Opinion
Time to seal Gaza border
Avi Trengo
Published: 11.06.10, 13:50
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1. I agree.
JO   (06.11.10)
until the Palestinians are as a nation and unit wanting peace with it's neightbour Israel there is not much Israel can do. The Palestinians themselves have talked of disengaging from Israel via Egypt, so let it be. They have a lot more in common, history, language, and culture. It would only create industry. As to Israel, as long as the charter of Hamas reigns and there are those within Palestine that seek Israel's destruction, then Israel has no choice. Closed Border.
2. Ive been saying this for 4 years now!
Joseph ,   Ashkelon   (06.11.10)
1.Time to completely close the borders! 2.NO more shipments from the world thru Israel into Gaza.Period! (El-Arish is a good port) 3..All UN personal must move to Egypt. 4.NO electricity. 5.NO water pipes. =========DISENGAGEMENT!!! If the government doesn't do this then MAIN STREET ISRAELIS should sabotage the electric wires and water pipes.Over 100 of my friends will take matters into our own hands to fulfill Sharons policy if the government doesn't follow thru.
3. Yes
John ,   Herzliya, Israel   (06.11.10)
Yes, seal it now and let the "brothers" take care of them. But, when the first rocket comes, you should know what to do..
4. Seal Gaza Now - I like the ring of it
Navy Seal   (06.11.10)
5. Do It!
Arrow   (06.11.10)
Seal the border and let those who want to add gaza prosperity, enjoy the benefits, hospitality and overall help of Egyptian government.
6. Seal it AND blockade it!
Ram ,   London   (06.11.10)
7. Everyone seems to agree with this - so will it be done?
Michael   (06.11.10)
8. Absolutely
Scotchman ,   Australia   (06.11.10)
I agree 100% with the sentiments expressed in this article. Seal off the border with a high wall that extends 10 metres beneath the earth, cut off power and anything else that Israel supplies. Let Egypt supply the Gazans and the rest of the world be damned.
9. Allow Gaza to take its natural place in the region now,
Jehudah Ben-Israel ,   Qatzrin, Israel   (06.11.10)
The Gaza blockade shouldn't have been imposed in the first place and it could have been lifted a long time ago. Indeed, it can and should be lifted now by simply applying United Nations Security Council Resolution 242, as is. UN Security Council resolution 242 has been the basis for all peace talks and agreements to date between Israel and the Arab world. 242 calls upon Israel to withdraw its armed forces from territories captured during the June 1967 Six-Day War, which it fully did with regard to Gaza. 242 does not mention or even hints at the need to set up an additional state in the region, Gaza included. It does assume, though, that based on negotiations with Israel for the establishment of secure and recognized boundaries, the relevant Arab state - Egypt in this case - would assume control over territories that Israel vacates. Therefore, it is high time Egypt, the largest Arab state, shouldered responsibility and absorbed Gaza, the smallest Arab territory, which it had controlled until 1967. All, and first and foremost the residents of Gaza, will end up benefiting from such a move. So, why not do the obvious and simplest in resolving the Gaza predicament...??!!
10. Finally, some common sense
J K ,   NYC, USA   (06.11.10)
Other than the possibility that Gaza might become an Iranian satellite missile base, Israel should be slamming the door shut on Gaza. The PA is certainly welcome to take monies out of the budget of world aid it gets to help out and they are certainly welcome to beg Egypt for help. Considering it's not in Egypt's interest to have an Iranian base there as well, I'm sure pressure will be brought to bear.
11. Just one question
Gee ,   Zikron Yaakov   (06.11.10)
Why 2 years to disconnect water and power? I can do it in 2 minutes.
12. If It Is Part Of Egypt Then Waters Off Gaza Belong To Egypt
World Citizen ,   the world   (06.11.10)
But then that would mean you would have to let shipping traffic in and out of Gaza. Israel would have to acknowledge that the water off Gaza is not its territory. And Israel would have to renounce its bogus claims to the resources lying offshore of Gaza including the natural gas field there. Yes that is what this blockade is really about. Israel wanting to steal what rightfully belongs to the Palestinian people. I know this because everytime I wrote about it ynet will not post my message. And this is why your government will never seal off any border crossing. It is addicted to stealing what doesn't belong to it.
