Israel must be pressured

Gaza should be rebuilt, but there will be no lasting solution and more destruction unless Western powers use their influence

A few years ago, the EU isolated Austria after its government included a far-right movement. Will they do the same to Israel? Unfortunately, so far, a peace agreement doesn't seem to be a realistic possibility

An international conference on Gaza Strip rebuilding has just been held in Sharm Al Shaikh, Egypt. When we consider the situation in Gaza after the war, the necessity of this conference seems crystal clear.

Besides the death toll (1,300 Palestinians killed and 5,500 wounded), the degree of destruction is enormous. More than 4,000 houses have been totally destroyed and 20,000 partially. One hundred thousand people are homeless and 400,000 have no access to clean water. On top of that, 50 United Nations buildings have been destroyed as well as 21 medical structures.

The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) hoped to receive $2.8 billion (Dh10.2 billion). Saudi Arabia offered $1 billion, Qatar $250 million, Algeria $100 million, the US $900 million, the EU $554 million and Britain $43 million.

Israel won't have to foot the bill, although it was responsible for the bombings. This is the first contradiction. Why must countries that were not guilty of the bombings pay the bill? Is it because they feel guilty for not having been able to prevent it?

It is obvious that there is an urgent need to rebuild Gaza, so that the humiliation does not lead to hate. If we want to give the Palestinian people an alternative to resentment and calls for revenge, rebuilding is a necessity. We cannot afford to wait for peace to begin work and we cannot allow people to remain homeless for months or even years. But on the other hand, it is not clear that rebuilding should begin before a peace agreement is reached. Since Israel doesn't have to pay for the consequences of its behaviour, it could bomb Gaza again if it deems it necessary.

There is now only a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. The launching of rockets and bombings could resume at any moment. Therefore, further destruction could take place before the rebuilding has been completed. Louis Michel, the European Union commissioner, has already stated that European taxpayers are tired of paying for Palestinian infrastructure, only for it then to be destroyed by Israel.

Another contradiction is that the Western countries still refuse to speak to Hamas. Instead, they offer their support and money to the PNA. But the problem is that the PNA is non-existent in Gaza, which is strictly under Hamas' rule. And after the war, the PNA has been weakened and Hamas strengthened. It will be difficult to rebuild Gaza without any contact with the movement that controls it.

Israel has shifted to the right and Benjamin Netanyahu has been entrusted with forming a government. He will probably include Avigdor Lieberman, the far-right leader who has repeatedly expressed racist and aggressive views on Palestinians. He has called for bombings of Gaza, Aswan Dam and Iran. He has called for the deportation of Palestinians and proposed to deprive Arabs living before 1948 in Israel of citizenship if they do not recognise the Jewish nature of Israel. When we think of the wave of protests in the Western world after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talked about erasing Israel from the map, it would be interesting to see what the reaction is if Lieberman becomes a part of the government.

We must remember also that a few years ago, European Union members isolated Austria after its government included a far-right movement. Will they do the same to Israel?

Unfortunately, so far, a peace agreement doesn't seem to be a realistic possibility.

With a more powerful Hamas in Gaza and a far-right-leaning Israeli government, it would be irrational to hope for an agreement.

Will Western governments give up their pro-Israeli positions and begin to put some pressure on the aggressor? It would be welcome. In Sharm Al Shaikh, French President Nicolas Sarkozy stated that Gaza should no longer be a jail and that the permanent opening of border crossings must be a priority. Even if they do not express their views in public, Western leaders hope that Netanyahu will fail to form a government and that new elections will lead to a more amenable coalition. But time is running out.

Sarkozy called for the creation of a viable Palestinian state this year. We have heard this before. It led to the road map for peace and to the Annapolis Conference in 2007. It will be impossible to find a solution without putting pressure on Israel.

Dr Pascal Boniface is the founder and director of the Institut de Relations Internationales et Strategiques.