Palestinians are hostages against an embargo of Israel by Matt Giwer, © 2002 [October]
A previous article on Israel's need for oil is premised on Israel's vulnerability to a trade embargo such as was put on South Africa to break apartheid. Israel knows that very well. That is where Palestinians are useful, as hostages. A fact on the ground is that the Palestinians have no access to the oustide world except through Israel. Its occupation army controls the borders with Jordan and Egypt and its navy patrols the coast of Gaza preventing commerce with the outside world. When Barak made the generous offer to return less than Israel had stolen, he insisted that control of the borders would continue. Note: Israel's total control of Palestine's contact with the outside world means Israel is supplying the weapons and ammunition and explosives to the Palestinians. There is no other explanation. Because of this control the effect of any embargo would also fall upon the Palestinians. Thus they are hostages against such an embargo. Israel also refuses to permit any direct, formal access to the areas by relief agencies of the United Nations. Were it to do so, those agencies could continue to provide assistance to the Palestinians while Israel endured the embargo. Israel would then be seen as using force against the UN to make the Palestinians hostages. If the Palestinians had better infrastructure they would only suffer equally with the Israelis. Thus Israel must destroy that infrastructure and preferably keep Palestinians society on the brink of collapse so that the impact of any embargo has an immediate impact on the Palestinians. On the bright side, this is a valuable use for the Palestinians. Israel will expell them from the West Bank at the first opportunity but it will keep them in Gaza for their value as hostages.
Page reads: 4905