The war in Gaza will end someday, possibly soon, but in the meantime, the region will return to its usual unfortunate levels of terror and violence.
many Biden Administration and Benjamin GanzPost-war Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a member of Israel’s wartime cabinet Plans for GazaPerhaps President Joe Biden and Gantz are snoozing, because Netanyahu has already made his plans clear, not in words but in actions.
A few basic facts shed light on Netanyahu’s plan. BBC report At the time of the January release, nearly three months had passed since Israel responded to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, with more than half of the buildings in the Gaza Strip damaged or destroyed, and Israel had not yet turned its attention to the Rafah area. (Related article: ‘Futility’: Biden administration’s expensive Gaza dock already plagued by setbacks and ‘logistics’ problems)
At this point, four more months into the war, it would be easy to estimate the percentage of buildings that were not damaged or destroyed: 20%? 10%? Less?
a Second BBC report It revealed that four of Gaza’s six sewage treatment plants have been damaged or destroyed, and the remaining two have been closed due to lack of fuel and other supplies. In total, more than half of Gaza’s water purification infrastructure has been affected. By the time the fighting stops, almost none will be functioning.
Other vital infrastructure, such as electricity generation and transmission, would no doubt have been destroyed as well – Hamas is particularly fond of establishing bases in hospitals and schools, so very few of these facilities are likely to remain.
The Israeli operation is primarily urban warfare, which destroys almost everything, as the contested cities of Ukraine show. Israel may not be specifically targeting critical infrastructure; widespread destruction is simply a natural consequence of intense bombardment.
Some delusional people talk about an international effort to rebuild Gaza. I wish them the best of luck.
But even if this is taken seriously, it will take years of peaceful reconstruction before Gaza can feed a significant population. What will happen to the remaining Palestinians in the meantime? Thus, Israel’s short-term post-war plan for Gaza becomes clear: turn the entire area into an impoverished refugee camp, dependent on outside aid and Israeli cooperation for basic necessities.
It is also assumed that the international community intends to support the remaining Palestinians for many years to come.
Another consequence would be that Israel would certainly allow or encourage Gaza’s refugees to emigrate elsewhere, perhaps to Lebanon or Turkey. Gaza has no hope, no economy, and no foreseeable future. If there are not enough migrants, Israel could simply throttle the inflow of aid.
Some people pin their hopes for a better future for Gaza on Netanyahu’s political defeat. If the shooting stops, Netanyahu may be forced out of office. No matter how much carnage there is in Gaza, Remove stains Regarding the failure of the October 7 election.
However, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s resignation is unlikely to change the situation in Gaza. (RELATED: ‘Not a vassal state’: Netanyahu reportedly furious at meeting after Biden sets ‘red line’ on supporting Israel)
The fate has been decided, the destruction has already been done: a post-Netanyahu government may take a more favorable view of the Palestinians and allow a more generous flow of aid, but Palestinian refugees will remain, and all it takes is for Hamas to carry out a new act of terrorism.
These facts reveal Israel’s long-term plan for Gaza. To call it an Israeli plan would be too grandiose. Rather, it is the inevitable outcome of war.
Pro-Palestinian activists said:From the river to the sea” – clearly suggesting the elimination of Israel and its replacement with a Palestinian state. The phrase is apt but misinterpreted. In the long term, as Gaza is squeezed dry of its remaining Palestinian life, Israel will dominate from the West Bank to the sea.
Again, this is more of an inevitable outcome than a plan.
J.D. Foster, a former chief economist for the Office of Management and Budget and former chief economist and senior vice president for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, now lives a life of relative freedom in the hills of Idaho.
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