israel, not to benefit the populace, who anyway are responsible for the leadership that exists in Gaza. Note: The Hamas party won the Palestinian legislative elections on 25 January 2006, the last time elections were held. Instead, the money will largely end up in the pockets of terrorist leaders, to the detriment of Israel’s security.
Here are several unhelpful proposals from various Israeli leaders: (Jerusalem Post, 6/11/18) “Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz’s idea to build a port for Gaza in Cyprus; Construction and Housing Minister Yoav Galant’s proposed industrial zone on Israel’s border (again); Intelligence and Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz’s plan to build a large artificial island off the Gaza coast that would be linked to it by a bridge, and would include a port and desalination and power plants.
Largely due to the efforts of Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, plans like the above to “help” the Palestinian economy are not being implemented. Liberman correctly said, “Plans to rehabilitate Gaza will not bring an end to the violence and terrorism from the Hamas-controlled Strip. The key to resolving the Gaza crisis lies not in the cabinet but in the Mukata [Palestinian Authority parliament] in Ramallah and with the United Nations.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also rejects giving succor to the Gazans. He told the AJC [American Jewish Congress] Global Forum in Jerusalem (6/10/18) that the Palestinian Authority would have money to spend on Gaza, if it hadn’t invested it in payments to terrorists.” (israpundit.com)
Ever since the rejection of the UN Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947, the Arabs have concentrated on destroying the “Zionist entity,” rather than building a peaceful state for the Arabs who lived in the British Mandate for Palestine (1923-1948). The PLO, founded in 1964, has constantly fought Israel, augmented by newer and even more violent Israeli foes, such as Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and Hizbollah – all supported by the likes of Iran and Qatar.
I applaud all members of Israel’s government who reject throwing money (or land, for that matter) at Israel’s enemies, whose overriding goal is to destroy the Jews’ foothold in the Land of Israel – and not any other purported purpose.
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Kramer is a freelance writer based in Kfar Sava, Israel. He may be contacted via steve.kramer@sdjewishworld.com