Rebuilding Gaza: Where Israel Could Shine

In the bloodiest attack on Jews since the Holocaust, October 6, 2023, will be remembered as one of the darkest days in Israel. The country responded with full force, bombing Gaza and razing upwards of eighty percent of the structures there.

Indeed, there were civilian casualties, despite Israeli warnings that attacks were coming.

In the aftermath, the world turned its face against the Jewish state, with accusations of “genocide” being the most common.

Israel has made every effort to explain its actions, as if it had to: the victim was turned into the aggressor; the murdered into perpetrators.

Israel has found itself on the raw end of world opinion, from which they have been working diligently to escape.

But there is indeed a way out.

While there is a framework for the rebuilding of Gaza, there is indeed much to be worked out.  Of course, primarily guarantees of Israel’s security.

However, in order to turn the tide that has risen high against it, Israel can put its best foot forward by being more engaged in the future of Gaza.

One must remember that Hamas was not a small terrorist group within the Gaza territory—it was their legitimate, elected government. Nevertheless, there were innocent people killed there and thousands of lives disrupted.

So far, the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) is at the head of the new development.  This is a transitional body that is part of Comprehensive Plan and the 2026 Gaza Roadmap—backed by the US—that is Palestinian in nature, but not in any way part of Hamas.

The World Bank and the EU have been tapped for most of the funding.

So here is perhaps the naïve question that must be asked:  Why can’t the Israeli government supported by civilians of good will get more directly involved in the process?

There may be concrete reasons that have to do with diplomacy and decorum that are preventing it from doing so, but for the sake of the country’s future, every effort should be made to trumpet the fact that Israel is a moral country that acted in self-defense but is now ready to show a heart of compassion.

Putting aside all nuances of the conflict, it is clear that Jews around the world are under the specter of anti-Semitism.   There have been violent attacks on Synagogues, Jewish schools—and, of course, individuals.

Rather than just insisting that the actions in Gaza do not constitute “genocide,” a good strategy would be to speak directly to the issue by showing that Israel is ready and able to put resources to work in the rebuilding effort.

Critics have been yelling about Israel’s “intentional” starving of the residents of Gaza by not allowing food, medicine and hygiene products into the strip. The merits of this will not be debated here.  But what if Israel shut the mouths of her critics by flooding Gaza with all the things they are accused keeping out; a government and grassroots program covered heavily by the press?

Naïve? Pie in the sky?

Perhaps, but to fail to do something of that order is to add fuel to the false narratives and accusations of the international community.

For many, to do nothing is to admit guilt.

Of course, there are those in Israeli society who would like to push a button and make Gaza disappear, or to turn it into a resort enclave.

Certainly, that is not going to happen; one must deal in objective realities.

There are times when nations are judged, not by what they have done, but what they might have done.

In the end, the best revenge can sometimes be compassion.

Joseph M Bianchi is an independent journalist whose work has appeared in national and international publications.  He has written extensively on Israeli politics and anti-Semitism.  He lives in Greenville, SC, USA.