Context: The US President has recently proposed that the US will take over Gaza and develop it as the “Riviera of the Middle East”.
Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Key locations in News.
Key points about the Gaza Strip:
Geographical Location:
- It is a coastal enclave along the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
- It borders Israel (north and east) and Egypt (southwest, at the Rafah crossing).
- Does not share a border with Jordan.
Political Status:
- One of the two Palestinian territories, the other being the West Bank.
- Governed by Hamas since 2007 after a conflict with the Palestinian Authority.
- Subject to an Israeli and Egyptian blockade since Hamas took control.
Historical Context:
- It was under Egyptian control (1948-1967) after the Arab-Israeli War.
- After the 1967 Six-Day War, it was captured by Israel.
- Oslo Accords (1993-1995) gave partial control to the Palestinian Authority.
- Israel withdrew settlements in 2005 but still controls airspace and maritime access.
Strategic Importance:
- Highly populated and densely urbanized (~2 million people in ~365 sq. km).
- A focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with frequent clashes.
- Economic blockade of the strip affects trade, employment, and humanitarian conditions.
Concerns:
- The proposal risks violating long-standing UNSC and UNGA resolutions supporting the Palestinian right of self-determination (which India has proactively backed at the United Nations).
- There are concerns with respect to rehabilitation of the displaced population.
- It also risks several peremptory norms of international law (jus cogens) including those that prohibit ethnic cleansing.