Israel”s Plan for Gaza Comes into View, by Mike Whitney

Unit 601 of the IDF’s Fight Engineering Corps is clearing an unlimited swath of land throughout central Gaza splitting the 25-mile-long territory into two elements. The so-called Netzarim hall (Freeway 749)—which crosses Gaza from east to west—will present sooner transport for IDF troops working within the space and also will perform as very important a part of Israel’s safety cordon separating the north from the south. There isn’t a doubt that army outposts will likely be established alongside the hall in addition to in areas alongside the western coast. The intention of those actions is to guard the event of latest settlements that will likely be constructed north of the hall. In brief, the Israeli authorities is utilizing its struggle on Hamas to divert consideration from its actual goal which is the growth of the Jewish state on Palestinian land.

Not surprisingly, Israel’s actions within the north have resulted in mass evacuations which have intensified the struggling of the traumatized inhabitants. Based on the Palestinian Chronicle:

The United Nations introduced on Tuesday that Israel issued three contemporary evacuation orders for over 19 neighborhoods within the north of Gaza and Deir Al-Balah, bringing the variety of huge evacuation orders to 16 in August alone, which leaves solely 11 % of the Gaza Strip untouched by the evacuation orders.

Solely 11% of Gaza Spared – 16 Israeli Evacuation Orders in August Alone, Palestinian Chronicle

As we famous earlier, the Palestinians are being pushed from the north to make room for brand spanking new settlements that will likely be constructed someday within the close to future. The Netzarim hall serves as a crucial buffer zone separating these new colonies from potential assault by Palestinian militants. Israel intends to take care of management over Gaza by placing restrictions on motion and by designating areas the place Palestinians can collect. In different phrases, Palestinians will likely be refugees in their very own nation. That is an excerpt from an article on the World Socialist Net Web site:

Gaza’s inhabitants, which stood at over 2 million earlier than the beginning of the genocide, is now crammed into an space that’s simply 41 sq. kilometers, or 11 % of Gaza’s whole space, with the remaining 89 % being positioned on evacuation orders by the Israeli Protection Forces.

The United Nations warned, “The world is missing crucial infrastructure and fundamental providers, whereas assist provision is proscribed resulting from entry and safety points. The extreme overcrowding, with a density of 30,000 to 34,000 people per sq. kilometer has exacerbated the dire scarcity of important sources reminiscent of water, sanitation and hygiene provides, well being providers, safety and shelter.” UN compelled to droop meals distribution as Israel locations 89 % of Gaza beneath evacuation orders, World Socialist Net Site

That is Netanyahu’s plan in a nutshell:

1. Shrink the Gaza focus camp to a mere 11 % of its unique measurement.
2. Switch the inhabitants to the designated location.
3. Partition the territory to permit for settlement exercise and the expropriation of fuel reserves off the coast.
4. Neutralize any opposition to Israeli growth

Right here’s a video from Israel’s Channel 14 that confirms the IDF is planning to completely occupy the Gaza Strip

🧵A information piece that aired on Israeli Channel 14 yesterday reveals that Israel is vigorously working not simply on a safety zone round the entire of Gaza Strip, but in addition on a totally leveled buffer zone south of Gaza Metropolis, a latitudinal freeway, splitting the strip into 2 elements pic.twitter.com/s4DLO3OzY6

— B.M. (@ireallyhateyou) February 18, 2024

Surprisingly, an article posted Wednesday at CNN confirms our evaluation and admits that Israel’s postwar plans contain “reducing the strip in two” and sustaining a everlasting “operational foothold within the space”. And whereas the creator doesn’t confirm our concept on settlement improvement, readers can draw their very own conclusions. Israel would by no means put a lot cash and energy into an operation that didn’t lengthen the borders of the Israeli state. Right here’s CNN:

A satellite tv for pc picture from March 6 reveals that the east-west street, which has been beneath development for weeks, now stretches from the Gaza-Israeli border space throughout the whole roughly 6.5-kilometer-wide strip, dividing northern Gaza, together with Gaza Metropolis, from the south of the enclave….

