SOONER OR LATER TROOPS COME IN

Lieberman: Complete Disengagement, Declare Gaza Enemy State
by Ezra HaLevi (INN) JUNE 1,07

Politicians and public figures have weighed in over the past days with suggestions for how to bring an end to the rocket attacks from Gaza. Minister of Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman announced a plan Thursday that calls for a completion of the Disengagement. Lieberman explained to Army Radio:

We expelled all the Jews from Gaza and left there completely, but still provide it with economic support, water and electricity. We must sever all connections with Gaza and declare it an independent enemy entity, he said. There is no reason Egypt cannot supply the electricity and water for Gaza and let the European Union build infrastructure and provide security if they care about the poor Palestinians so much, he added. Membership in the axis of evil has a heavy price financially,
politically, and militarily.

Lieberman said his plan includes a complete closure of all crossings between Gaza and Israel through which PA Arab workers currently cross into Israel and through which aid passes to Gaza. His plan also calls for bombing Gaza neighborhood in response to rocket-fire, ending visitation rights for PA terrorists until kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit is released, severing Gaza from Judea and Samaria and stopping diplomatic contacts with any and all PA officials, including Fatah chief Mahmoud Abbas. NATO troops would be called upon to provide security and the European Union would be invited to provide infrastructure and jobs for PA Arabs. Lieberman said the plan would come into effect in 2008 and be modeled after how Israel related to the Sinai after withdrawal. Just as Israel did not continue to provide anything to Sinai after it withdrew, there is no reason why it should act any differently toward Gaza, especially in the current situation, he said. The Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel is Our Home) chairman said he would present his plan to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the rest of the government Thursday.

Other Proposals

Ministers Meir Sheetrit (Kadima) and Rafi Eitan (Pensioners) proposed a concept similar to Lieberman's, in terms of the IDFs response to Kassam rockets, at Wednesdays Security Cabinet meeting. They suggested that Israel produce its own version of the Kassam rocket and fire it at targets in Gaza each time Kassams are fired toward Israel. They said such a rocket would cost very little but recreate the psychological pressure felt by residents of Sderot among Gazas civilian population.
Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Eli Yishai (Shas) suggested that Israel launch air strikes to destroy entire PA villages in response to rocket fire, after warning the Arab residents to vacate their homes. Fellow Shas MK Yitzhak Cohen suggested Israel cut off electricity, water and gas to Gaza an idea backed by Shabak (General Security Service) chief Yuval Diskin and rehashed in Lierbmans proposal. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reportedly rejected those proposals, but ordered the IDF to
continue to apply pressure via targeted killings and air strikes on Hamas targets.

Left-wing MKs Avshalom Vilan (Meretz) and Zahava Gal-On (Meretz), meanwhile, have been enthusiastically promoting a plan to invite the Arab league to take responsibility for Gaza and coordinate a multi-national force together with the European Union to deploy there. The two say they have presented the idea to European and PA officials and plan to present it to Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who has expressed interest in the deployment of foreign troops along Israels Gaza border.
Minister Rafi Eitan (Pensioners) recently suggested a similar idea, involving bringing Egyptian troops into Gaza and Jordanians into Judea and Samaria. The same thing [as happened following the Second Lebanon War the deployment of international troops. sooner or later, will happen in the Gaza Strip, with the senior partner in such a force being Egypt because it has no choice, Eitan told government radio.

When the Egyptians are there, when 500 or 600 (Palestinian) civilians are killed, no one will say anything. That is what will eventually happen. We are getting there, gradually. Eitan added that he also sees a future deployment of Jordanians in Judea and Samaria.Defense Minister Amir Peretz, speaking at a Tel Aviv University conference Wednesday evening, said that Israel has no plans to enter Gaza, because restraint is power.Peretz added later on in the speech that if there is no choice, the IDF will operate in Gaza.