Moving More Quickly in Egypt

The Egyptian government is accelerating the preparation of a buffer zone between Egyptian territory and that of the Gaza Strip.  The Egyptians are reacting to a series of terrorist attacks in Sinai against police and military installations by men who infiltrate into the region from Gaza.  In order to stop these attacks, Egypt is tearing down all structures located within one half mile of the Gaza border and it is also digging a deep trench across that strip of vacant land.  This is intended to prevent or at least limit construction of tunnels from Gaza to buildings on the Egyptian side which can be used for smuggling as well as for infiltration by terrorists into Egypt.  The plan is to keep the terrorists bottled up in Gaza.  For the moment, there is no trade across the border and no movement of people in or out of Gaza.

The Egyptian move makes perfect sense.  There can still be movement of people and goods from Egypt to Gaza should that be appropriate, but that trade and travel will have to go through Egyptian checkpoints so that terrorists cannot sneak across the border.

It is worth considering the thundering silence that has met the Egyptian construction of this barrier strip.  No one has said anything about it in Europe or elsewhere.  Now imagine the reaction if Israel were to build the exact same strip around Gaza and to stop trade and movement of people across the border.  The outcry would be immediate and intense.  The truth, however, is that there is no reason why Israel should not cut off all contact, travel and trade with Gaza.  When the people in Gaza stop support for terrorists like Hamas, they can rejoin the civilized world.  Until then.....