What Does Sharon want of Gaza?

October 20, 2004

The Israeli Army offensive operation in Gaza triggered allegedly, when Qassam rockets lunched onto Sedarot town inside Israel and ended up killing two Israeli children; is far off from the actual reason that led Israel on September 30, 2004 to execute operation ''Days of Penitence'' in Gaza. The fact is that the Palestinians and the world anticipated such a massive operation in Gaza as Israeli troops and artillery were on standby for what they believe a reason that constitute legitimate grounds for the Israeli Army to level the northern sector of the Gaza Strip.

Not at any time was the Israeli operation in Gaza about the Qassam rockets or the unfortunate death of the two Israeli children who died in Sedarot (During the ongoing ''Days of Penitence'' operation to the time of this report, the Israeli Army killed 30 Palestinian children, which bring the total number of Palestinian children killed by the Israeli Army since the beginning of the Intifada to 830) as much as it intends to tighten the grip on Gaza by creating a security buffer zone at the northern sector analogous to that in Rafah, south of Gaza along the Egyptian border. This so-called security buffer zone will stretch 10.4 Km across northern Gaza; east, from the implanted Israeli security belt toward the west right on the coast of Gaza; penetrating Jabalya refugee camp & Beit Hanoun. Israel is claiming that it is taking precautionary procedures by creating distance area to preclude the Palestinian resistance from launching Qassam rockets into Israel but on the other hand, Israel seems to be creating a border zone that include three settlements located north of Gaza along the northern border (Elei Sinai, Nisanit & Dugit accommodating 1380 Israeli settler) and Erez Industrial Zone; all located in Jabalya District and spread over 7 Km2 (1.9%) of Gaza Strip. In other words, Israel is carrying out a part of its withdrawal plan from Gaza, which incorporates establishing Israeli controlled zone under security pretext to keep hold of parts of Gaza until a conclusive peace agreement with the Palestinians is concluded. See Geopolitical map of Gaza Northern Districts

The Israeli operation in northern Gaza, Beit Hanoun & Jabalya refugee camp marks phase two of the Israeli plan to encircle Gaza with a security belt before it completes its questionable disengagement plan where Israel plan to contain the Palestinians within a tight security grip. Israel is also determined to eliminate all Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza before it commences the Gaza withdrawal sometime in late 2005.

The international leniency towards the Israeli operation in Gaza, particularly the United States has contributed to invigorate the Israeli attack on Palestinian civilians and properties under pretext of security for the Israelis. The Palestinian resistance attacks on Israeli targets did not instigate unprovoked by the long record of the Israeli Army attacks on the Palestinian residential areas including the use of internationally outlawed military hardware.

Photo 1 & Photo 2: Scenes of destruction in Jabalya refugee camp

The following table shows Palestinian casualties & losses one week into the Israeli operation ''Days of Penitence''.

Civilian killed	95
Children killed	30
Civilian injured	412
Houses demolished	130
Trees uprooted	4100

This infuriated Israeli operation comes to cover up Israel's drag out of the withdrawal plan from Gaza to the end of 2005 or more plainly to the time when the Israeli Segregation Wall in the West Bank has reached its final stages. However, in order for Israel to escape Palestinian resistance it should accelerate the pace for withdrawing from Gaza, but most importantly coordinate its withdrawal from Gaza with the Palestinian Authority to avoid ramifications of uncoordinated withdrawal.

Sharon's Fumbling Strategy

In Sharon's delusional world, the Palestinians engage in an internal conflict to control Gaza once the Israeli withdrawal is completed and the world would not condemn the vicious attack of the Israeli Army on Gaza in reaction to Qassam rockets. The intensification of events in Gaza maybe interpreted to eliminate or relegate all pockets of Palestinian resistance but at the same time to escalate the situation to make it intolerable and unfeasible for the Israeli settlers to stay in Gaza and thus smooth the progress of possible Israeli withdrawal. However, the international community concedes that in the event of Israeli withdrawal from Gaza; partial as it is, the Israeli occupation would not be over as long as Israel maintain settlements and areas of Gaza under its jurisdiction.

What Does Sharon want of Gaza?

Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip now in Jabalya refugee camp and Beit Hanoun and few months back in southern Gaza in Rafah area raises skepticisms on the Israeli proposal to withdraw from Gaza. The belligerence of the Israeli military operation in Gaza is unprecedented as it aims to eradicate the Palestinian resistance by increasing the assassinations of Palestinian militant and political leaders, arresting activists and supporters in addition to the massive destruction of dwellings and infrastructure. Sharon also intends to parade the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza by leaving it in ruins and despair to counter the fact that Gaza became a lost cause for them by all scales in addition to being human & budget drain.

For Sharon, the Gaza withdrawal is the ultimate price Israel is willing to pay to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians, in addition to few Israeli settlements north of the West Bank. As far as the anticipated Palestinian State, which the United States ''Road Map'' initiative conceded by the year 2005, the areas that Israel withdrew from in Gaza would not befit the US proposal and certainly not the Palestinians aspirations for an independent State.

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Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem