GAZA REVISITED




The Gaza envelope ‎ (“Otef Aza” in Hebrew), refers to the region of Israel surrounding the Gaza Strip, to the depth of a few miles (7 kms.), mostly agricultural settlements such as Kibbutzim and Moshavim. These Confrontation-line Communities compromise of  approximately 55 settlements, with the addition of the small town of Sderot.
Since the Second Intifada, and especially since Israel withdrew unilaterally from all settlements and bases in Gaza in 2005, the communities in the area surrounding the Gaza strip have been suffering from incessant terrorist attacks - such as infiltration attempts, mortar shells and Qassam rockets .
13 years ago, Israel withdrew from Gaza and transferred the entire coastal territory to the Palestinian Authority. In 2007 Hamas violently seized Gaza from Abbas and the PA and has since initiated or provoked three major conflicts with Israel. For the last nine months, Hamas has been trying very hard to provoke a fourth - with the Arabs from Gaza setting fires, shooting rockets, attacking IDF soldiers, and digging tunnels to infiltrate into Israel.

Since the cease-fire almost a month ago, apart from isolated instances the  Arabs in Gaza have - for the time being – stopped their attacks. Unbelievably, according to my son who lives nearby - the fields surrounding the Gaza Strip are now covered in green - in stark contrast to the scorched and burning fields barely a month ago.
The reason for this miracle is the fact that we have been enjoying an unprecedented amount of rain for December. I don’t recall such a rainfall in the beginning of winter for quite a few years. Especially for the northern Negev, where Gaza is situated, which has been suffering from almost constant droughts. Perhaps the gorgeous poppy fields will even start blooming again!

The damage the Gaza Arabs cause us is nothing compared to the damage they are causing themselves. Instead of Hamas wasting billions of dollars on weapons, rockets and tunnels, etc. they could be using the money for the welfare of their citizens. Gaza is on the verge of  collapse and still they don't learn.
Palestinian leaders are not offering their people a better life, prosperity, security and stability. Instead, the leaders are urging Palestinians to continue hating Israel and the US. They are urging Arab countries not to make peace with Israel: they consider normalization with Israel an act of treason.

A member of Kibbutz Nahal Oz (almost next door to Gaza) was murdered in the kibbutz fields by an Arab terrorist, nearly a decade before the Six Day War.  In his eulogy of the victim - Moshe Dayan, the Minister of Defense at the time, stated: “Beyond the line of the border surges a sea of hatred. Let us not fear to look squarely at the hatred that consumes and fills the lives of hundreds of Arabs who live among us. Let us not drop our gaze, lest our arms be weakened. That is the fate of our generation…….”


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