Gaza Withdrawal

Yossi Klein Halevi writes in the Jerusalem Post about the much talked about plan for removing Jewish settlements from Gaza. Like many, he has many doubts about the wisdom of this move, but in the end he believes that it needs to be done.

Unilateral withdrawal holds one clear gain for Arafat and Hamas leaders: the chance to prove to their own demoralized people that terror works. But it also holds one potentially devastating disadvantage: If Gaza implodes after Israeli withdrawal, the Palestinian national movement could self-destruct.

Nor are the Palestinians oblivious to the political gains Israel may achieve from withdrawal. The very promise of withdrawal has already won Israel a historic American concession: The recent administration decision to accept Israel's building in settlement blocs - the first time since 1967 that America has endorsed Israel's right to build over the Green Line - is a direct result of Sharon's withdrawal initiative.

I think he is right that in some ways withdrawal will be politically useful for Israel, especially if the US then recognizes Israel's right to parts of Judea and Samaria.

On the other hand, this argument is not persuasive:

And if missiles start falling on Ashkelon and we need to return to Gaza? Then we will hit back - state against state, rather than occupying army against an occupied people.

Does he really think that Europe et al. would allow this? The reaction to Israel's retaliations would be similar to today's EU statement that Israel should not threaten Syria. The settlements in Gaza will need to be removed at some point, I'm just not convinced that now is the best time to do it.