Gaza needs to be reabsorbed into Israel and land extended on the West Bank to accommodate EXISTING Palestinian villages.
The 'newness' of the 'idea' seems radical to many and a conspiracy against Isreal is propagandized. (click here)
In defense of the potential for a contiguous Palestine, it would remove Israel as its guardian and place defined borders into place that the international community would have to accept and honor. It would remove the 'impetus' by Palestine to attack Israel in an ideology that has kept them in chaos for decades.
I do not advocate the 1967 borders simply because Palestine does not provide for prudent population growth that is sustainable and stablizing to a very poor economy. There has been to much 'water under the bridge' RATHER THAN peace to allow for a return to 'that land mass.'
...From the Israeli perspective, (click title to entry - thank you) at least, the Gaza problem was supposed to have been solved in August, 2005, when Ariel Sharon, then the Prime Minister, closed down the Jewish settlements on the Strip and withdrew Israeli forces. The international community and the Israeli left wing applauded the move. But, almost immediately, mortar and rocket attacks from the Strip multiplied. Five months later, Hamas won its parliament victory. Ari Shavit, a prominent columnist for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, told me recently in Jerusalem, “We dismantled the settlements, and then we sat back and said, ‘Let’s have a new beginning.’ What we got was rockets and Gilad Shalit. People became very angry, and Shalit becomes an icon of that frustration.”...
There are enormous problems in both Israel and Palestine. The chronic upheaval of authoity is proof of the lack of values extremists such as Hamas exhibits toward their people. They refuse to recognize any measure as a valuable token of peace and good will. When Israel vacated Gaza it was believed that would define a final chapter in the conflict between these two people, but, Hamas has no values that include humanity or peace, they seek only power and killing as if that is all that matters anymore.
Leaving Gaza was a heroic gesture by Israel. I can't believe they regret it today. Israel wants peace, it recognizes the need for a Palestinian Homeland, however, none of its efforts to improve the circumstances of the Palestinians, either in the land they seek or a quality of life that is considered important by most nations satisfies their violent tendancies. There is only one reasonable conclusion and that is the extremists conducting the violence want to end the sovereign nation of Israel. There is too much evidence that points to that conclusion.
A sovereign contiguous Palestine would end the 'idea' of destroying a land called Israel. I do not see that Hamas has earned the right to live in Gaza, so much have PROVEN their lack of ability to understand and value civilization.
Unfortunately, if Palestine is disgruntled regarding the 'size' of their contiguous nation, then they need to realize there is a price to be paid for hatred and imprudent leadership.