13. make them an enemy state
former charedi ,   New City, NY   (06.11.10)
Yes, seal the border. An enemy state can be fought by military means (jets, missiles, etc.) instead of "monitored" and treated like errant children. Free Israel's economy from supporting a terrorist state. Let Hamas rightfully take the blame for the Gazans' misery. And let Obama support them.
14. DO IT
JSM   (06.11.10)
Let them have their state. Cut all connections. Define the coasts and waters. Answer any missile fired by another bigger on right back and yes we will have a cold peace yet.
15. What about Armanents from Iran?
Dallas ,   Canada   (06.11.10)
It's a great idea but it should be sealed off completely on all four sides. There cannot be risk of large Iranian missiles entering Gaza from the sea. That would leave Israel not a lot of choice short of completely retaking it or completely levelling the place.
16. seal daza
colin   (06.11.10)
The disengagement should have been done the day Israel left gaza. Our present corrupt politicians are so cowardly ,groveling to america pompous in attetude ,always against the wishof the people refuse to see or take the responsicibility of dismantling the gaza connection. STOP THE WATER,CEASE ALL TRANSFER OF HUMANTERIAN AID,DISCONNECT THE ELECTRIC GRID ,HERMITACALLY CLOSE THE BORDER oNLY PASSPORT HOLDERS CAN PASS. That is the wish of the world That is the wish of the Israeli people DO IT KNOW
17. You make a good argument.
Terry ,   Eilat - Israel   (06.11.10)
But, what about arms smuggling? What about the delivery of advanced weapons & missiles such as Scuds from Syria & Iran? You can't even discount the possibility of Syrian & Iranian military, possibly even Turkish military, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda volunteers from all over the place. Some sort of maritime blockade must remain in place.
18. 100% disconnect
tiki ,   belgium   (06.11.10)
Should have done that from the beginning, together with the 'evacuation of the settlers.
19. I think it's over! .. think for other Israel borders
Shile ,   Jerusalem   (06.11.10)
20. On the 13th of June 1967
Sagi   (06.11.10)
The last IDF soldier should have left Gaza. The border should have been hermetically sealed off, no entrance, no exit. Instead of this we embarked on a lunatic program of occupation and building and caring for those who wished us dead. On that day, I for one, declared that we were planting the seeds of a cancer which would cause us grief and death. It has haunted us to this very day and will continue to do so until we disengage and seal off and ignore completely and totally. It will force Egypt to accept them as citizens or to give up land as far down as El Arish and as far in as The Israeli border. This will be their independent, viable State called Gaza. It will have an airport and a seaport, it can have a confederation or understanding with Egypt and Jordan, it will have nothing to do with Israel and we shall have nothing to do with them. No relations whatsoever. Far better to be wise than right. Far better to let people live their own lives and you live yours. Sealing off the short border from Ashkelon down to El Arish is not a complicated thing to do and also not expensive. Better late than never.
21. Wish it was possible, but it's not.
Michael Steiner ,   Bahrain   (06.11.10)
We can't have it both ways. I'd be extremely happy if we could just disengage from 3Aza completely and let them do whatever the hell they want on the other side. Unfortunately, rockets would start raining down on Sderot and elsewhere within hours. It is imperative we do our utmost to stem the flow of contraband material into 3Aza, meaning maintaining the embargo/blockade. And, so long as we continue determing what goes in, we cannot effect a total disengagement. Of course, we COULD say: "We are completely disengaging from the Strip and ending the blockade. However, if a single bullet crosses the border into Israel, we are going to bomb 3Aza continuously for a week." That though would take some major cojones, and I doubt anyone in the current government has a pair of those.
