Rebuilding the Gaza Strip after the war damage Israel inflicted on the enclave is today a mean, painful exercise and unfortunately subject to political expediency. Gaza’s beleaguered 1.8 million residents have no choice but to keep hoping that things will be better soon.
Sunday’s brief visit of the former British prime minister Tony Blair, who is the representative of the Middle East Quartet, was an almost shy affair; one that he probably didn’t want to make in the first place. This is because he knows neither he nor the Quartet that he represents — the US, Russia, Europe and the UN — are in no position to bring to an end the suffering of the people of Gaza. Of course, and giving him the benefit of the doubt, Blair has already seen the extent of the destruction in Gaza that has been caused by Israel. Tel Aviv has created a territorial wasteland with the dropping of 20,000 tons of bombs on a defenceless population during its deadly campaign.
That may explain why Blair’s visit, part of a regional tour of Egypt and Israel, was made in a just few hours. It was like getting in through the Erez checkpoint and getting out — very easy for him but not for the Palestinians who have been under Israel’s siege since 2007.
Blair and some media outlets talk about the need to develop Gaza, the possible eruption of violence in the Strip if this doesn’t happen, the need to re-energise the private sector, to open up crossing points and the need to think of a new approach to peace. It is just a parroting of old and new truths, as the situation on the ground needs political will and determination. There is a deadlock, involving abrasive powers and even political parties and groups with different interests.
Israel has reneged on its promise to lift the crippling siege on Gaza, which was made when it agreed to a ceasefire following its self-declared war on the territory at the end of August last year. It is refusing to allow goods such as cement and equipment into the Strip, under the pretext that it will be used to build tunnels. But this is such a cynical view!
It is Israel that literally destroyed any semblance of civil society in the different areas, neighbourhoods, public places and markets of Gaza with its 2014 mayhem. Its most recent war is globally seen as being even worse than the ones it launched against the people of Gaza in 2012 and 2009, when its military ceaselessly pounded the beleaguered Palestinian territory.
Apart from the fact that more than 2,200 Palestinians were killed — mostly civilians, including 539 children — the 51-day war also destroyed 100,000 homes, with 20,000 people either living in tents near or in shelters run by the UN. The Cairo donors conference held last October pledged $5.4 billion (Dh19.83 billion), but none of that except a tiny fraction has been delivered. Donors themselves no doubt continue to be in dire straits, in a political muddle and in a conundrum with alleged concerns about how the money will be put up, how will it be delivered and to whom. Will it be to the Palestinian unity government in Ramallah, which Israel doesn’t want, or will it be to Hamas, the effective rulers in Gaza?
Money, and plenty of it, does exist but the politicking remains a major worry and need to be ironed out or so it is claimed. All are waiting for this matter to be solved, including the Gulf states. Saudi Arabia has pledged $500 million, Qatar $1 billion and the UAE $200 million.
Living in a limbo
Meanwhile, people continue to suffer, living in a social and psychological limbo with little or no money in their pockets, unemployment at 41 per cent, an infrastructure that is completely destroyed and an economy that has hit rock bottom. It is these figures that Blair, the Quartet, and other Arab countries need to mull over and question their consciousness about. Should Gaza go to waste or can the case be made for moving out of the ‘bureaucratic mentality’ and start the ball rolling to rebuild the region?
For Israel, it is the happy-go-lucky story as recently released figures show economic growth in the last quarter of 2014 standing at 7.2 per cent. Undoubtedly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be basking in the limelight as he gets ready to face the Israeli electorate, while he continues to bleed the people of Gaza through his barbaric blockade.
For him this is the best economic news since 2007 as he continues to squeeze the Palestinian National Authority, with his refusal to release $127 million of their money as a way of wielding the Israeli stick, and which results in more Palestinian misery because of the government’s inability to pay civil servants their monthly wages. In Gaza, its even worse for the UN. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been paying rents and allowances to displaced Palestinians living under the sky. They need another $720 million to continue. If they don’t get that they might as well shut up shop.
So, it seems Blair will have a lot on his plate. Can he honestly, truthfully and dispassionately tell the world and the Quartet how the Palestinians of Gaza are spending their days? Did he have the time to formulate a wholesome picture, or will there be a lot of politics to consider?
— Marwan Asmar is a commentator based in Amman. He has long worked in journalism and has a PhD in Political Science from Leeds University in the United Kingdom.
