Gaza Blockade

I was filled with patriotic fury when I learned that the Israelis had murdered another American, so I will wait until I calm down to address that question. What about the fundamental issue being contested here, the blockade of Gaza?

The Israelis have a clear and legitimate interest in keeping weapons out of Gaza, but their blockade goes far beyond that. Their embargo is so total as to immizerate the Gazans and prevent reconstruction or meaningful commercial activity. It also enables the Hamas thugs who run the smuggling industry.

A blockade is an act of war, and in effect Gaza is an occupied territory, but the Israelis refuse to meet their legal responsibility to either rule it or give the Gazans scope for self-rule. Gaza is too small to support its population through agriculture, so Gazans are dependent on outside aid which the Israelis don't provide but permit a trickle of. Frankly, I think that donor nations should refuse to act as enablers of an unconscionable Israeli policy by providing this trickle of aid.

For now, Israel owns the American Congress. Will that change any time soon? I doubt it, but Israeli arrogance seems unlimited right now and they may just overstep.

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