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(31-05-2007) My Truth: Gaza plan |
In the summer of 2005, I voted against Ariel Sharon’s disengagement plan and was subsequently fired from Sharon’s government. However, today I am calling for its completion. We are still deeply entangled in Gaza, and Gaza is still deep in our midst. Israel provides Gaza’s electricity and water, collects taxes on goods and services provided in Gaza on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, and Israeli ports still serve Gaza. There is no justification for this. With the electricity we provide Gaza, they power the Kassam production lines. The tax money we collect on their behalf goes directly to the Hamas government.
Israel Beytenu proposes a new policy towards Gaza, which has become a link in the axis of evil. Even after Israel pulled out of the very last inch of Gaza, they chose to use it as a launching ground for attacks against Israeli towns and civilians.
Therefore, Israel will start regarding Gaza and the West Bank as two separate entities - the Palestinian Authority jurisdiction will cover the West Bank alone, Gaza will be regarded a hostile, independent political entity - Hamastan. The Palestinians can blame no one but themselves for this – it is their own doing, their own choice.
Gaza will be isolated both from Israel and from the West Bank. There will be no 'safe passage’ between the two Palestinian entities – not for goods, not for people, not for Abbas. Israel will complete the disengagement from Gaza by gradually cutting all ties - including water and electricity supply, trade, taxes etc.
To avert a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, this will not be done instantaneously – we will give six months notice to allow for Gazans, and the international community to prepare for this new reality. All goods and services that are currently provided by Israel can be rerouted through Egypt.
In response to any Kassam attacks on Sderot, Israel will bomb Gaza's extremely affluent neighborhood Rimal – the decision makers will pay the price for attacking Israel, not the innocent masses.
The international community, the champions of the Palestinian cause, who never miss an opportunity to tell Israel how to deal with the Palestinians will have to put their money (and troops) where their mouth is. Israel will welcome the deployment of NATO troops in Gaza to keep the law and order, and the EU to invest in Gaza to create jobs and income for Palestinians.
As far as Israel-Palestinian relations go, two more points:
The first - as long as Israel doesn't have a sign of life from its kidnapped soldier, all visits and communications to Palestinian convicts in Israel are revoked.
The second - In light of his failures, Israel will not regard Abbas as a partner for negotiations and will wait for a new leader to emerge who can 'deliver the goods'.