Repeatedly over the course of the last few years, we have heard voices around the world calling for the lifting of the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. Gaza, of course, is a coastal Palestinian area from which Israel evacuated its force nine years ago so that there could be Palestinian self rule. The Israeli gesture of leaving Gaza resulted in the terror organization Hamas taking control in the territory and using that area as a base for continuing attacks on Israel itself. Things got so bad the a few years ago, there was a short war during which Israeli forces returned to Gaza to battle Hamas. That fighting ended with a cease fire. Since then, however, Israel has enforced a blockade on Gaza which prevents the importation of items of military value to reinforce the Hamas units inside the area.
One of the big complaints about the Israeli blockade from Europe and elsewhere is that it prevents the entry of so called "humanitarian" supplies. The complaints are not focused on food or clothing or medicines, all of which flow freely into Gaza. No, the complaints speak of things like building supplies which are shoved into the humanitarian category. About two years ago, Israel agreed to let those building supplies into Gaza in response to the complaints from around the world.
Now we have the discovered the results of that change in policy. The Israelis discovered a tunnel running underground from Gaza into Israel. The tunnel runs deep underground for a distance of almost two kilometers. It was built using reinforced concrete from those "humanitarian" supplies. It is both tall and wide enough for men to run through easily. It has electric lights and power. It has periodic phone lines in it. In short, the tunnel would make the perfect place from which to kidnap Israelis and bring them back to Gaza as hostages. It would also make the perfect starting place for a terror attack inside Israel. Indeed, it would be a perfect place from which Hamas soldiers could get behind the border forces of Israel and attack them from the rear.
The truth is that the Israelis ought to just shut the border again to all building supplies that could be used for this sort of construction. After all, this is the third of these tunnels that have been discovered. The only logical conclusion is that there are others in the works as well. There is no reason why the Israelis should allow terrorists like Hamas to get the means to attack Israel in the future.
One of the big complaints about the Israeli blockade from Europe and elsewhere is that it prevents the entry of so called "humanitarian" supplies. The complaints are not focused on food or clothing or medicines, all of which flow freely into Gaza. No, the complaints speak of things like building supplies which are shoved into the humanitarian category. About two years ago, Israel agreed to let those building supplies into Gaza in response to the complaints from around the world.
Now we have the discovered the results of that change in policy. The Israelis discovered a tunnel running underground from Gaza into Israel. The tunnel runs deep underground for a distance of almost two kilometers. It was built using reinforced concrete from those "humanitarian" supplies. It is both tall and wide enough for men to run through easily. It has electric lights and power. It has periodic phone lines in it. In short, the tunnel would make the perfect place from which to kidnap Israelis and bring them back to Gaza as hostages. It would also make the perfect starting place for a terror attack inside Israel. Indeed, it would be a perfect place from which Hamas soldiers could get behind the border forces of Israel and attack them from the rear.
The truth is that the Israelis ought to just shut the border again to all building supplies that could be used for this sort of construction. After all, this is the third of these tunnels that have been discovered. The only logical conclusion is that there are others in the works as well. There is no reason why the Israelis should allow terrorists like Hamas to get the means to attack Israel in the future.
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