Page 23 - Issue 59

ELITE
Vol.1

Issue 59

September
2023

Gaza: a ticking bomb

Abdelrahman Sakr
Second year - Economics - English section
In contrast to what the western media is trying A few deals that defined economic and security
to spread, Hamas is not the one behind the relations were struck later, but none of them
current situation, and it does represent the will was supposed to be a final deal. The final one
of the Palestinians. In fact, both Hamas rise to was supposed to be concluded by 1999. This
power and the 7th of Oct. were inevitable. They led to a sense of urgency.
were made so by Israel’s actions that pushed
the Palestinians to desperation, making Gaza, Israel wanted to build as much settlements as
indeed, a ticking bomb, which exploded on the possible in order to have as much land as
7th of Oct. possible by 1999.
The numbers of settlers increased in this period
The fact that even Antonio Guterres, the UN by 58% in the West Bank alone, from 116,000
secretary general acknowledged that illustrates to 183,000. In 1993, the settler’s proportion of
the extent of how Israel was responsible for the the Israeli population was 2%, today it is 5%.
current situation. "It is important to also
recognize the attacks by Hamas did not happen The result was that Palestinians have lost
in a vacuum. because of Oslo agreement more than what

they seemed to have gained. And the final deal
The Palestinian people have been subjected to never came because Israel had no interest in
56 years of suffocating occupation," Guterres
having one. Why have peace when you are the
said. To understand why that is, you need to go
one to gain from conflict. The result was that in
back to the Oslo agreement in 1993. It stated
the West bank, Palestinians were being kicked
that in five years, a Palestinian state and an
out of their homes and land in order to build
Israeli one would stand in peace next to each
new settlements. Also, they were not given the
other with fixed borders that would be
economic promises that they had been
determined in another final deal.
promised. This led to pushing Palestinians to
totally lose hope of any real peace and losing
The deal was vague and incomprehensive. It
faith in the Palestinian authority.
left the greatest issues, like Jerusalem and the
borders, to be defined later. The only
Thus, they elected Hamas, which rejected the
achievement was a weak and symbolic
Oslo agreement, in 2006, when the last
authority that would rule over Gaza and the legislative elections were held. This was
22 West Bank. supposed to be a warning to Israel.