Now that the madness is hopefully over, the clean up must begin.
"Rebuilding the heavily damaged Gaza Strip after a three-week offensive by Israel could cost billions of dollars and may take years.
Initial estimates by independent surveyors found that the Hamas-run territory lost about $2 billion in assets.
The damage includes 4,100 homes, about 1,500 factories and workshops, 20 mosques, 31 security compounds and 10 water or sewage lines.
Damage so far is estimated to be around $1.9 billion US, according to separate surveys by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics and a Palestinian economic development council that serves as a liaison between the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s government and donor countries. Both are based in the West Bank.
Mohammed Shtayyeh, head of the economic council, estimates rebuilding could take as long as three to five years even under ideal conditions, including Israel and Egypt lifting their blockades and Hamas and Abbas settling their differences.
On Monday, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah offered $1 billion to help rebuild the Gaza Strip. The international community has also vowed to help.
The conflict has killed at least 1,259 Palestinians, more than half of them civilians, according to the United Nations, Gaza officials and rights groups. Thirteen Israelis have also died, including four soldiers killed inadvertently by their own forces’ fire."
I’m betting that some Iranian rial is heading their way. For whatever that is worth.
Why would you think that Tehran is interested in the actual well-being of the Palestinians, rather than just using them as pawns in their crusade against Israel? What, other than hatred of Israel and Jews, does Iran and the Palestinians have in common?
Maybe Yassir Arafat will loan Hamas the money to rebuild. Rumor has it that he diverted $1.3 BILLION dollars in aid funds into his own private savings accounts during his dictatorship.
…since he cares about the Palestinian people so much.
I’ve got mixed feelings on this one, but won’t argue that Hamas started it and was totally out gunned. They should have known better and let’s hope they learned. But Israel did use a sledge hammer to swat a flie. If they really want peace with their neighbors they’ll also have to make some effort in the rebuilding process. They won’t get peace in the long term if they were to continue with this type of destruction every time somebody throws a fire cracker at them.
I’m not certain, so I don’t think that Israel has the same “we broke it we’ll fix it” policy the US has. So I say no. It doesn’t matter who started, instigated it or finished it.
I, personally, think each side can pay their own costs no matter the outcome. If it’s ok for Israel to get a bill, then Israel can send a bill for the bombs they dropped. I bet those are pretty expensive.
"Israel can send a bill for the bombs they dropped. I bet those are pretty expensive. "
They will be sending a bill for those bombs - to the USA. Israel is the largest recepient of US foreign aid and the “aid” that goes to Israel is almost exclusively for their military machine.
Apparently Israel has offered to turn the water and electricity back on. Gaza gets 70% of it’s electriciy from Israel. Anything else they do will understandably be tied to how well Hamas behaves. Let’s hope common sense will now prevail, but somehow my optimism is guarded.
How about if we give the money to rebuild Gaza? As always, we’ll give Israel the money to distribute, which they’ll deny on some basis, and then quickly give out to settlers and or pocket.
I’ve got mixed feelings on this one, but won’t argue that Hamas started it and was totally out gunned. They should have known better and let’s hope they learned. But Israel did use a sledge hammer to swat a flie. If they really want peace with their neighbors they’ll also have to make some effort in the rebuilding process. They won’t get peace in the long term if they were to continue with this type of destruction every time somebody throws a fire cracker at them.
Why do you think Hamas didn’t get exactly what they wanted in Israel’s reaction? What other outcome could they expect from firing rockets into Israel? Seriously.
Israel would gladly help in the rebuilding if Hamas, sworn to Israel’s destruction, wasn’t in charge in Gaza. The US rebuilt Germany and Japan after WWII, but did nothing to rebuild Iraq after Desert Storm. What was the difference? Germany’s and Japan’s governments after the war were no longer our sworn enemies, while Iraq’s government was still our enemy.
The day that the Palestinian people endorse a government that accepts Israel’s right to exist peacefully, will see massive Israeli investment in Palestine that will help Palestine become a modern society that can compete on a worldwide basis with anyone. From what little I understand, the Palestinians have a work ethic and an education priority that is really superior. If only their government and the rest of the Arab/Islamic nations would get out of their way.
