Cogito Ergo Non Serviam
Israeli Cabinet Considers Full Conquest of Gaza
The peace talks between Hamas and the Likud government of Israel have collapsed. Hamas has said it will not disarm without the creation of a Palestinian state and Likud opposes such state. So, if peace talks are not an option, the Israeli government needs to find a new path. It is considering the outright conquest of Gaza, taking full military control of the territory. It would be a return to the situation before 2006 when Israel withdrew settlers and troops. This is a decidedly bad idea because the only way forward with Israeli control is the removal of the Palestinian people from Gaza just as the indigenous Americans were removed along the Trails of Tears. This is no path to peace.
The Times of Israel reported it succintly, "Senior official close to PM quoted saying 'the die is cast -- we are going for a full occupation of the Gaza Strip,' also suggests IDF chief resign if he opposes move."
The paper also said, "Last week, Hebrew media reported that the cabinet had begun discussions on the potential occupation of the entire Strip, with some outlets saying annexation of parts of Gaza was also on the table. If decided upon, full occupation of Gaza would entail Israeli forces entering areas of Gaza that they have not yet operated, including areas where hostages are believed to be held."
Currently, the Israeli Defense Force is in charge of about 75% of the territory, and very little can be done militarily to stop the troops taking the other 25%. If the cabinet votes to do it, it will be done. The cabinet is currently divided, but it cannot remain so for long. It will have to decide something, and public opinion would suggest full occupation will be the result.
That sounds like it is a solution, total control means the end of fighting. That is not what it means at all. There are about 2 million Palestinians in Gaza and not one of them has friendly feelings toward Israel after 669 days of killing. Apologists for Mr. Netanyahu will remind the world that Hamas killed about 1,500 on October 7, 2023. That is true, but it changes nothing about how the man in the Gazan street feels about the IDF and the Israeli government. Resistance will be terrorist in nature, and it will not go away.
Occupation also places heavy responsibilities on the Israelis. Right now, Israel is able to claim that whatever goes wrong did so because they were not in charge. Full occupation denies it that fig leaf. Under international law according tot he International Committee of the Red Cross, the occupying power must:
not effect changes in the status and intrinsic characteristics of the occupied territory.
maintain the status quo ante and must not adopt policies or measures that would introduce or result in permanent changes, particularly in the social, economic and demographic sphere
require it to take into account, and balance, two interests: its own military needs and, simultaneously, the needs of the local population.
Not exercise its authority in order to further its own interests (other than its military interests), or with a view to using the inhabitants, the resources, or other assets of the territory it occupies for the benefit of its own territory or population.
These run counter to the stated aims of the Netanyahu government, especially the first two. Immediately after the attack on October 7, President Joe Biden warned the Netanyahu government to avoid the mistakes the US made in Afghanistan and Iraq. That warning is going unheeded, and Israelis and the Gazans will pay in blood and tears for it.
© Copyright 2025 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.
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