Now We Know Official Plans For “Day After” In Gaza By Government Of Israel. Palestinians Get Two-States. But, Not As Desired. They May Be Separated. Should Supporters Embrace “Two-State-Lite”?
Now We Know Official Plans For “The Day After” In Gaza By Government Of The State Of Israel.
Palestinians Will Get Two-States… But, Not As Desired. They May Be Separated.
If State Of Israel Ceases Its “Responsibility” For Gaza, Then It Also Must Cease Its Control Of Access To And From Gaza.
State Of Israel Looks To Separate Gaza From Occupied West Bank- A Division Of Palestine. Separating Palestinians From One Another Rather Than Side-By-Side With The State Of Israel.
Egypt, Jordan, Iran, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye Might Find Opportunity Attractive To Gain Something Positive- Incremental Steps.
For The Government Of The State Of Israel, Price For Independence-Lite Of Gaza Is Removal Of Hamas As Governing Authority In Gaza Has Merit. The Idea Of Hamas Will Remain In The Minds Of Residents Of The Gaza- And Outside Of The Gaza.
Who Will Manage Gaza? Managing The Economy Of Gaza Should Be Returned To A Reinvigorated Palestinian Authority (PA) Representative- Young, Dynamic, Focused On Transparency Of Governance.
PA Requires Youthful Ledership To Engage With Youthful Leadership In Neighboring Countries.
Supervisory Role For World Bank And International Monetary Fund (IMF)?
Will State Of Israel And Gaza Negotiate A Free-Trade Agreement?
Might Decisions By Hamas Obtain An Objective Of The Organization- Two-State Solution? Hamas May Not Survive To Manage It. Self-Sacrifice For The Good Of The Cause Or Hold Out For The Destruction Of The State Of Israel- Which Is Not Obtainable?
Quotes from reporting by Financial Times: On 20 October 2023, Yoav Gallant, Minister of Defense of the State of Israel, informed the 120-members of the Knesset, the parliament, that the government of the State of Israel would no longer have “responsibility for life in the Gaza strip” once the war has ended. Another official of the government of the State of Israel shared that it “will not be part of the solution in terms of giving [Gazans] work. We’ve disconnected the umbilical cord.” The official added that the border crossings from the State of Israel into Gaza, there have been as many as eight, will not be reopened.
According to Minister Gallant, there are three phases for the State of Israel-Hamas. The first is the current aerial bombardment and ground operations aimed as “neutralizing terrorists and destroying Hamas infrastructure.” The second phase consists of lower intensity fighting in Gaza to eliminate “pockets of resistance.” The third phase is the “removal of Israel’s responsibility for life in the Gaza Strip and the establishment of a new security reality” for citizens of the State of Israel.
On 19 October 2023, Avi Dichter, Minister of Agriculture of the State of Israel, shared the government of the State of Israel would create a buffer zone within the Gaza Strip to enjoin residents of the area from venturing too near the border of the State of Israel.
What are the practical implications for residents of Gaza? No ability to access Occupied West Bank. No ability to work within the State of Israel. No exports from the State of Israel into Gaza. No imports from Gaza into the State of Israel.
Will the State of Israel agree to sell electricity at market rates to the governing authority in Gaza?
Unknown would be the status of individuals with dual Gaza-State of Israel residency permits and work permits.
Presumably, Gaza would regain control of access to its ports and an internationally-recognized ocean boundary. Will commercial fishing be permitted without limitations?
Presumably, Yasar Arafat International Airport (GZA) would again become operational. Will the State of Israel permit overflights of its internationally-recognized airspace. Will Gaza permit overflights by Tel Aviv, State of Israel-based El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. above its internationally-recognized airspace?
There would be two means of accessing the Gaza- from Egypt and from the Mediterranean Sea unless the government of the State of Israel creates a pathway for travel from Gaza to Occupied West Bank.
Would Saudi Arabia make contingent for a normalization of diplomatic relations with the State of Israel for the efficient movement of residents of Gaza into and out of Occupied West Bank?
The initial review of the statements by Minister Gallant does provide opportunities to do, at least in part, what successive occupants of The White House in Washington DC have advocated for- the two-state solution.
The statements by the Minister of Defense of the State of Israel do contain a daunting quantity of commercial, economic, financial, humanitarian, military, and political obstacles- a proverbial multi-jurisdictional minefield. Yet, for creative and long-term thinkers among heads of state and heads of government, clearing a minefield such as this has a nomination for the annual Nobel Peace Prize as a tempting incentive…
Update Note Since Publication- New York Post (3 November 2023): “The Israeli government announced that all Palestinians who have been trapped in the country on work visas since the Oct. 7 attacks must return to Gaza as the nation cuts off all contact with the enclave.
“Israel is severing all contact with Gaza. There will be no more Palestinian workers from Gaza. Those workers from Gaza who were in Israel on the day of the outbreak of the war will be returned to Gaza,” the Prime Minister of Israel announced on X Thursday [2 November 2023].
Before Hamas terrorists initiated the war last month by invading Israel’s southern border, about 18,000 Gazans had permits to cross the border for work, according to COGAT, the Israeli defense body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs. The exact number of Gazan workers who have been trapped in Israel since Oct. 7 is unknown. Palestinian workers were permitted to work in Israel so they could earn significantly more than in the enclave. The statement did not specify how quickly or when the workers would return to Gaza.”
United States Department of State
Washington DC
22 October 2023
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, there’s been a lot of discussion about what happens after the war. Can you tell us what Israel’s strategy is after your meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu? Who will govern Gaza once the war is over?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: One thing’s for sure: Israel cannot go back to the status quo. And again, no country would be able to accept that. No country would want to go back —
QUESTION: But is there a clear strategy, Mr. Secretary? Is it clear who’s going to govern Gaza once this war is over?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: I think we know two things. We can’t go back to the status quo. They can’t go back to the status quo with Hamas being in a position, in terms of its governance of Gaza, to repeat what it did. At the same time, what I’ve heard from the Israelis is absolutely no intent, no desire, to be running Gaza themselves. They moved out of Gaza unilaterally, unconditionally, a couple of decades ago.
QUESTION: Yeah.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: But they can’t be in a position where they’re constantly at the threat of the most horrific terrorist attacks coming from Gaza. So something needs to be found that ensures that Hamas can’t do this again, but that also doesn’t revert to Israeli governance of Gaza, which they do not want and do not intend to do. There are different – there are different ideas out there about what could follow, but all of that, I think needs, to be worked. And it’s something that needs to be worked even as Israel is dealing with the current threat.
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