22. I agree
Sarah B ,   U.S.A. / Israel   (06.11.10)
Seal it completely, blockade it completely, and let Egypt pick up the tab for the care and feeding of their brother Arabs. Any bets on how long Egypt will go before hermetically sealing its border with Gaza? Sooner or later, we'll have to take Gaza back. Probably also Sinai. Until then, let those miscreants and terrorists starve. No electricity? Tough. No fresh water? Tougher still. No medicines? Gee, what a pity. Why'd you spend so much on Qassams, fancy homes and offshore bank accounts? Throwing people off 17-story buildings. Shooting people in the ankles (they'll never walk properly again). What scum!
23. #17, two aren't mutually exclusive
Danny   (06.11.10)
just like the convey that got bombed in the Sudan.
24. AND THEN WHAT?
Marcella   (06.11.10)
Dear Avi. your arguments for full Disengagement were shot down by talkbackers on your previous column "Predictable Israeli Fiasco" on Ynet: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3896841,00.html But you're a persistent man, so here you bring us another column on the subject. As with the previous one, this column is very selective of the angles approached, extremely short-sighted, and just as suicidal in its nature. If you had a crime problem in your neighborhood, you would not solve it by allowing the individuals involved to run their business in a house YOU OWN right next to your residence, and then arming yourself and sealing up your home. Dear Avi, you first try talking to them, but that never works. You may call police, but they don't like you, so they just warn you not to injure or offend your violent neighbors. You may try asking other neighbors for assistance, but they don't like you either, so you're left on your own with your own resources to retake that house based on the fact that you own title to the property. This may appear simplistic, but if you analyze the long-term prospects for ALL OTHER options, annexation, sovereignty and full control of Gaza is the only one that can work. What are the other options, Avi? Whatever they are, including the status quo, they all end up with the following results: 1) Gaza as a launching pad to kill Jews. 2) Israel in continuous defense mode, scrutinized by the world and blamed for every act of self-defense. 3) Infiltration from Gaza to kill or kidnap soldiers or whoever they find this side of the border. There is only one solution: to annex the territories. First Judea and Samaria, and then Gaza. Let it be clear that annexing the territories would imclude offering residency rights to non-terrorists, and citizenship after a probationary period of some years - just like it's done in every other country with citizenship applicants. By the way, your last comment saying: "I would not be surprised to see the closure of the Erez Crossing bringing the global interest to Gaza down to a minimum" reveals the wishful-thinking basis for your whole reasoning. Dear Avi, Jews have been hated, persecuted, tortured and killed way before there was even the thought of modern Israel or Zionism. And Jews have been and continue to be hated, persecuted, tortured and killed not because of Israel but because they are Jews. That simple. The only thing that would make the world happy is for Jewish mass suicide. Now, giving up Gaza would be a good beginning in this regard. Because without the territories and secure borders Israel can't last very long. And without Israel it would be open season on all Jews who would have nowhere to escape to. The Arabs don't want control of Gaza. They want control of all of Palestine. They want the Jews out of the Middle East. Your very presence is offensive to them. Dear Avi, you have written some good columns in the past. So before you write another one advocating surrender so that they won't hate us so much, please think again.
25. The kind of Disengagement Israel REALLY needs
Marcella   (06.11.10)
Israel needs to disengage from the USA continuous interference, micromanagement and humiliation of the country. The latest revelation is that the US ordered - yes, ordered - the IDF not to use non-lethal weapons to disperse possible violence from pro-Gaza Flotilla "activists". According to World Tribune: "White House rejected Israeli intel, blocked use of anti-riot gear against flotilla." President Barack Obama stopped Israel from using anti-riot gear to prevent a Turkish-sponsored flotilla from breaking the blockade. The White House rejected Israeli intelligence assessments that the flotilla included terrorists and weapons and DEMANDED that Israel exercise extreme caution and restraint in any scenario," a diplomatic source said. As you may know, the Marmara plan was to kidnap soldiers. It was only when two or three IDF soldiers were wounded by terrorists who tried to dragged them inside that the IDF had no other option but to use the only weapons they had been allowed to carry with them: pistols. This is only the latest outrage demonstrating how Israel has surrendered its sovereignty and self-respect and become a vassal state of the USA. Israel is dependent on USA weapons when it's perfectly capable of manufacturing its own, or buying whatever it needs from other countries. Israel should decline any more US "aid" and declare its full independence.
