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What has changed? And when the conflict in
Gaza finally ends, where will it leave us?
By the time you read this, leading to widespread hun-
many things may have hap- ger (what the Un calls ‘food
pened, but little will have insecurity’), a virtual col-
changed. As this maga- lapse of infrastructure to the
zine goes to press at the end point where sewage flows in
of December, the fate of the streets. The blockade has well be home with his family, crack Israeli military codes.
Gilad Shalit, the Israeli sol- even affected the sea; since along with nearly a thousand Even Hamas, trapped in Gaza,
dier captured by Hamas in the Gaza assault last year Palestinians, all of whom have with a siege in progress and all
2006, as well as the hun- untreated sewage has flowed families who miss them as borders shut, have still man-
dreds of Palestinians detained straight in, turning what used much as Shalit’s parents and aged to hold Shalit for years.
by Israelis, is unknown - to be a thriving beach into who will be holding them as Even if, as observers suggest,
although signs are that they empty sand. How bad is it? tightly when they get home. the Israelis plan a second war
may well be released soon. “We have run out of words to Shalit has become a source on Hezbollah, such small wars
Similarly, the Gaza Freedom describe how bad it is here,” of controversy on the streets – what the American academic
March, an international coa- said John Ging, director of of Israel. While many feel Juan Cole calls ‘micro-wars’
lition of citizens marching operations for the United deep sympathy for such a – are hardly solutions. A spi-
from Egypt to Gaza to high- nations relief and Works young man being held for so ral of violence with Israeli
light the one-year anniversary Agency in Gaza. long and urge the Israeli gov- bombardments, Palestinians
of the Israeli attack on the All of this was meant to ernment to do whatever it can capturing soldiers, negotia-
Gaza strip, has yet to take push the population to reject to bring him home, there are tions, incursions, and all the
place and it is unknown what its elected representatives in others who argue he is simply rest are still not solutions.
sort of reaction it may have Hamas, which has not hap- one of many soldiers and that A glimmer of a solution
provoked. pened. But the punishment “not every price is worth pay- came earlier in 2009, with
Both unknowns are linked of the civilian population has ing.” This disagreement has the tough stand the incoming
to the continuing fate of the sparked international out- profound implications for the US president Barack obama
tiny piece of land called Gaza, rage, which will culminate in future – Israelis who do not took over Israel’s illegal set-
a place that suffered devas- the Gaza Freedom March, an want Shalit home at any price tlements in the West Bank. If
tating bombardment during attempt to use non-violent worry that any deal cut with anything could break the log-
an Israeli assault between resistance to provoke the con- Hamas may mean the capture jam of diplomacy, tough talk
December 2008 and January science of Israelis and their of more soldiers. over a straightforward ques-
2009. In the year since, pre- politicians. But beyond all of this is a tion of law might have done
cious little has changed for the There are other changes larger question. Where will so. But to no avail. The Israelis
caged population of Gaza. happening too. By the time it all end? Hezbollah in 2006 refused to budge and the US
The blockade of Gaza has you read this, Gilad Shalit may and Hamas with Gilad Shalit has stopped pushing. Indeed,
been going on much longer - it have proved that Israel’s a year on from Gaza little has
is now in its third year. In the “In the Israeli- opponents have the ability to changed. Gazans still suffer
wake of Hamas’ victory in the
Palestinian
withstand Israeli firepower - and no-one, on either side -
Palestinian elections, Israel and force the country to nego- has any new solutions. l
said it would only allow in conflict, many tiate. Hezbollah proved in the
basic humanitarian supplies.
things happen but
2006 war that it has weap- Faisal Al Yafai is an award-
The effect of the blockade onry that can target Israeli winning journalist and is a
has been to devastate Gaza, nothing changes.” ships and the technology to Churchill Fellow for 2009/10.
18 emel magazine |
www.emel.com
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