Israelis are split over the Gaza Pullout. The last few weeks, the Gaza withdrawal exposed political divisions within Israel that run deep, divisions born out of politics, religion, and history. Whether or not the Israeli pullouts from settlements in the Gaza strip and the West Bank are effective steps toward peace is yet to be seen. However small, it is a step in the right direction. Despite this fact, dissatisfactions are prevalent on both sides. Palestinians demand greater sovereignty over their borders and Jewish hardliners criticize Ariel Sharon as a traitor. Other Israelis are uncomfortable with the developments as well believing that the Gaza pullouts cede legitimacy to terrorist groups, especially Hamas.
In the Arab-Israeli conflict the question remains one of legitimacy. It was widely thought that after the death of Yassir Arafat, Israelis and Palestinians could perhaps shed historical woes for a new round of peace talks. But peace is hard to come by when the political situation between both sides stands on unequal grounds. While Israel maintains a centralized government, organized infrastructure, as well as the most battle-tested security force in the world, the Palestinian Authority lacks centralization and organization, and their security force remains ill equipped and poorly trained. While Israel remains in a state of constant insecurity regarding terrorism, the Palestinian territories remain ripe with indignity and resentment toward the Jewish state. Mistrust sown by historical bloodshed has grown so thick between Israelis and Palestinians that it would take an overwhelming event or crisis to pull the two sides together - or worse, pull them farther apart. This is the tedious state in which both sides live. Overcoming mutual mistrust will be one of the largest obstacles to peace. Although within Israel divisive opinions exist regarding the Gaza withdrawals, it is the sense of mistrust that runs common to those opinions.
No agreement exists among Israelis regarding the Gaza Pullout. While many liberal Israelis hail it as a positive step, others are clearly disappointed at the withdrawal; Jewish hardliners and religious radicals remain angry. Amid the Israeli media rationalizations and opposing opinions abound. The BBC surveyed several opposing remarks. Haaretz rationalizes the withdrawal as being an effective move to clear Israelis from "a crowded area that is a centre for terror." The Yediot Ahoronot declared "We are leaving Gaza like occupiers whose occupation was defeated." Aluf Benn, another Haaretz writer quips the painful truth that although "[the] disengagement strengthened Israel's international standing and Sharon's image, but [it] has not so far renewed trust between Israel and the Palestinians."
Hamas has claimed credit for forcing Israel to withdraw from the Gaza strip, a claim that is mostly empty, and only rubs salt into a festering wound between the two sides. Whatever Sharon's motives for the Gaza withdrawal it certainly had nothing to do with appeasing Hamas. While holding a prayer rally in Nezarim, one of the abandoned settlements, a Hamas official was quoted saying, "The removal of the enemy from Gaza does not mean that we have reached our destination. Our struggle continues and we will fight until the last occupier leaves our land."
Some hard truths need to be accepted if there is ever to be an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict. One of those hard truths is that Israel is not going anywhere and no amount of reactionary demands is going to move it. Another hard truth is that that in order to curb Hamas' influence in the Palestinian territories it is in Israel's interest to work with the Palestinian Authority in order to organize it as a stronger body to serve the Palestinian people, including investment and training of its security forces, and a final agreement on the making of a unified Palestinian state. Barriers of mistrust need to be overcome if any sort of cooperation is to take place. Israelis need to let go of their insecurity and Palestinians their historical claims. The only constant in all of human history is change and Palestinians must accept the existence of Israel for good or bad. Furthermore, both sides need to stop shooting at each other. Perhaps there is a bit of idealism latent in the last two points, but responsibility lies with both sides.
The Gaza withdrawals are a meek step, but Israelis and Palestinians still have a long way to go. The Jerusalem Post may have put it best: "Regardless of how the border control issues are worked out, it is already clear that the fate of Gaza is in Palestinian hands. Now we will see if they are ready to make constructive use of it"
