Palestinians celebrated as Israel began to withdraw its soldiers and settlers from the Gaza Strip (and from a handful of small and isolated colonies in the northern West Bank). The withdrawal will, it's true, offer some immediate relief after 38 years of military occupation. At the same time, however, it's clear that it is designed to serve Israel's interests, not those of the Palestinians. It will allow the Palestinians of Gaza greater freedom to move about internally, but it will do nothing to resolve their long-term problems; on the contrary, it will leave the territory just as isolated from the outside world - including the West Bank and east Jerusalem, which, with Gaza, were supposed to form the basis of a Palestinian state - and just as much subject to Israeli power.

LRB 1 September 2005 | PDF Download