Iran Burns Gaza

By GLEN SEGELL
Updated: APRIL 8, 2018 18:26
The average Palestinian is not an aggressive person. He or she has no reason to believe that violence will ever achieve anything positive or constructive. It would be a fine to assume that the average Palestinian would for the most part be rational and if not rational then at least sensitive to reality that any act of violence would have consequences. Especially, if he or she indicated or announced or pronounced a premeditated intent to provoke.
It would be fine to assume that the average Palestinian living in the Gaza Strip is just the average Palestinian living in the Gaza  Strip going about daily life with a fairly well established routine that included family, friends, work or education.  There is no reason to assume that even those in the governance of Gaza are different. The daily organization and bureaucracy of running all aspects of Gaza take time and concentration if they are to be accomplished.
The Gaza Strip is under autonomous rule by Hamas since Israel withdrew unilaterally over 10 tens ago. Israel in its unilateral withdrawal gave Palestinians territory in accordance to the 1967 borders that is an area larger than granted by the 1947 UN partition Plan. There are no Jewish or Israeli settlements in Gaza. There are no Jews or Israeli's living in Gaza or even visiting. There is no part of any Israeli rule, law or governance civil or military over Gaza or any of its inhabitants. The governance is by 100% Palestinians and the inhabitants are 100% as permitted by this governance. Under international public law a defined and demarcated territory with borders and boundaries, with inhabitants and with governance is de facto autonomous. That is to say the governance is independent.
Gaza however is not independent. Hamas who has governance is dependent upon Iran. Over the last few weeks Iran has fermented Hamas to incite the average Palestinian living in Gaza to march towards and demonstrate at the fence separating Gaza from Israel. Iran and its proxy Hamas live outside of the norms of international public law. They flout the international system and community of nations. If however they were to read international public law, Israeli law and facts then they would realize their grave error. Under international public law the fence between Gaza and Israel is de facto and de jure an international boundary. Under Israeli law since the unilateral withdrawal over a decade ago, Gaza is not in any manner connected to Israel. It is autonomous, self-ruled and its future is solely decided and determined by its inhabitants and their governance. 
As such Hamas fermented by Iran, by amassing with belligerent intent on this border, has given Israel the right to defend including preempt or prevent. Even the usually anti-Israel United Nations has agreed that Hamas using Iranian strategy by burning tires on the border is creating an international ecological disaster. Iran, Hamas and the average Palestinian even if not rational should surely be aware that in an act of war people are hurt and maybe lose their lives. Even a mugger on the street late at night in a dark and bad part of town knows that if he threatens an old lady in a wheel chair then there is a possibility and probability statistically that she has a gun and will shoot him. So why are Iran, Hamas and the average Palestinian now crying that a few people were injured and died after they forced tens of thousands of people to a border to threaten another state. Why are other countries around the world supporting this cry when they clearly known and understand international public law.
The answers are speculative but long term results and consequences are well known as history has a tendency to repeat. If you force an average person to do something that will endanger him or her then eventually they will refuse and even resist. Tens of thousands of average Palestinians will one day resist the governance of Hamas in Gaza. In turn Hamas may regain their respect and trust but through only one mechanism. That is to show Iran as being the instigator and to turn on Iran. The days of the Ayatollahs are numbered. Their own citizens turned against them at the end of 2017 and start of 2018. Soon the average Palestinian and Hamas will also do so.
The next step would not be a prophecy. Once Iran is out of the picture there could be rapport between Gaza and other areas of Palestinian governance and steps towards representation in talks with Israel. So while Iran burns Gaza there is no possibility of Hamas joining with the Palestinian Authority and even less chance of any talks with Israel. Wake up Palestinians – get rid of Iran!