März 17, 2008... Escape from Gaza.

Since 1965 when Germany agreed to full diplomatic relations with Israel, international relations between Germany and Israel have improved to the extent that, on Sunday, March 16, 2008, a new era began with a three day visit by Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel and an entourage of eight cabinet ministers, leading business persons and scientists.

To reinforce this new development, Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel and the eight cabinet ministers are due to hold a joint meeting with the Israeli cabinet, etc., with the likelihood of a reciprocal joint meeting in Berlin.

When good democrats do bad things.

But Germany is also thinking about how to respond to criticism at home vis-à-vis Israel's response to Islamic terrorism, and how Germany should be intervening in the problem. Much of the motivation behind this is simply a counter to the Green Party's support for the Palestinians, the rising influence of the Left, and a total lack of will to robustly confront Islamic terror at home instead of advocating Islamic studies in Germany's state schools: the thin end of the wedge towards integrating faith with politics in a secular society.

What should be happening is that Germany must take a lead in the withdrawal of all political and financial support to the Palestinians. This money and effort is sorely needed in Germany. And it is vital that the ridiculous propaganda which maintains that Gaza is an open prison, and that rocket fire from Gaza is simply a legitimate form of self-defence backed up by a democratic mandate is properly countered. Not taking this approach simply encourages counterproducitve behaiviour and prolongs needless suffering.

At the present time and in spite of massive amounts of aid flowing into the region from the EU and US, Israel is forced--for legitimate security reasons--to allow only humanitarian relief to pass into Gaza. This has had the consequence of undermining business in Gaza. For instance: The family owned and managed Abudan clothing factory which was a prosperous and busy enterprise, now lies idle and deserted. Cloth is not allowed into Gaza, so nothing can be made. Unfinished items of clothing lie atop sewing machines. Large batches of school uniforms await shipping. But the necessary Israeli blockade means that no material is allowed into Gaza for the manufacture of clothing, and finished items are not able to be exported out of Gaza. The consequence of this is that the 250 employees of Abudan clothing are now unemployed.

With employment opportunities few and far between, and those which are available being too poorly paid to provide a living, the only choice for embittered an unemployed Gazans must obviously be, of course, to join Hamas and/or other militias for the better wages available from the money given by regional actors for the killing of Israelis. Until such times as the Gazans come to realise that supporting and joining Hamas and/or other militias is not in their self-interest, Israel has no choice but do what it is doing. And until Gazans come to realise that bad democratic choices have negative consequences for their self-interest, Israel has no choice but do what it is doing. After all, in spite of much provocation, one does not see the citizens of Sderot or Ashkelon indiscriminately shooting homemade rockets into Gaza. Reprisals are left to the IDF, which operates within the constraints of international law and conventions of war.

To help with this proper approach, Germany can be thankful that Israeli thinking can be called upon to save reinventing the wheel. Germany's politicians, business leaders and scientists have other priorities, which would be impeded by not escaping from Gaza. Gazans, too, have such a choice, but they must be prepared to make it.