Gaza Lessons for Ukraine: Why Fencing Off Won’t Work
This section continues our analysis of the conflict and its implications — Gaza Lessons for Ukraine that become especially relevant when examining how Israel responds to hybrid attacks.
On March 30, 2018, at HAMAS’s call, after afternoon prayer, from 30 to 50 thousand Palestinians came out for the “Great March of Return.” It unfolded under slogans of solidarity with refugees who want to return to their homes — “abandoned but not forgotten” — within modern Israel’s borders. Activists came to the fence on the Gaza Strip border, which Israel had previously declared a “closed military zone.” The day before, the Israel Defense Forces, having received intelligence about march preparation, positioned several combat brigades around the fence perimeter. They deployed armored vehicles, drones, and helicopters.
Characteristically, the first reports about preparing this “march” appeared a day after one of Israel’s attacks on Iranian military objects in Syria. Of course, coincidence is possible. But it looks very much like the command “attack” was given! By whom and from where? There are only two options. Guess from two tries.
“Great March of Return”
And so from March 30, every Friday, and often mid-week, thousands of Arabs go to storm the border fence. As always, HAMAS leadership, which calls for unrest, sits somewhere in safe places. Organizers on the ground try to stay in back rows and not approach the fence. They push teenagers, women, and children to the front rows (Doesn’t remind you of 2014 in Donbas?)
Tires burn, hiding terrorists with black smoke as they approach the fence and try to destroy it. Stones and Molotov cocktails fly. New weapons they haven’t yet learned to fight — kites with bottles of gasoline and wicks or explosive devices attached to them, launched into Israeli territory. The international community, with Muslim countries at the forefront, calls all this “peaceful demonstrations.” Less than 0.15% of killed bandits — they call it “massacre” and “genocide.”
At the same time, according to IDF data, at least 12 killed yesterday were members of armed groups. They came very close to the fence and tried to blow it up to penetrate Israeli territory. The military fear terrorists will try to penetrate Israel under cover of smoke and commit terrorist acts.
Damages
In recent days, in the area of the “Kerem Shalom” checkpoint, “march” participants repeatedly tried to damage the barrier and set fires. “Activists” damaged gas pipeline pipes through which gas comes from Israel to the sector territory. A fire started, the fuel terminal was damaged. They damaged natural gas pipeline pipes. Fire damaged fuel pipeline pipes. They damaged a gravel conveyor whose installation cost was 23 million shekels. Also “Activists” damaged a conveyor used for transporting grain, delivering livestock and food products. They damaged the checkpoint security structure, damaged cameras, lighting devices, and barriers.
Egypt Steps In
You need to know that HAMAS thoroughly “got to” Egypt. The latter, in fighting smuggling tunnels and HAMAS’s support of Islamist groups in Sinai, acts very harshly and doesn’t stand on ceremony. But no one accuses it of “excessive use of force.” Recently, high-ranking HAMAS leaders were summoned to Egypt. They were told to demand stopping unrest and warned that Israel might return to the practice of targeted liquidations of terror leaders and organizers.
Here it should be reminded that in the past, with all “ceasefire” agreements, which Israel always strictly observed and HAMAS always violated, one of the main and mandatory conditions put forward by HAMAS was precisely stopping targeted liquidations. It’s understandable: it’s much more comfortable to send someone to death and bear no responsibility for anything than to constantly wait yourself when and from where it will “arrive”.
And what do you think? It worked! Yesterday evening, HAMAS sent Israel a message through intermediaries about its intention to change the nature of demonstrations near the security fence. From Gaza, they reported that HAMAS is calling on “march” participants to leave the border zone.
This was a reaction to IDF warnings that continuing aggressive actions on the border would force Israel to return to the practice of “targeted liquidations” of HAMAS leaders in Gaza.
Gaza Lessons for Ukraine: Parallels and Analogies
Why am I writing all this for a Ukrainian site? I think most have already understood, but I’ll still ask a leading question. Do you need such a festering wound?
I can give a one hundred percent guarantee that if you “leave as is” and just fence off from occupied districts — you’ll get almost the same thing Israel has with the Gaza Strip. Do you need it?
Of course, deciding and even advising something isn’t for me. But in my opinion, you can’t do without liberation and thorough clearing of the occupied zone. Don’t repeat others’ mistakes!
Worse and more difficult is something else. No matter how you fence off from the “big leper colony,” no matter what walls, fences, and “moats with crocodiles” you build — while the “leper colony” itself exists in its current form — don’t expect peace.
The Gaza Lessons for Ukraine are stark: temporary lulls and “truces” will not bring lasting peace. There will only be temporary lulls and “truces.” But there will be no permanent peace and quiet. Don’t hope — don’t make a mistake. Isolating the “leper colony” and fencing off from it should only be a temporary measure until it rots and collapses on its own. Until this happens — keep your powder dry and your machine gun oiled.
This material was provided by author pan_futiy. The previous part is available here. Stylistics and orthography were almost unchanged. The article author’s views may partially or completely not coincide with editorial ones.
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