1. Praying with their eyes closed: reflections on the disengagement from Gaza
- Author
-
Roy, Sara
- Subjects
Gaza Strip -- Military aspects ,Gaza Strip -- International aspects ,Israel -- Foreign policy ,Israel -- Military policy ,West Bank -- Military aspects ,West Bank -- International aspects ,Retreats (Military science) -- Planning ,Military occupation -- International aspects ,Israel-Arab conflicts -- Military aspects ,Israel-Arab conflicts -- International aspects ,Company business planning ,International relations ,Regional focus/area studies - Abstract
Israel's disengagement plan is widely hailed by the international community, led by the United States, as a first step toward the final resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the establishment of a viable Palestinian state. This essay is a refutation of that view. After presenting the current situation of Gaza as the result of deliberate Israeli policies of economic integration, deinstitutionalization, and closure, the author demonstrates how provisions of the plan itself preclude the establishment of a viable economy in the Strip. Examining the plan's implications for the West Bank, the author argues that the occupation, far from ending, will actually be consolidated. She concludes with a look at the disengagement within the context of previous agreements, particularly Oslo--all shaped by Israel's overwhelming power--and the steadily shrinking possibilities offered to the Palestinians.
- Published
- 2005