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34 Responses to “Israeli Chief Rabbi: Expel Gazans to Sinai, Make It ‘Like Arizona’”

1. Z. says:

   February 1, 2008 at 6:31 PM

   Arizona differs from Sinai in having a major river, the Colorado, for irrigation, etc. Sinai has no rivers. Mt. Sinai itself gets enough winter rainfall for some limited dry land agriculture, but the Sinai peninsula probably cannot sustain a larger population than at present.

   The emptiest US state is N. Dakota. It has a semi-arid climate, not desert, and a major river, the Missouri, but great extremes of temperature. (There’s a reason only 500, 000 people live there!) The existing population probably doesn’t want new immigrants, either. (There are enough quarrels already between Dakota indians and White settlers!)

   Sorry to interrupt politics with practicalities! Really, Amos Oz has the right idea: that you make peace with your enemies, not your friends.

   Zhu Bajie

   Reply
2. Ak says:

   February 4, 2008 at 1:47 AM

   Richard Silverstein said,

   January 29, 2008 @ 5:20 pm

   what is his solution to the overcrowded Gaza population

   Gaza needs no other “solution” than removing the siege & allowing the people there to engage in normal commerce & travel. Allowing Gaza to have its own air & seaport so it can create a thriving economy along w. jobs. Of course, it (& Sderot as well) needs a truce with the IDF such as Hamas has offered numerous times to Israel.

   Hmm… I recognize that ordinary Gazans desperately need to regain control over their airspace, seaports and border crossing to rebuild their economy. However, as far as I can understand, there still isn’t an adequate counter-response to the pro-Israeli argument, that there are still factions within Gaza that sees firing rockets into Sderot as legitimate acts of violence, and quite often they do it with the open support of the Hamas government. The offer of truce from Hamas is pretty meaningless since Hamas has stated in the past that it will not stop attacks on Israel by other factions from Gaza, such as Islamic Jihad. In fact it would not be too cynical to imagine Hamas providing logistical support to Islamic Jihad that fire rockets into Sderot. Correct me if I am wrong.

   Reply
3. Richard Silverstein says:

   February 4, 2008 at 2:14 AM

   Aston Kwok: If you read my most recent post it contains a ceasefire proposal drafted by a settler rabbi and Hamas journalist who received approval of senior Hamas Gaza officials which guarantees an end to ALL rocket fire from all Palestinian sources. I agree that such an outcome is imperative for real peace and that Hamas must prove itself able to enforce such an outcome if it is to have any credibility. I believe that it can do so if it wants to do so & is motivated to do so. And I believe that if Israel puts on the table the provisions mentioned in the Froman ceasefire proposal that Hamas would prove itself credible. Can I prove this to you or even myself to my full satisfaction? No. But am I willing to test Hamas to see if it is credible? You bet.

   Reply
4. Ak says:

   February 4, 2008 at 3:27 AM

   I largely agree with your response. (See my subsequent response to your latest blog entry.)
   At this point, I wonder to what extent would Hamas be able to prove its credibility in the eyes of the Israeli government. One of the sticking point will be Israeli government’s open concern for weapon smuggling into Gaza. There will be people in Hamas who feel that weapon smuggling is a legitimate part of their continual resistance, while the Israeli security establishment will be paranoid about weapon smuggling into Gaza in the event of any ceasefire.
   Can I borrow some lessons from the Irish experience here? It took IRA many years to finally agree to disarm. Many in Hamas will find halt to weapon smuggling very difficult pill to swallow.

   Reply