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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
"But it is only a matter of time before a non-state entity acquires one, possibly from an aforementioned state
Why? In 50 years of cold war and proxy war between the Soviets and the west the soviets managed to keep their nuclear weapons out of the hands to their non state clients. Other nuclear armed states would have every incentive to do the same."
The days of only two players (Soviets & the West) kept in detente by mutual assured destruction are over. Pakistan's top nuclear scientist sold information and materials to Iran and Libya. North Korea was helping Syria build an alleged nuclear reactor. Nuke know-how is spreading to more states with reactionary leaders and overt ties to extreme groups.
It is a big gamble for Israel to assume fear of reprisal or precise military strikes will stave off the nuke threat indefinitely. Especially when Israel's unquestioned military supremacy has been unable to squelch militant groups who fervently employ asymmetric warfare.
I see better security and stability in seeking a single integrated state.
What Israel Gave Up in Hopes of Peace - Gaza Withdrawal Aug. 2005
100%
proportion of the Gaza Strip evacuated and handed over to the
Palestinians. [24]
300
square miles of the West Bank evacuated. [25]
21
Israeli settlements uprooted in the Gaza Strip. [26]
4
Israeli settlements uprooted in the West Bank. [27]
48
graves uprooted in Gaza’s former Gush Katif Cemetery, including six graves of area residents murdered by terrorists. [28]
9,000
approximate number of Israelis, including 1,700 families, who lived in Gaza and the northern West Bank. All of them were moved out as part of the withdrawal. [29]
38
synagogues dismantled in the Gaza Strip. [30]
5,000
school-age children who had to find new schools. [31]
42
daycare centers that were closed in the Gaza Strip. [32]
36
kindergartens that were closed in the Gaza Strip. [33]
7
elementary schools that were closed in the Gaza Strip. [34]
3
high schools that were closed in the Gaza Strip. [35]
320
mobile homes, ordered by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, to serve as temporary housing for settlers. [36]
45,000
Israeli soldiers and policemen who participated in the Gaza withdrawal. [37]
$1.7 billion
the approximate cost to the Israeli government for the withdrawal initiative. [38]
166
Israeli farmers who were moved out of Gaza. [39]
800
cows, which comprised the second largest dairy farm in Israel, moved out of Gaza’s Gush Katif community. [40]
$120 million
value of flowers and produce exported annually from Gush Katif and lost following the evacuation. [41]
1
zoo, the “Katifari,” that housed hundreds of animals and was moved. [42]
10,000
people who were employed in agriculture and related industries in Gush Katif, including 5,000 Palestinians. [43]
60%
proportion of Israel's cherry tomato exports that came from the Gaza Strip. Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza extinguished this economic resource. [44]
3.5 million
square meters (almost 1,000 acres) of greenhouses abandoned in Gaza. [45]
70
percentage of Israel's organic produce grown in Gaza – another economic resource lost in the evacuation. [46]
60
percentage of herbs exported from Israel that came from Gush Katif. [47]
15
percentage of Israel agricultural exports that originated in Gaza – exports lost following Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza. [48]
$360,000
expected average compensation amount Israel expected to pay to relocate each family. [49]
$870 million
approximate cost for Israel to facilitate the resettlement of former West Bank and Gaza residents elsewhere in the country. [50]
$500 million
amount of money Israel's security establishment spent to relocate Israel Defense Forces bases outside the Gaza Strip and build new border crossing facilities. [51]
[24] Israeli Cabinet Resolution Regarding the Disengagement Plan, June 6, 2004, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace+Process/Guide+to+the+Peace+Process/Israels+Disengagement+Plan-+Renewing+the+Peace+Process+Apr+2005.htm
[25] “Israel’s Disengagement Plan,” American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Feb. 9, 2005, http://aipac.org/result.cfm?id=1749
[26] Israeli Cabinet Resolution Regarding the Disengagement Plan, June 6, 2004, http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace+Process/Guide+to+the+Peace+Process/Israels+Disengagement+Plan-+Renewing+the+Peace+Process+Apr+2005.htm
[27] Ibid.