The Israel Protection Forces (IDF) informed CNN they have been utilizing the path to “set up (an) operational foothold within the space” and permit “the passage of forces in addition to logistical tools.”…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled a plan, obtained by CNN, to his safety cupboard on February 23 for a post-Hamas future for Gaza, together with the “full demilitarization” of the enclave, and the overhaul of its safety, civil administration and schooling techniques. Palestinians residing in Gaza concern Israel’s post-war safety plans will additional prohibit their freedom of motion… Israeli street splitting Gaza in two has reached the Mediterranean coast, satellite tv for pc imagery present, CNN

Take note, that these developments are going down whereas Israeli diplomats are at present conducting ceasefire negotiations in Cairo. Why would Hamas conform to a cope with Israel when Israel is within the strategy of seizing extra Palestinian land and tightening the occupation?

They gained’t, which implies the massacre will proceed for the foreseeable future. Hamas has no different alternative. Right here’s an excerpt from a publish by creator Anthony Lowenstein:

…. Israel’s objective in Gaza is long-term occupation and the constructing of small settlements, slowly constructing into one thing much more substantial. The editor of @haaretzcom outlines the grim state of play:

“The general public discourse in Israel is concentrated on the hostages and their destiny, however Netanyahu considers them to be a media nuisance, a battering ram by his political opponents, and a distraction from the objective: A chronic occupation of the Gaza Strip, or – as he has repeatedly declared for the reason that outbreak of the struggle – “Israeli safety management. “Management of the Philadephi route and the “safety hall” alongside the border permits Israel to encompass Gaza’s land borders and isolate it from Egypt. Management of the Netzarim street route in observe divides northern Gaza, the place few Palestinian stay with destroyed properties and infrastructures, from the southern a part of the coastal enclave, overflowing with refugees from the whole Strip.

“In observe, a long-term association for “the day after” is being drawn up. Israel will management the northern Gaza Strip and drive out the 300,000 Palestinian nonetheless there. Maj.-Gen. (res.) Giora Eiland, the struggle’s ideologue, proposes ravenous them to demise, or exiling them, as a lever with which to defeat Hamas. The Israeli proper envisions a Jewish settlement of the realm, with huge actual property potential of handy topography, a sea view, and proximity to central Israel.

“The 57-year expertise of the occupation of the West Financial institution and East Jerusalem signifies that it is a lengthy course of that requires quite a lot of endurance and diplomatic maneuvering functionality. No giant Jewish metropolis will likely be in-built Gaza tomorrow, however progress will likely be made acre by acre, cell house by cell house, outpost by outpost – similar to in Hebron, Elon Moreh, and Gilad Farm. “The southern Gaza Strip will likely be left for Hamas, which should take care of the destitute residents beneath Israeli siege, even after the worldwide group loses curiosity within the story and strikes on to different crises. Netanyahu believes with certainty that, after the U.S. elections, the affect of pro-Palestinian demonstrators on American politics will wane, even when Vice President Kamala Harris wins.” Haaretz

Like many different analysts, I completely misinterpret Israel’s intentions in Gaza. After obliterating one metropolis after one other from north to south, I assumed that Netanyahu had a plan for breaching the Rafah Crossing and driving two million Palestinians into the Sinai Desert. I can see now I used to be unsuitable; that’s not the plan. It might need been the unique technique, however Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi preemptively deployed a large a part of his military to the border to forestall Israel from executing its ethnic cleaning plan. Try the headlines:

Egypt deploys 40 tanks to beef up border with Gaza as Rafah offensive looms Instances of Israel

Pictures present barbed wire, expanded fortifications on Sinai facet of border, with Cairo fearing that Gazans may search shelter from IDF operation by making an attempt to cross into Egypt

Egypt deploys army convoys to Gaza border as tensions with Israel flare, Armoured personnel carriers have been noticed travelling to Egypt’s border with Gaza, as President Sisi implies Israel is ‘delusional’, Center East Eye

Egypt steps up safety on border as Israeli offensive in Gaza nears, Reuters

Egypt deploys tanks close to Gaza forward of Israel’s Rafah offensive
Current pictures reveal intensified fortifications, together with barbed wire and expanded boundaries, alongside the Sinai facet of the border, i24 Information

Why Egypt gained’t enable susceptible Palestinians throughout its border, NPR

So, perhaps, Netanyahu scrapped his unique ethnic cleaning plan as a way to keep away from a full-blown conflagration with Egypt? We don’t know for positive. However what we do know is that Israel’s endgame for Gaza is now in full view. The world north of the hall will likely be occupied by Israeli settlers dedicated to the Zionist best whereas the native inhabitants will likely be left to languish in grinding poverty in makeshift tent cities lower off from the skin world.