Author of ‘From Beirut to Jerusalem’ and New York Times columnist Tom Friedman, who is also a three-times Pulitzer Prize winner explained how deep the trouble of resolving the Gaza issue is. He said that there is a reason why Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “never wanted to go in” to Gaza.
Speaking to veteran journalist, political commentator and author Fareed Zakaria on his CNN show, Fareed Zakaria GPS - Global Public Square, Friedman said that the entire Gaza issue is “just an incredible quagmire”. To begin with, Zakaria cited a column by another Pulitzer awardee columnist Bret Stephens who proposed a peacekeeping force involving Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt for the strip. “What happens to Gaza? Is that a possibility because it is difficult to imagine Israel just beating up a bunch of Palestinians in Gaza and then withdrawing into Israel again,” asked Zakaria.
To this, Friedman said, “Who got Israel out of Gaza? One of its most celebrated military commanders, Ariel Sharon. He understood that it is just an incredible quagmire and that’s why Netanyahu, all these years – of 15 years as prime minister – has never wanted to go in. We have to be very very careful. And asking other people to be peacekeeping forces in Gaza? UAE? Saudi Arabia? They can barely manage their borders with the Houthis.”
Israel’s plan of disengagement from the Gaza Strip and North Samaria was put forth by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and was carried out on August 15, 2005. Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip was completed by September 22, 2005. In June 2007, Hamas took over the Gaza Strip from the Palestinian Authority.
“The idea that Israel would turn its security to a third-party pair of armies…I just don’t see that. So, this is going to be very difficult. So, what the Israelis are trying to do is that they are trying to restore their deterrence, which I understand is broken here. They are going to do some very, very, very harsh things in Gaza. I have no doubt about that…whether that involves reoccupation, I don’t know. They will do some very harsh things,” he said.
Friedman said that Netanyahu will need to “clean up his act” and establish a moderate cabinet with members who are not “absolute arsonists”. He said that Israel will ask the US as well as the world for support. “And all I know is this…if Israel is going to ask the world to do that, Netanyahu is going to have to break up this crazy, insane cabinet he has assembled. He is gonna have to boot out his national security minister, who is a guy who is so unfit that the Israeli army would not take him when he was young,” he said, without mincing his words.
Benjamin Netanyahu needs to stop playing politics and start understanding that he is in a war survival mode, said the columnist. He said that if Netanyahu wants the world to support him then he will have to build a cabinet of “serious, moderate” people.
At least over 1,100 people have been killed during Hamas’ attacks on Israel, which was followed by Israeli air strikes. Israeli military and intelligence are facing some tough questions for the country’s worst intelligence failure in 50 years. Israel said that it has regained control of most infiltration points, killed hundreds of attackers and captured dozens.
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