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| Jerash camp in Jordan, built for Gazans who fled in 1967 |
The only way to protect Gaza civilians is to let them flee, during the duration of the war, to Egypt, Jordan or other Arab countries, if they so choose.
Egypt told the West, "No way!" Jordan told the world, "No way!" And the world answers, "oh, well, if you feel so strongly about it....I guess we should either let them die or handcuff Israel so it cannot really destroy Hamas and allow the pogromists another chance, maybe when Iran delivers them nukes."
Now, I understand that no country wants another million refugees. Makes sense. But Egypt didn't say "NO!" to Syrian and Sudanese refugees. Jordan didn't say "NO!" to Syrian refugees. Syria didn't say "NO!" to Iraqi refugees. Even Lebanon, with hardly any resources, took in hundreds of thousands of Arab refugees from Syria.
Somehow, they were able to accept and accommodate lots of refugees. The UNHCR and NGOs helped. Syrians and others were protected from being killed.
The Arab world has always allowed other Arabs to take refuge in their countries, by the millions. Nearly all of them either become integrated or they move back, or elsewhere. Like all refugees, they eventually find a home.
With one exception: Palestinians.
When it comes to Palestinians, suddenly, the would-be hosts become very adamant at not allowing any of them to come.
It's pretty obvious bigotry against Palestinians. But the West and the rest of the world doesn't push back.
We have heard three statements from world leaders:
(A) Israel has every right to defend itself from the savages and destroy Hamas.
(B) Israel must keep civilian casualties to a minimum.
(C) the Gazans should not leave.
The problem is that each one contradicts the other two. You can only pick two out of three.
Israel cannot and will not allow Hamas to exist. It is not negotiable. Israel is not going to compromise on that. This is an existential threat that must be eradicated. Which leaves only two choices - let Gazans be killed when Israel destroys the tunnels under them, or force Arab nations to do what they do all the time in every other war - take in the refugees.
The Egyptian/Jordanian demand not to save a single Palestinian is not nearly as important as the imperatives of A and B. In fact, the demand is highly immoral. But for some reason, everyone shrugs and says "well, we tried - I guess either thousands of Palestinians will die or Hamas will be allowed to murder thousands more."
If you value human life, there is only one choice: pressure Egypt and Jordan to take care of their fellow Arabs.
The world should be offering carrots and sticks to Egypt, Jordan and other countries to allow Gazans to flee, the way other Arabs have fled to the very same countries. Pay them a few billion dollars to house and feed them. Those same billions will be spent in Gaza anyway.
And ask exactly why these Arabs who swear that they support Palestinians are so eager to let them die.
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