Egypt is not the solution for the Gaza Strip

Dr. Aaron Lerner..
IMRA Weekly Commentary..
26 July '12..




Would it make sense for Egypt to annex the Gaza Strip?

How about take responsibility for security there?

What about being Gaza’s gateway for foreign trade?

First a reminder:

Hosni Mubarak is dead.

The president of Egypt is from the Moslem Brotherhood and the radical Moslem parties now dominate the Egyptian parliament.

While the Egyptian military still has a say, there’s no telling how long that will last or what the military might find itself doing in order continue having a say.

What would happen if Egypt either annexed the Gaza Strip or took security responsibility for it?

Egyptian troops would be deployed within walking distance from Ashkelon.

The Gazans would use the Egyptians as human shields as they continue with their ongoing program to “liberate” Palestine (get rid of Israel). Any Israeli action that results in the wounding or death of Egyptian human shields would threaten to plunge Israel into a dangerous clash with Egypt.

So no: it would not make sense for Egypt to annex the Gaza Strip or take responsibility for security there.

What about Egypt becoming Gaza’s gateway for foreign trade?

Let’s answer that question with a question:

Is it reasonable to assume that we would be able to rely on Egypt to effectively inspect Gaza bound cargo for years to come?

No. There are no simple solutions.

But at least today, thanks to advances in inspection technologies, it is possible to expedite Gaza cargo via the Ashdod Port gateway.

Between the three options for Gaza foreign trade: a working Gaza port, cargo via Egypt and cargo via Israel, Israel’s interests are best served by having the cargo move through the Jewish State.

Link: http://www.imra.org.il/story.php3?id=57640

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