Monday, February 26, 2024
Elder of Ziyon
People keep talking about the necessity of a plan for governing Gaza, and none of the plans suggested have the slightest chance of being successful.
The Palestinian Authority cannot govern themselves, let alone Gaza. Israel has tried empowering local clans as alternate rulers for years and it has never worked out because there are too many threats from armed Islamists and no one wants to look like a puppet to Israel.
I have suggested that the world give up on an independent Palestinian run Gaza for the foreseeable future and instead turn Gaza into "The Emirate of Palestine" controlled by the UAE.
* Only a Gulf country has the resources to rebuild Gaza and realize its dream of becoming a Singapore.
* Israel is at peace with the UAE and would eagerly cooperate with it in facilitating the new emirate.
* The problem of territorial contiguity between the West Bank and Gaza is no longer an issue.
* Gazans would become UAE citizens, get passports, and could freely move to other emirates if they want. If they prefer to hold on to the dream of an independent Palestinian state, they can move to the West Bank.
* For the first time, there would be optimism about Gaza's future that would encourage investment.
* One can foresee joint Israel-UAE economic projects that would employ thousands of Gazans.
* The UAE would not tolerate terror. There would be no rockets, no cross-border raids, no tunnels.
What would the UAE get out of it?
* A port on the Mediterranean
* Access to natural gas and other fossil fuels off the coast
* Overland routes of trucking and shipping tying the Gulf to the Mediterranean, facilitating imports and exports
* An airport would bring an air bridge as well
* Increased influence in the region, which the UAE desires
* Gaza could become a tourist destination and a meeting hub between European and Arab political and business leaders
Additionally, this is a practical reward for the Abraham Accords, which would encourage other Arab states to make peace with Israel. Egypt would work with the UAE to develop the Sinai instead of walling it off from Gaza.
Everyone wins, except those who want to destroy Israel.
There is an additional piece of data that points to the UAE as the best and most responsible partner for running Gaza: They have helped Gazans far more than any other country during this war.
The latest COGAT report says that more truckfuls of aid have come from the UAE than any other country.
The UAE built the largest field hospital in Gaza, with 200 beds.
While other countries are using Gaza as an excuse to bash Israel and consider Gazans to be cannon fodder for screaming Israel is guilty of "genocide." the UAE is one of the few countries that actually appears to care about the welfare of Palestinians as human beings. Who better to be responsible for Gaza's future? And who, outside Israel itself, has more experience in building a thriving economy out of nothing?
It would not be easy, but this plan is the only one anyone has suggested that has a chance of a permanent success. Let it be debated and compared with the other plans that the supposed "experts" are advocating where a corrupt Palestinian leadership controls Gaza or a weak Palestinian leadership must be propped up by Israel.
Start by describing the plan to actual Gazans and ask whether they like the idea.
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