Foreign Minister Yair Lapid presented on Sunday a new proposal for the development of the Gaza Strip, saying that Israel’s policy since it withdrew from the coastal enclave in 2005, which included restrictions on movement and commerce, has not been effective in preventing attacks by Hamas and other armed groups.
Speaking at a conference at Reichman University in Herzliya, Lapid called for “economy in exchange for security.” Such a move, according to Lapid, “would create stability on both sides of the border.”
“The international community and the residents of Gaza must know that Hamas’ terrorism is preventing them from leading a normal life,” Lapid argued.
In that vein, Lapid emphasized that he is not suggesting that negotiations be conducted with Hamas. Instead, he laid forth a vision of an internationally-brokered arrangement to be overseen by Egypt and other global players, and involving the active participation of the Palestinian Authority, which controls only the West Bank but is recognized the world over as the representative of the Palestinian people.
Yair Lapid speaking at Reichman University in Herzliya, on Sunday.Ronen Topelberg
“We can’t accept this reality,” the foreign minister said. “The State of Israel has a duty to tell its citizens we have turned every stone in an attempt to deal with the Gazan issue.” He also noted that Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Defense Minister Benny Gantz back his position.
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