WikiLeaks: Israel aimed to keep Gaza economy on brink of collapse

[Cherokee]

This is old but important to remember during this conflict and perpetual blockade of gaza by Israel .


Cable from the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv says Israeli officials wanted Gaza's economy 'functioning at the lowest level possible consistent with avoiding a humanitarian crisis.'
By Reuters | Jan. 5, 2011 | 12:27 PM |

A Palestinian girl stands by sacks of humanitarian aid in Shatie refugee camp, in Gaza City on June 6, 2010.Photo by AP



Israel told U.S. officials in 2008 it would keep Gaza's economy "on the brink of collapse" while avoiding a humanitarian crisis, according to U.S. diplomatic cables published by a Norwegian daily on Wednesday.

Three cables cited by the Aftenposten newspaper, which has said it has all 250,000 U.S. cables leaked to WikiLeaks, showed that Israel kept the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv briefed on its internationally criticized blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The territory, home to 1.3 million Palestinians, is run by the Islamist Hamas group, which is shunned by the West over its refusal to recognize Israel, renounce violence or accept existing interim Israeli-Palestinian peace deals.

"As part of their overall embargo plan against Gaza, Israeli officials have confirmed to (U.S. embassy economic officers) on multiple occasions that they intend to keep the Gazan economy on the brink of collapse without quite pushing it over the edge," one of the cables read.

Israel wanted the coastal territory's economy "functioning at the lowest level possible consistent with avoiding a humanitarian crisis", according to the Nov. 3, 2008 cable.

In a speech in January 2008, then-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert appeared to spell out that policy, which has since been eased in the wake of an international outcry over a deadly Israeli raid last May on a Turkish aid ship trying to break the blockade.

"We will not harm the supply of food for children, medicine for those who need it and fuel for institutions that save lives," Olmert said at the time.

"But there is no justification for demanding we allow residents of Gaza to live normal lives while shells and rockets are fired from their streets and courtyards (at southern Israel)," he added.

Israel says it has significantly relaxed the blockade since May, with dozens of truckloads of goods entering the territory daily. Aid organizations have said shipments should be increased further.

Palestinians say impoverished Gaza remains effectively a "prison" sealed off by Israel, and have called for an opening to allow normal trade and other links with the world.

And finally news agency are picking up . US was aware from 2008 what Israel wanted to do to gaza

Israel Let US in on Plans to Destroy Gaza Economy in 2008 – Wikileaks | Business | RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, August 4 (RIA Novosti) – The US embassy in Tel Aviv had access to reliable information about Israel’s intention to keep gaza economy functioning at the lowest possible level, Wikileaks website said on Monday, citing the US diplomatic document.

“Israeli officials have confirmed to Embassy officials on multiple occasions that they intend to keep the Gazan economy functioning at the lowest level possible consistent with avoiding a humanitarian crisis,” reads the document as quoted by Wikileaks.

A diplomatic dispatch was sent by the embassy to the US State and Treasury Departments on November 3, 2008.

In order to achieve its goals, Israeli government introduced a tight monetary policy in the Gaza Strip cutting the financing of the enclave, as it considered Gaza a “hostile entity.”

A new portion of diplomatic leaks was published on the Wikileaks website amid a new round of ongoing confrontation between Israel and Hamas militants.

According to the documents, the United States was aware of Israel’s oppression of palestinian people, but took no action.

The Israel Defense Forces launched its Operation Protective Edge, its first military campaign since November 2012, in response to continued rocket attacks carried out by Palestinian militants.

On July 17, following days of fighting, Tel Aviv switched to a ground offensive to find and destroy the network of hamas tunnels around the border area.

 

[VCheng]

"We will not harm the supply of food for children, medicine for those who need it and fuel for institutions that save lives," Olmert said at the time.
"But there is no justification for demanding we allow residents of Gaza to live normal lives while shells and rockets are fired from their streets and courtyards (at southern Israel)," he added.

Is there anything wrong with this strategy?

 

[Cherokee]

Is there anything wrong with this strategy?

This kind of strategy leads to what is happening today .

 

[VCheng]

This kind of strategy leads to what is happening today .

What is happening is not one-sided.

 

[Cherokee]

What is happening is not one-sided.

I agree . But if you have to have to put normal population in grinder to achieve your goals you are Nazis .

 

[VCheng]

I agree . But if you have to have to put normal population in grinder to achieve your goals you are Nazis .

The decision to put the population at large through this grinder was made by Hamas as a strategy, not by Israel.

