Gaza: Israel wants to occupy territories permanently
Israel is aiming for permanent control of the occupied territories in the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that the army will not withdraw once its operations are concluded but remain stationed there, and that residents are to be relocated from the north to the south for their own protection. Commentators voice alarm.
An ultimatum to Hamas
La Repubblica comments:
“The operation will involve thousands of reservists who are far from happy with the decision and will result in the displacement of millions of Palestinians. This is an ultimatum to Hamas, which will be triggered if no deal is reached on the release of the hostages within around ten days, i.e. when the 'window of opportunity' provided by Donald Trump's trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Emirates ends on 16 May. This brings us back to the plan of the messianic ultra-right to occupy these 365 square kilometres of battered Palestinian land even though it is not yet clear whether the occupation will be total or partial, temporary or permanent.”
Critical voices in Israel too
There are still opponents of Netanyahu in his own country, Avvenire interjects:
“It's reassuring that there are still many voices in Israel that reject the racist, fundamentalist and xenophobic behaviour of the ultra-right government in power; and that part of this society still feels appalled by the humanitarian catastrophe affecting the Palestinian population and the government's cynical indifference to the fate of the Israeli citizens who are still hostages. A catastrophe that is the result of Prime Minister Netanyahu's deliberate intention of continuing the war indefinitely to impose the long-term reoccupation of the land and to initiate the 'resettlement' of its inhabitants.”
Forever war and perpetual hell
The plan for humanitarian aid to be distributed by private organisations are mere window dressing, The Economist laments:
“The plan has huge flaws. It leaves the Palestinians reliant on subsistence-level rationing indefinitely. It is not clear how hospitals and refugee shelters will be supplied. ... Israeli officials expect aid organisations will eventually capitulate and offer to help once they realise this is the only way aid will get into Gaza without Hamas being in tacit control. ... Gaza is becoming Israel's forever war, and Gazans' perpetual hell.”