Al-Sharq, Qatar, November 5
When Hamas took control over the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2007, nobody knew what the future of the region would hold. Unfortunately, during the decade that passed since, Gaza has been placed by Israel under a merciless siege that severely restricted the lives of people living in it. Things took a major downturn last year, when Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas decided to punish Hamas and cut off Gaza from its funding. The already-dire economic conditions in the Strip turned from bad to disastrous. This affected the younger generation of Gaza’s population particularly hard. With no other outlet to express their grievances, Gaza’s youth began organizing weekly Marches of Return. These have caused a massive scare on the Israeli side, resulting in the deployment of hundreds of soldiers to the Gaza border and an increased use of live ammunition against non-armed civilians who are protesting the Israeli occupation. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have participated in these marches in the few months that passed since they started. Sadly, hundreds have been killed and injured. The real question now, however, is what is going to happen moving forward? The way I see it, there are two options: Either Israel lifts its siege on Gaza and gives its population hope for a better future, or Israel fully takes over the Strip and governs it. Both of these options have been seriously weighed by Israel. According to undisclosed officials, Israel proposed the second option to several Arab leaders, and even suggested to re-occupy the Gaza Strip and transfer control over it to a third-party in the Arab world. However, no Arab leader is truly interested in claiming ownership over the Gaza problem. Therefore, the only option left for Israel is lifting of the siege and removing the strict restrictions imposed upon Gaza’s population. Whether it likes it or not, Israel cannot launch another military offensive against Hamas that would restore quiet to its borders for a few months or years. As soon as the war would end, new waves of protests would immediately begin. The status quo in Gaza has changed. The dire conditions have turned it into a barrel full of explosives, looking for a spark. Israel will have to take drastic measures to rectify this situation, and none of the solutions on the table will be easy to do, both financially and politically. –Sleeman Saed Abu Sita