[28] Interview with Dror Vanunu, Head of Public Relations for Gush Katif, July 7, 2005; Interview with Dror Vanunu, Head of Public Relations for Gush Katif, June 15, 2005
[29] Interview with Dror Vanunu, Head of Public Relations for Gush Katif, July 7, 2005
[30] “Engaging Disengagement,” The Jewish Agency for Israel, Department for Jewish Zionist Education, June 20, 2005, http://www.jewishagency.org/JewishAgency/English/Home/#did
[31] Plushnick-Masti, Ramit, “Israel to use 45,000 troops in Gaza, West Bank pullout,” Detroit Free Press, July 6, 2005
[32] “Engaging Disengagement,” The Jewish Agency for Israel, Department for Jewish Zionist Education, June 20, 2005, http://www.jewishagency.org/JewishAgency/English/Home/#did
[33] Ibid.
[34] Ibid.
[35] Plushnick-Masti, Ramit, “Israel to use 45,000 troops in Gaza, West Bank pullout,” Detroit Free Press, July 6, 2005
[36] Ibid.
[37] Klein, Zeev, “Haber: HCJ ruling will raise disengagement cost to NIS 500m,” Globes: Israel’s Business Arena, June 5, 2005
[38] Arrow, Minda Lee, “Gaza settler relocation: new progress, ongoing complications,” The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, June 15, 2005, http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC05.php?CID=2326
[39] Lazaroff, Tovah, “Gush Katif dairy farmer has sleepless nights over cow remo(o)val” The Jerusalem Post, May 3, 2005
[40] Stahl, Julie, “Gaza farmers say government has no plan for them,” Cybercast News Service, April 11, 2005
[41] Ettinger, Yair, “Even the animals won’t leave Gaza early,” Haaretz newspaper, June 21, 2005, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=590195
[42] “Israel,” Freedom House, July 6, 2005
[43] Ibid.
[44] Ibid.
[45] Ibid.
[46] Ibid.
[47] Ibid.
[48] Ibid.
[49] “Rabbi rules Gaza graves must be moved; ZAKA refuses to lend a helping hand,” Israeli Insider, May 4, 2005, http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/5469.htm
[50] Ibid.
[51] Ibid.
430,000
West Bank Palestinians able to move freely within and between Palestinian-controlled areas. [52]
1
Israeli remaining in Gaza. Staff Sgt. Gilad Shalit was abducted from Israel on June 25, 2006 by Hamas in a bloody cross-border raid in which the terrorists also killed two IDF soldiers and wounded four others. [53]
1.2 million
Arabs who remained full and legal citizens of Israel. All Israeli citizens – Christians, Muslims, and Jews – have freedom of speech, religion, press, and the right to vote. [54]
1.3 million
Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip many of them in Palestinian Authority-controlled refugee camps, who live under their own leaders. [55]
820,000
Jewish refugees forced to flee without their belongings from Arab countries between 1947 and 1949, and who have never been compensated by Arab governments for their losses. [58]
650,000
Arab refugees who left Israel from 1947-1949 and still need Palestinian leaders who will end terrorism and the culture of hate. [57]
[52] Ibid.
[53] Harel, Amos; Issacharoff, Avi; Haaretz Service and Reuters, "Two soldiers killed, one missing in raid on IDF post," Haaretz, June 25, 2006, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/730994.html
[54] Radler, David, “Refugees forever?” Jerusalem Post, July 6, 2005, http://info.jpost.com/C003/Supplements/Refugees/index.html
[55] “Rabbi rules Gaza graves must be moved; ZAKA refuses to lend a helping hand,” Israeli Insider, May 4, 2005, http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/5469.htm
[56] Interview with Dror Vanunu, Head of Public Relations for Gush Katif, June 15, 2005
[57] Radler, David, “Refugees forever?” Jerusalem Post, July 6, 2005, http://info.jpost.com/C003/Supplements/Refugees/index.html
Israel’s withdrawal from four northern West Bank settlements created an area more than twice the size of Gaza’s 140 square miles under Palestinian control and devoid of any Israeli presence. [58]
[58] “Rabbi rules Gaza graves must be moved; ZAKA refuses to lend a helping hand,” Israeli Insider, May 4, 2005, http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/5469.htm
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Salon headlines in your mailbox
