Not Business as usual - Iron Dome - and a peace settlement.

by Rachael Alice Orbach 

Hamas is not succeeding in breeding panic in Israel. They have shot 8000 rockets, since 2006 into Israel. This was when Israel officially left Gaza.  People are continuing to go about their daily lives, and if there is a siren, we go to the safe room and continue on with our activities.   What is changing, is the Israeli resolve. Before, people were willing to have a cease fire, and then Hamas re-arms and we go through it again. Now the public mood is to stop this nonsense once and for all.  Whatever it takes.

The Iron Dome system is working, but it is not perfect.  Many missiles land in Israel and even if it is an open area, there is damage.  It could be a field of crops, or a pasture.  This land will have to be dug out and all the shrapnel removed.  The Iron Dome anti-missile system allows us to feel protected.  But that doesn't absolve Hamas of their responsibility  as the government of Gaza to keep law and order.  

The Hamas is responsible for all rocket launches into Israel.  This is unacceptable behavior. They are disrupting life and potential causing loss of life to ordinary civilians. 

This is what the Hamas Spokesman said: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXxAdzSHyC4

With an attitude like this, if the two sides really want peace.  Then what has to be be done is to completely de-militarize Gaza.  This is what means a cease-fire in my eyes.  They have to be left with no means at all to threaten Israel or any other country.  If they say that they need weapons for defense, then Israel will say that the IDF will fulfill that role in defending over all parts of Israel and Gaza and there is no need for Hamas to have any weapons at all. They can have a police force for their own citizens, but if they shoot a rocket at Israel they are not in compliance of the treaty and will suffer the consequences. 

There is precedent for this type of treaty.  It was done to Japan when World War II ended.  Japan can't have an army at all.  They don't have weapons of destruction and only have a small police force for keeping public order. 

What has Japan done since World War II?  Well they have developed their economy are are quite successful.  This could happen as well as with the Gazans.  All the money that is being spent on weapons, missiles and mortars could be put to use in building their economy. 

Hamas asks for money for financial aid. They clearly don't need it.  They have been spending millions of dollars to buy these weapons of destruction.  What was this money really earmarked for?  Well, it was for development of a viable economy. This has not happened. What major hospital did Hamas build? 

Why is there not a Hi-Tech industrial park in Gaza?  What are all these people doing standing around waiting for Israeli artillery?  Don't they work?  

Let's dream together.  There could be a lavish tourist attraction in Beit Lechem, where the Church of Nativity is standing, a tour not only of the Church, but a 5 star hotel, a tour guide showing all the sites of Beit Lechem,   In Nazareth, hotels, tours of the sites and if you could find it, there could also be a Muslim site, with  a 5 star hotel and tours of Muslim interest. 

Where is the Gaza Hospital?  There could be a state of the art modern hospital where all the residents of Gaza send their sick people.  Where is the Gaza IT industrial Park?Where is the Gaza Art and Archaeology Museum?  Where is the  ____________? You name it, you can't find them now, but there could be.  These sites could be developed and they would provide jobs and kick-start the economy.  

It all goes down to what are your priorities. If you want to build or destroy.  The Hamas spokesman said it that they want to destroy.  Then there is no possibility for peace in our time.