By H. Marcos C. Mordeno
MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 21 October) – Israel is caught between the proverbial devil and the deep blue sea. With superior firepower, and ample military aid from the United States, it will no doubt win in its latest war against Hamas. The bigger question, however, is what to do with Gaza afterward.
Will Israel again occupy Gaza like it did from 1967 to 2005? That would mean not just deploying soldiers (and getting chastised in the press for abuses that are likely to happen like they did in the past occupation) but also taking over civil functions like providing social services. Both require a huge budget, something which many Israelis may find burdensome.
Besides, another occupation would only fuel further resentment toward Israel among Palestinians as well as many Arabs and all those who support the struggle for an independent Palestine. That is, if the indiscriminate bombings and mounting death toll among civilians haven’t achieved that yet.
On the other hand, if Israel leaves Gaza after crushing Hamas, two scenarios would unfold. One, remnants of Hamas would regroup and recruit new supporters, which should not be difficult given the suffering caused by Israel’s counter-offensive. Two, in the event that Hamas is routed, expect another group, the Lebanese-based militia Hezbollah, for instance, to fill the void.
This is why US President Joe Biden has advised Israel to not launch any major strike against the more powerful Hezbollah and draw it into the conflict in Gaza, realizing the difficulty of fighting on two fronts.
But if Israel is in a dilemma, so are the Palestinians. They are living in fear in the shadow of Hamas, a group that never tolerates opposition. At the same time, another Israeli occupation is out of the question. They are confronting two different oppressors.
(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. H. Marcos C. Mordeno can be reached at hmcmordeno@gmail. Com