 

[Munir]

ISrael does not care about rules nor dignity. They want arabs to be dead or exported. They want their land and will terrorize them longer, harder and worser then the Nazi ever did to the jews. History showed that a stronger party never will allow weak party to have equal or some rights. This is not the only case with Palestinians but same happened to Bosnian muslims, Kurds in Turkey/Irac/Syria or now the same with the Christians in Irac that are murdered by IS. Maybe one understands that we had to eat grass to get the nukes...

 

[Chak Bamu]

The decision to put the population at large through this grinder was made by Hamas as a strategy, not by Israel.

Are you absolving Israel of its share in bringing this situation about? Is it OK for them to do this? Is it OK to steal other people's land, expel them, make them live in ghettos, control their economy, their life, their freedoms? Is it OK to then ignore the results and blame them for being monsters?

What sort of logic is that?

 

[VCheng]

Are you absolving Israel of its share in bringing this situation about? Is it OK for them to do this? Is it OK to steal other people's land, expel them, make them live in ghettos, control their economy, their life, their freedoms? Is it OK to then ignore the results and blame them for being monsters?

What sort of logic is that?

No, Israel is as much to blame for the present crisis as Hamas in Gaza. Clearly, it needs to defuse the present situation that reduces or eliminates civilian casualties, as much as Hamas's strategies permit it to do so.

But please note that Israel was created in 1948 by the British Empire, because the Jews accepted the partition plan, but there was no Palestine created at the same time because the Palestinian people rejected it and chose to go to war with the help of their Arab neighbors. They have been waging this existential war ever since and have been defeated multiple times.

When they come round to accepting the partition plan, and accept the right of Israel to exist peacefully as a neighbor, only then can the rest of the process be completed that has been left hanging since 1948.

Now, having said that, Israel must also step up to the plate and offer its share of concessions that is needed for the Palestinian people to be able to live in dignity in a free and sovereign country of their own. What each side needs to do to achieve the two state solution is something that can be negotiated peacefully, I am sure, but only if both sides participate equally.

 

[Chak Bamu]

No, Israel is as much to blame for the present crisis as Hamas in Gaza. Clearly, it needs to defuse the present situation that reduces or eliminates civilian casualties, as much as Hamas's strategies permit it to do so.

But please note that Israel was created in 1948 by the British Empire, because the Jews accepted the partition plan, but there was no Palestine created at the same time because the Palestinian people rejected it and chose to go to war with the help of their Arab neighbors. They have been waging this existential war ever since and have been defeated multiple times.

When they come round to accepting the partition plan, and accept the right of Israel to exist peacefully as a neighbor, only then can the rest of the process be completed that has been left hanging since 1948.

Now, having said that, Israel must also step up to the plate and offer its share of concessions that is needed for the Palestinian people to be able to live in dignity in a free and sovereign country of their own. What each side needs to do to achieve the two state solution is something that can be negotiated peacefully, I am sure, but only if both sides participate equally.

Jews living across the world are criticizing Israel. Either Israelis will reform, or make a break between Zionism and Jewish identity. Next, the BDS campaign will start to bite. Then perhaps USA will finally wake up and force them.

BTW why did you change your name?

 

[VCheng]

Jews living across the world are criticizing Israel. Either Israelis will reform, or make a break between Zionism and Jewish identity. Next, the BDS campaign will start to bite. Then perhaps USA will finally wake up and force them.

I can agree with what you have said. Israel must adapt to the changing demographics, and do more to achieve a realistic and durable two-state solution. USA can only help from the sidelines with this realization, but the main impetus must come from both the primary parties to the conflict.

 

[Chak Bamu]

I can agree with what you have said. Israel must adapt to the changing demographics, and do more to achieve a realistic and durable two-state solution. USA can only help from the sidelines with this realization, but the main impetus must come from both the primary parties to the conflict.

Despite the bluster and bravado, Palestinians are ready. Don't be misled by their rhetoric.

Israelis are their own worse enemies. Their fear of Palestinians is fueling a self-fulfilling prophecy via their security obsession.

 

[VCheng]

Despite the bluster and bravado, Palestinians are ready. Don't be misled by their rhetoric.

Israelis are their own worse enemies. Their fear of Palestinians is fueling a self-fulfilling prophecy via their security obsession.

The West Bank is probably more ready than the Gaza strip, but you are correct in saying that everyone will come round to the reality despite the rhetoric. I just wish and hope and pray that less innocent blood is shed. We all bleed red, no matter what faith or country.

 

[fatman17]

what do we mean 'aimed' - Israel 'is' and 'continues' to do so. we dont need wikileaks to tell us that...