26. I've got a better idea
Steve   (06.11.10)
This seems appealling, in principle. Only should Israel do what Mr. Trengo suggests, Gaza will become even more the deadly terror-base; an Iranian outpost and proxy, armed with long-range rockets and someday with weapons of mass destruction. Weapons will flow in the port of Gaza from Iran and other terror-supporting states. Is this what Trengo and those of you who agree with Trengo want? So long as Israel has Islamic jihadists living in our land, whether it be in Gaza or the "West Bank," military occupation and settlement building is our only recourse. This is our best defense, short of shipping our enemies to their brethren's countries, which apparently no Jew on this site has the stomach for. Evacuation (the forcible uprooting) of all Jews from Gaza was sold to us as an Utopian project. Perhaps Trengo believed it would solve Israel's southern problem. It did not solve Israel's southern problem. It exacerbated the problem. Best to re-occupy Gaza, which belongs to Israel by right -- re-establish Jewish settlements on land that rockets are launched from. It will not be perfect, but better than what we have now and what This seems appealling in principle. Only should Israel do what Mr. Trengo suggests, Gaza will become even more a terror-base; an Iranian outpost and proxy, armed with long-range rockets and someday with weapons of mass destruction. Is this what Trengo and those of you who agree with Trengo want? So long as Israel has jihadists living in our land, whether it be in Gaza or the "West Bank," military occupation and settlement building are our only recourse. This is our best defense, short of shipping our enemies to their brethren's countries which apparently no Jew on this site has the stomach for. Evacuation of all Jews from Gaza was sold to us as an Utopia. Perhaps Trengo believed it would solve Israel's southern problem. It didn't. Best to re-occupy Gaza, which belongs to Israel by right -- re-establish Jewish settlements on land that rockets are launched from. It will not be perfect but better that what exists presently and what Mr. Trengo is proposing. We cannot run away from our problems. Gaza is ours. Why can't Trengo and others admit that their "disengagement" solution to the Gaza problem was a mistake?
27. Great Idea! Well Expressed.
Bluto ,   Cincinnati, USA   (06.11.10)
28. Gaza
Ralph Levy ,   USA   (06.11.10)
Back in 2007 and 2008 I called for this. Egypt should handle Gaza we have no responsibility for Gaza we are not occupying Gaza. Gaza is more of a threat if Fatah is in control because then they will want a land corridor. Why wait 2 years I say immediately cut off Gaza from everything from the Israeli side let them get their stuff from Egypt and the sea. http://ralphsrant1.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html
29. # 12 Biased
J.K. ,   Brooklyn USA   (06.11.10)
It's a fact ,a state of war exists between Israel and Gaza palestine ,started by the palestinians in Gaza,Israel has every right to intercept and search ships heading for Gaza,no matter were,are you saying that the USA after pearl Harber had no right to interfere with neutral ships going to Japan ?,as far the gas in Gaza waters,you complain about,gas is a weapon,and as such Israel has the right to destroy it or not to let use it by the enemy,in ww 2 the allies bombed the oil refineries in Ploesti Romania,you are wrong in your assumption concerning Israels policy toward the Gazan gas,when the gas was discovered by a British company before Hamas came to power, there was a debate in Israel whether to buy gas from the palestinians or from Egypt,Hamas put an end to the debate.
30. Avi Trengo is foolish !
Salma ,   Palestine   (06.11.10)
Do it, don't interfere in Gaza of anything(not on land or at sea or in the air) , this will work for the Palestinians in the long run, we must not forget that the whole world including America, recognize that Gaza is part of any Palestinian state to come, do you know what this means? sorry ,but stupid like you, I doubt he will know the answer.
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