Israel Is All Set To Take Over Gaza, West Bank Area
By Nantoo Banerjee
Gaza's Hamas militants face an unmitigated disaster as Israel is all set to take full control over Gaza strip after a gap of almost 20 years. Simultaneously, Israel seems to be gearing up to annex a substantial portion (Area C) of West Bank ignoring protests from France, the United Kingdom and Sweden and even a section of its own people In Tel Aviv. Last week, Israel said it would establish 22 additional Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. Hamas has few genuine supporters in the Arab world barring Iran and pro-Iran Houthis. Gaza may soon become a part of Israel's extended territory with Palestinian population vastly diminished due to death and displacement during the Israel-Hamas war since October 7, 2023. The present Gaza war follows several unresolved Israeli–Palestinian conflicts in the past, including those in 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, and 2021.
Ironically, Israel gave up the control of the Gaza strip, one of the world's most densely populated settlements, in 2005. It withdrew from the Gaza strip and dismantled all its settlements. Israel also withdrew from the Philadelphi Route, a narrow strip of land adjacent to the border with Egypt, after Egypt agreed to secure its side of the border after the Agreement on Movement and Access, known as the Rafah accord. The Israeli army had invaded and took control of the Gaza strip in 1967 following a six-day war. It also captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem. At the time of Israel's withdrawal from the 40-kilometer-long Gaza strip, its population was as large as 1.3 million. The birth rate in Gaza is among the highest in the world. However, there was little room for a proper Jewish settlement there to govern the place without much tension.
The Palestinian population is expected to be reduced significantly due to death and dislocation by the time of the end of the war, which seems to have reached the final stage. Nearly 70 percent of Gaza's Palestinian population are refugees, depending mostly on humanitarian assistance for their daily livelihood. The security-linked Israeli blockade of transport movement through the land, air, and sea has forced a good number of the Gaza population to flee the area or die of starvation. In a way, Gaza's refugee population has long been held captive by the Hamas militants running the show in the narrow strip. Once reacquired, Israel will ensure an adequate presence of Jewish population in Gaza to ensure its smooth management and make the strip economically viable.
Once the Gaza strip is conquered and a good part of the West Bank comes under the full Israeli control, the country is expected to concentrate on realising its long-cherished dream to emerge as one of the world's top economic and military power. Currently, Israel is West Asia's most developed and advanced country, boasting the 17th largest foreign-exchange reserves in the world. It has the highest average wealth per adult in the 18-member West Asian region, including those on or near the Arabian Peninsula, as well as Turkey, Egypt, and Iran. Israel ranks 10th worldwide by financial assets per capita. Notably, as many as eight Arab states now openly and unabashedly deal with Israel. They are: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Morocco, Bahrain and Sudan.
Assuming that Israel's fighting in Gaza and Lebanon will ease soon, the latest economic survey report of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has forecast that the country's economy will grow at a rate of 3.4 percent in 2025 and 5.5 percent in 2026, which is faster than the OECD's average growth forecast for the global economy of 3.1 percent in 2025 and three percent in 2026. The OECD's growth forecast for the current year is lower than the Bank of Israel's projection of four percent and the Israel Finance Ministry's 4.4 percent. However, the OECD expects Israel's economy to rebound this year although it is pessimistic about the pace of growth, citing the risk of war-related spending that continues to take a toll on the country's finances.
The 2023 US News & World Report ranked Israel among the world's 10 most powerful countries. It found the Israeli military the fourth strongest globally, behind only the US, China and Russia. The Report said Israel is also the world's sixth most politically influential power. It should be noted that Israel's bid to become a leading global economic and military power are multifaceted. They include strengthening of the country's high-tech sector, continuous innovation in defence technology, and fostering a robust economy. Several multinational corporations are setting up R&D centres in the country. It has a vibrant startup ecosystem, which attracts both local and international investment, and fosters innovation. Israel has a well-established and highly innovative defence manufacturing industry, developing advanced weaponry and technology. The country is a significant exporter of defence equipment.
Israel wants to end the Gaza war as early as possible to concentrate on the country's economic development. In his first press conference of the year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that by the end of the current war, the entire Gaza strip would be under Israeli security control. Interestingly, Palestinians in the southern Gaza region have lately taken to the streets to protest against Hamas. Those Gaza-based Palestinian demonstrators were seen in videos posted on social media calling for an end to the war and for the removal of the armed group from Gaza. 'Out! Out! Out! All of Hamas, out!' they chanted. With the head of the Hamas armed wing, Mohammed Sinwar, killed in an Israeli strike last week, the Gaza war is most unlikely to last long. (IPA Service)
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