Gaza Is Worse than Myanmar?

Each day, news comes out of Gaza of more and more horrific situations. Aid organizations are saying that they had less trouble getting help into Myanmar than into Gaza, and it is Israel which is blocking the way. And yet, the political rhetoric seems hellbent on making sure that Hamas is painted with the "terrorist" label. Does any of us really need to be convinced that Hamas doesn't have the best intentions for the Israelis, let alone its own people? The day after Israel pulled out of Gaza, Hamas held a victory rally in Gaza City. The turnout was, by all reports, low. I doubt many Palestinians are gullible enough to believe that the rubble and destruction they are now trying to rebuild looks anything like "victory."

Worse than Myanmar. Worse than Sudan. Worse than Somalia. NGOs are notoriously tight-lipped about the interference of local governments, because their primary aim is to get aid to people who need it, whatever the local politics. When they are willing to speak this bluntly in no uncertain terms, something is deeply, deeply wrong with the soul of Israel as a nation. And if we do not do our part to speak truth to their power, we are complicit.

The Israelis have not only destroyed 1500 lives and $1.9 billion worth of infrastructure and property. They have also all but obliterated any hope for a two-state solution. Hamas, despite the anger Palestinians must feel toward them, is stronger; mostly because Abbas, in an effort to keep hopes for a solution alive, quelled sympathy protests on the West Bank. Let me restate that: the Palestinian Authority suppressed Palestinians who were trying to show solidarity for the suffering of Palestinians. Meanwhile, the Israeli public has taken a severe right turn. 80% supported the Gaza bombardment. People came to the border of Gaza to picnic and watch bombs rain down. This hardline turn has made it almost impossible for Benjamin Netanyahu to lose as Prime Minister, a man who is more hardline than Ariel Sharon on dealing with Palestinians. And finally the Arab States, who achieved an unusual unanimity around the Saudi Peace Plan (more below), have splintered in their disagreement in how to respond to Gaza.

The Saudi Peace Plan offers Israel full normalization with all Arab States in exchange for a two-state solution to the Palestinian people, returning the Golan Heights to Syria, and solving the Refugee issue (without spelling out what that solution might look like). After Obama's election, there were trial balloons from his foreign policy team that this plan might be the basis for future negotiations. Both Ehud Olmert (current prime minister) and Tzipi Livni (who was poised to be prime minister) stated their support for the Plan. And it already had the backing of the Arab League.

Now?