I agree, I’d like to see some of the annual 30 billion that the USA gives to Israel every year for their military to go to rebuilding Gaza. An argument can be made that the US is partially responsible also by supplying the Israeli military. Of course there would have to be guarantees from Hamas as well.
"Israel can send a bill for the bombs they dropped. I bet those are pretty expensive. "
They will be sending a bill for those bombs - to the USA. Israel is the largest recepient of US foreign aid and the “aid” that goes to Israel is almost exclusively for their military machine.
Apparently Israel has offered to turn the water and electricity back on. Gaza gets 70% of it’s electriciy from Israel. Anything else they do will understandably be tied to how well Hamas behaves. Let’s hope common sense will now prevail, but somehow my optimism is guarded.
To be picky, Iraq is the largest recipient of US aid, by an order of magnitude. Egypt is just behind Israel (within 10%).
I have to agree that the starting point is the day when the Palestinian government and the rest of the Arab world acknowlege Israel’s right to exist. No progress can be made until this happens. You’d think it would be a no brainer.
but won’t argue that Hamas started it and was totally out gunned.
There are those who argue to the contrary. The video is a CNN report of who really started it, the article is written by a foreign policy think-tank in Washington DC.
I personally don’t agree with everything that the article says, but it nevertheless is another point of view which deserves listening to. I do think that the citizens of Israel have suffered a great deal from the actions of Hamas over the years. However, I also do think that the rockets and mortars were used as an excuse in this particular siege, especially if one resets the time to zero and considers the evens shaping since the truce in June 2008.
When Israel’s stuanch supporters ask “What else could have Israel done”, I would like to enumerate things that people expected a western democracy not to do:
The state of Israel did not try all measures before launching a massive reaction, conversely they started preparing for this operation even before the truce, what kind of ceasefire is that?? They did not show restraint in several instances of the operation. They shelled independent buildings (the UN schools etc.). They used shady weaponry such as white phosphorous in civilian areas. They systematically manipulated the news to their favor and used media censorship to advance their cause.
Thee reason most people critisize Israel for its wrongdoings is not becuase they have an immanent hatred of jews, but because they hope a nation that claims to adhere to the principles of democracy would respond to such criticism. At the end of the day, regardless of all causes and pretexts, children whose sole guilt was being born within those cursed geographic coordinates are killed. What cause is superlative to stopping this?
They tried all diplomatic steps prior to this offensive - Hamas has been launching for 4 years! This is not something new that Israel didnt try. it’s also particularly difficult to negotiate with a government democratically elected who doesnt believe in their neighbors right to exist. How can you negotiate with someone who denies you have the right to be in your own home?
And what is a shady weapon? White phosphorous is a legal weapon and has its uses. Israel is conducting its own study into the use of the weapon to address claims by human rights groups. And where are those human rights groups marching after a rocket launch or a suicide bomber?
“What’s happening in the Gaza Strip is a new massacre that is being carried out by Hamas against Fatah,” said a Fatah activist in Gaza City. “Where were these cowards when the Israeli Army was here?”
I am still not convinced that the only alternative to direct negotiation is such a colossal military operation. There were reports in the media that parts of Hamas showed eagerness on extending the truce, why was that ignored by Israel ? During that 6 months of truce, Hamas behaved surprisingly well for a terrorist organization. Why didn’t Israel capitalize on that?
I note a distinct lack of explanation for any valid reasons that Israel could have, to violate the truce on Nov. 4th. Even Israel’s spokesman admitted that during the period of time between June 2008 and their violation, Hamas was not launching any rockets:
White phosphorous is a legal weapon and has its uses.
White phosphorus is ILLEGAL to be used in civilian areas even as smokescreen. A field study of what it does, and how it burns, is all over Youtube, so Israel should save the money for their own “independent study”. Those videos are too disturbing to be posted here unfortunately, check them out with caution.
If both sides continue to deny all wrongdoings adamantly, there will certainly never be peace there. I really admire the jewish and Israeli free-thinkers who did not support this massacre just because of their religion or heritage or whatever. The only way I see real peace happening is having more of their kinds on both sides.