Solutions Wanting in Usefulness

"If you want to take seriously the idea of reconstruction, that is one major idea to pursue [reopen Gaza to the world through a seaport]."
"This gives Gaza a direct entry and access point to the world."
Daniel Levy, European Council on Foreign Relations

"[The British government] should also support the implementation of existing plans to open Gaza's port."
British Parliamentary report

File photo of armed Hamas militants (AFP Photo/Fayez Nureldine) - North Korea slams report of providing weapons to Hezbollah, Hamas -- 29 July 2014

The European Union has brainstormed a solution to the 'siege' of Gaza through the blockades that Israel and Egypt have maintained resulting from Hamas's violent 2006 takeover of Gaza from Fatah. Israel saw little option but to blockade Gaza in 2007, which it had left through a unilateral withdrawal, when it became abundantly clear that the new rulers of Gaza had every intention of making good its pledge to destroy Israel. That blockade was put in place to prevent the importation of weapons to enable Hamas in its mission.

Now, in the wake of the latest conflict resulting from Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas bombarding Israel relentlessly with missiles and rocketry, compelling Israel to once again respond with its own return fire resulting in the deaths of more Palestinians than the international community wishes to wince at, though the vastly higher and exceedingly gruesome death count out of Syria and Iraq has brought the EU to no similar solution, Israel will once again be badgered to loosen its hold on its security.

European governments feel an economic lifeline is due Gaza. No one appears to consider that they have, for well over a half-century, funnelled vast sums of treasury through to the Palestinian 'refugees' and there is little to show for it; no civic infrastructure that could give the West Bank and Gaza the upper hand in independence in providing for their population; water, electricity, gas (mostly from Israel) and other fundamental amenities to make life decent, rather than depend unto eternity on the UN and EU.

Graft, corruption and using the lion's share of international charity for alternative measures such as the buildup of personal bank accounts and in Gaza, extensive tunnel and bunker systems for intrusions into Israel and cover for Hamas members, along with an immense cache of rocketry and other arms in the terrorists' constant efforts to wreak havoc in Israel and to abduct and slaughter as many Jews as possible, were largely dependent on aid funding from abroad. The brilliant solution arrived at by the EU member-countries do not reflect what they would themselves accept if they were in a situation similar to Israel's.

Now, a blueprint for a post-war Gaza, heedful presumably of Israeli security requirements balanced with developing Gaza to improve living conditions has been carefully drawn up to the satisfaction of the EU movers and shakers, Germany, Britain, France. "It's very important that the blockade of Gaza is lifted so that there can be movement of necessary goods, materials. That means all the blocked border crossings need to be opened so that Gaza can really develop", stated EU Commission spokesman, Peter Stano.

One imagines that the brilliant strategic thinking-caps of the EU authorities fell askew of considering that without Hamas installed to administer the affairs of Gaza and continually attack Israel, Gazans would have a chance at approaching a normal life with normal opportunities for advancement into the real world. But Gazan Palestinians' safety and security is hinged inextricably with that of Israel's. It takes no computational genius to understand that. Where is the EU pressure on Hamas?

Hamas, of course, demands lifting of an Israeli and Egyptian blockade, an insistence that neither Egypt nor Israel will commit to, for to do so would be to permit Hamas to have free reign to continue dedicating itself to destabilizing Egypt and destroying Israel. Israel might consider the demand, with the proviso that Hamas first demilitarize itself, a reasonable enough provision to consider opening up borders. But Hamas, needless to say, is adamant that death is preferable (for them personally and for anyone who suggests they disarm) to surrendering their weapons.

Europe is willing enough to commit itself to ensure that weapons will not once again be smuggled in to Gaza. Reminiscent of the assurances Israel was given by the United Nations when it agreed to cease its self-protective advance into Lebanon where Hezbollah had killed and abducted Israeli soldiers over the border in Israel. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), pledged in 2006, as part of the persuasion exerted on Israel to withdraw once again, that it would ensure that Hezbollah would not continue to amass weapons.

"Until July 2006, despite numerous minor violations of the withdrawal line, the so-called Blue Line, including sea and air violations, and occasional breaches of the ceasefire, some of them very serious, the situation in the area remained relatively calm. The focus of UNIFIL operations remained on the Blue Line and the adjacent area, where the Interim Force sought to maintain the ceasefire through patrols, observation from fixed positions and close contact with the parties. The mission continued to provide humanitarian assistance to local population. Clearance of mines and unexploded ordnance in southern Lebanon also gained additional momentum.
"However, as it had been demonstrated more than once over the years, periods of quiet along the Blue Line were often followed by episodes of hostilities, with one of the incidents across the Line resulted in the killing and wounding of United Nations military observers.  Tensions between the parties did not at any point appreciably diminish.  Hostile rhetoric remained the norm, and stability continued to be threatened.
"New hostilities on the Israeli-Lebanese border started on 12 July 2006 when Hizbollah launched several rockets from Lebanese territory across the Blue Line towards IDF positions and in the area of the Israeli town of Zarit. In parallel, Hizbollah fighters crossed the Blue Line into Israel, attacked an Israeli patrol and captured two Israeli soldiers, killed three others and wounded two more.
"Subsequent to that attack, a heavy exchange of fire ensued across the Blue Line. Hizbollah targeted IDF positions and Israeli towns south of the Blue Line. Israel retaliated by ground, air and sea attacks. In addition to air strikes on Hizbollah positions, the IDF targeted numerous roads and bridges in southern Lebanon, within and outside the UNIFIL area of operations.
"As conflict between Israel and Hizbollah erupted, the Secretary-General maintained regular contact with the Prime Ministers of Lebanon and of Israel, as well as other relevant actors and concerned parties. He repeatedly called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, for the sake of the civilian population on both sides.
"The new hostilities had radically changed the context in which UNIFIL operated. The Force continued to occupy all of its positions and played an active and constructive role under its mandate. Despite being severely impeded by ongoing violence, UNIFIL peacekeepers conducted military observations, assisted in humanitarian efforts and provided medical assistance, all at great risk. The intense fighting in July and August injured 16 United Nations staff, and tragically caused the death of five.
"On 11 August 2006, the Security Council, following intense negotiations, passed resolution 1701 (2006) calling for a full cessation of hostilities in the month-long war based upon, in particular, “the immediate cessation by Hizbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations” in Lebanon, and called on both Israel and Lebanon to support a permanent ceasefire and comprehensive solution to the crisis. By resolution 1701, the Council has significantly enhanced UNIFIL (from about 2,000 troops just before the war to the authorized level of 15,000 military personnel) and expanded its original mandate. For the first time, the Council also decided to include the Maritime Task Force as part of UN peacekeeping operation"

UNIFIL lauds itself and the United Nations, but the truth of the matter is, it is ineffective, serving only to present as a feebly-visible attempt by the world body to mitigate hostilities and vitiate the attempts by Hezbollah to amass a considerable cache of weaponry to use against Israel, but nothing of the sort actually occurs; Hezbollah experiences no problem whatever securing all the weapons it wishes through Syria and Iran, Sudan and North Korea.