A test for Israel in Gaza
PALESTINIANS in Gaza are among the world’s most desperate people. For more than a decade, their 360-squarekilometre strip has been blockaded by Israel and Egypt.
Unemployment is more than 40 percent for the general population. Last month, the United Nations warned of a humanitarian disaster if global donors did not contribute $539 million for fuel for critical water, sanitation and health facilities, most for Gaza and its 2 million people. The remainder would go to Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Under such conditions, it is no won- der pent-up frustrations would erupt in protests, as they did last Friday. Responding to the demonstrations, Israeli forces killed 17 Palestinians at the border fence that separates Israel from Gaza. More than 1,000 Palestinians were injured.
Israel has a right to defend itself and maintain civil order, but it also has an obligation to respect protests and not use live ammunition on unarmed demonstrators. Israel’s response appears to have been excessive, as human rights groups have asserted.
Competing videos told competing stories. The Israeli version appeared to show a Hamas fighter shooting at Israeli forces while other Palestinians hurled stones and Molotov cocktails and rolled burning tyres at the fence. Palestinian videos appeared to show unarmed protesters being shot by Israelis.
Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor President Trump has shown interest in a two-state solution that would give Palestinians their own country and resolve central questions about land, refugees, borders and security. Instead of easing tensions and resolving the political questions at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Trump has exacerbated the situation, most recently by unilaterally recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in exchange for nothing, and declaring his intention to move the American Embassy there from Tel Aviv. For decades, the international community, including the United States, has said Jerusalem’s fate should be decided through negotiations.
Unless someone steps up to end Gaza’s humanitarian disaster, ensure Israel and the Palestinians act with restraint during the protests and set a credible peace process in motion, both sides could face a new catastrophe.