No Rebuilding of Gaza without Occupation from Planck's Constant

Palestinians pass by the destroyed part of the Egyptian-Gaza border
in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, January 31, 2008.
Photo Credit: Time Magazine

Between the 12th and 19th centuries Japan was under the military rule of warlords. It went to war with China in 1894 and with Russia in 1904 and won both times. In World War One it fought to win German colonies in the Pacific and by 1919 it was one of the great military and industrial powers of the world. After WWII Japan was occupied by Americans and its reconstruction was supervised under US command to insure that it would not be rebuilt to be a threat again. Since America was its military protector, Japan did not need to spend money on a large army or navy and its economy unburdened with these expenditures was able to grow and its people to prosper. Eight centuries of feudal militarism disappeared within one generation and Japan is now a powerful yet peaceful nation.

German tribes have been at war in Europe since 750 B.C. It is interesting to note that the only thing that stopped Germany's ambition for world conquest was being ruled by Allied Occupation Forces after World War Two and its reconstruction supervised under US command to insure that it would not be rebuilt to be a threat again. For the same reasons as Japan's Germany's militarism disappeared within one generation and Germany is now a powerful yet peaceful nation.

What do you think would have happened if the international community had given billions of dollars to Germany and Japan without a check on how the money would be used? Without an occupying force to insure that reconstruction would be for the benefit of civilians rather than the military?

Actually, one does not have to try to imagine what would happen. The world has already poured billions into the coffers of Palestinian governments without supervision and occupation by the donors and we have seen the result. All that aid is simply used to further the military aims of the gangs ruling over Gaza.

But simply sending money to Gaza and hoping that Hamas will use it wisely is criminal. No one would be stupid enough to hand money over to the Crips or the Bloods gangs here in the US and hope they'd use the money to improve their communities rather than grow and solidify their power, yet the world sends money to Hamas and somehow hopes for the best!

If the world is afraid to station troops in Gaza to supervise reconstruction then hand the money to Israel. They could supervise the rebuilding of Gaza in a manner that will insure that it is not rebuilt with weapons depots under every building or with missile launching pads by schools, mosques and hospitals.

Jerusalem Post,
No to the reconstruction of Gaza,
Western leaders seem to have foolishly decided that Gaza should speedily be rebuilt. This, of course, sends the wrong signal. It tells Palestinians that their leadership can make grave, deadly mistakes, and nevertheless gullible Westerners will bail them out. It also signals to Hamas that it can continue shooting; for if Israel repeats its military action, merciful Westerners again will repair the damage.

As usual Arabs pledge aid but fail to carry through.

Israeli Uncensored News, Palestinians steal aid before it arrives
As the Arab countries promised more than $2 billion to finance Gaza reconstruction, Fatah officials quickly registered foreign straw firms with construction licenses to channel the funds to. Fatah and Hamas leaders accuse each other of attempting theft.

Likely, the promised aid won’t arrive. Fatah received less than 10% of the aid promised to it a year ago at Paris donor conference. Arab countries promise a lot, deliver little.

As usual, Non-Palestinian Arabs want nothing to do with Palestinians and will not let refugees into their country:

Time Magazine,
Putting Humpty Together Again in Gaza
The Egyptian public, along with the wider Arab world, initially applauded President Mubarak for allowing thousands of starving Gazans to swarm in to Sinai towns for a shopping frenzy. But Egyptian public opinion has begun to shift amid concerns that Gazans were fleeing into Egypt and remaining there. Also, Egyptian police say they arrested two groups of Palestinians with arms and explosive devices, possibly en route to launch attacks in southern Israel. While the Egyptians were happy to bring relief to suffering Palestinians, they reject taking responsibility for a situation they see as created by Israel. As the pro-government weekly Al-Mussawar put it in a headline this week, "We refuse settling the Palestinians in Sinai."

Yes, yes, cry for the Palestinians but not in our back yard.