You might recall the 50-day conflict between Israel and Hamas, a Palestinian Islamic organization labeled as a terrorist group by the European Union. The conflict ended with over 2,000 people dead, the majority of which were civilians.
Since the peace deal last summer, Gaza has struggled to fully recover from Israel’s offensive attacks. The economy is in shams and its people require urgent aid.
According to a World Bank report released last month, the unemployment rate sat at a staggering 44 percent.
Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, stepped in and reminded everyone that the parties involved are “sitting here on a powder keg and that we should be aware that it can explode at any moment”. This cannot be any truer.
In spite of the existing cease-fire agreement, attacks are still prevalent, just on a smaller scale. Last week, there were reports of an attack by a small Palestinian militant group, which caused Israel to retaliate with air strikes; it is another explosion waiting to happen.
The solution to avoiding another deadly outcome is made clear by Steinmeier.
“We shall only be able to decisively reduce the risks of a fresh escalation if we allow economic development in the Gaza Strip, in addition to humanitarian aid and reconstruction,” said the foreign minister during his regional tour.
The strict blockade held by Egypt and Israel has greatly limited access to reconstruction materials and other important supplies that could encourage economic development. In fact, the same report that categorized Gaza as having the highest unemployment rate in the world estimates that, if it were not for the blockade and other conflict related damages, the country’s GDP would be about four times higher than its current status quo.
It was only a matter of time before a western diplomat made his way into Gaza to restore peaceful terms, or at least try.
Steinmeier suggests that responsibility ultimately falls on Israel and Gaza. It is only with “the opening of crossing points by Israel” and “until it is certain that there will be no further rockets from [Gaza], when it is no longer a launch pad,” then some sort of semblance of cooperation can exist.
The German foreign minister publicly announced his counseling after meeting with Israeli and Palestinian officials on Saturday. Steinmeier did not meet with representatives from the Hamas organization, but one particular meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reassured him that there are efforts being made to ease restrictions on the blockade.
PM Netanyahu spoke of, “confidence-building measures including the flow of up to 800 trucks a day of construction and humanitarian assistance to Gaza.” He also said, “we are considering other things.”
A reasonable question to bring to light is where the supposed billions of dollars in international aid is. 18,000 homes were badly damaged and, over the course of year, Gaza remains beaten and impoverished. It is understandable to maintain tenuous relations with terrorist organizations, but what really is at stake here is innocent civilian life and how vital recovery is for them.
Photo Credit: Via Flickr/Christliches Medienmagazin pro
