Unilateral Israeli withdrawal from Gaza: A complex history and consequences

Is Israel paying the price for unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005?

Gaza has not always been under the control of Hamas, nor was it always besieged.

Before delving into the consequences of Israel's withdrawal, it is important to understand the historical context. Gaza was occupied and under complete Israeli control since 1967, following the expulsion of Egypt. 

It was not until the Oslo Peace Accords between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel in 1993 that Yasser Arafat, the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, returned to Gaza in 1994. This marked the formation of the local Palestinian Authority in the region, a precursor to complete Palestinian control. 

However, Israel maintained control over Gaza's borders, with over 21 Israeli settlements within its current boundaries and 8,000 Israeli residents.

The former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon proposed withdrawing from the Gaza Strip. There were several reasons for this decision:

-       Demographic concerns: Gaza had over 1.3 million Palestinians at the time, with a high birth rate.

-       Repeated attacks on Israeli forces within the Gaza Envelope and rocket attacks launched toward surrounding Israeli areas, which Israel still considered occupied.

The Israeli unilateral withdrawal from Gaza occurred without coordination with the Palestinian Authority. The settlements within Gaza were destroyed, and this move was seen as a precursor to cutting off the path to the two-state solution outlined in the Oslo Accords.

Sharon's plan faced significant political opposition within Israel, especially from the current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who believed that Gaza would become a hub for exporting terrorism and attacks on Israel.

After the withdrawal, the Palestinian Authority gained complete control of Gaza. 

However, in early 2006, Palestinian elections took place, with Hamas winning 44 percent of the votes compared to Fatah's 41 percent (the party associated with the Palestinian Authority). This led to internal conflicts and eventually resulted in Hamas taking complete control of Gaza in 2007. 

Subsequently, Israel imposed a land, sea, and air blockade on Gaza, a situation that persists to this day.