Southern Israel and the Gaza Strip

J Street condemns the continuing rocket attacks on southern Israel from the Gaza Strip. J Street urges Egypt and the international community to take strong, responsible, and concerted action to prevent weapons smuggling into Gaza.

J Street is also deeply concerned for the welfare of Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit who was abducted by Hamas and remains in its captivity. J Street
calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Shalit and his safe return to his family.

More than eighteen months following Operation Cast Lead, Israel’s military response to rocket fire into southern Israel, Gaza remains a huge concern.
Hamas is still in control, the humanitarian conditions in Gaza worsened under the blockade of the territory, and rockets still land in southern Israel. As we seek security, stability, and long-term peace, Gaza poses some of the toughest challenges.

J Street supports internationally mediated efforts to bring Hamas and its supporters into a political process based on non-violence and acceptance of
a negotiated peace outcome. We don’t believe this requires direct US negotiations with Hamas, and we unequivocally reject Hamas’ use of violence
and terror and its anti-Semitic rhetoric.

J Street urges Israel and the United States to continue to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza, including fully implementing its stated policy of easing the blockade to allow a greater variety and volume of civilian necessities, including unrestricted amounts of all foods, to enter the territory. J Street urges Israel to continually review the maintenance of restrictions on goods essential to civilian life — such as fertilizers, water disinfectors and construction materials — to ensure that they remain only to the extent necessary to meet its legitimate security concerns.

Before it was eased, the blockade helped create an underground economy based on smuggling tunnels through which weapons, as well as basic necessities,
found their way into the Strip. Controlled by Hamas, the tunnel economy financially benefited Hamas and increased its strong hold on the Gaza Strip. We agree with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s assessment that easing the blockade so that non-military goods can pass into Gaza through aboveground, regulated border crossings will ease the humanitarian crisis while enhancing Israel’s security. It will also assist the aid community in its efforts and facilitate the reemergence of a private sector and business community in Gaza.

J Street urges Israel to lift the export ban on goods from Gaza, to allow the territory’s people to rebuild the commercial enterprises that will reduce their dependence on foreign aid and Hamas’ patronage.
J Street urges Israel to ease restrictions on freedom of movement from the Gaza Strip and between Gaza and the West Bank for those individuals who pose no security risk, most urgently those requiring medical treatment not available in Gaza. J Street also urges Israel to end restriction on students from Gaza attending universities in the West Bank and overseas. What better way to fight extremism in Gaza than to help young Palestinians obtain a better education?

J Street believes in advocating for justice for all people everywhere, especially those who are living in extreme poverty or distress. The civilians in Gaza who have committed no crime against Israel deserve opportunity, security, and education, just as all people do.

Additional Resources

Click here for our Gaza Flotilla Resources page.

For our Q&A on the Gaza Blockade, click here.

For questions specifically related to Operation Cast Lead, please see our Operation Cast Lead Questions and Answers Page.

"Hamas, not Israel, is served by the blockade," by Hadar Susskind. The Hill, June 8, 2010.
"Enough is enough," by Hadar Susskind and Lara Friedman. The Jerusalem Post, February 21, 2010.

"Statement on Israeli Cabinet Decision Regarding Gaza Blockade," June 17, 2010.
"J Street Letter to Congress Regarding Gaza Flotilla ‘Dear Colleagues’," June 15, 2010.
"J Street Welcomes UN
Security Council Passage of Iran Sanctions," June 9, 2010.
J Street Position Page on the Gaza Flotilla and its Aftermath, June 2010.
"Statement on House Resolution 1359 Calling for Shalit’s Release," May 18, 2010.
"Statement on Return of Goldstone Report to UN Consideration," February 5, 2010.
J Street Position and Statement on H. Res. 867, October 30, 2009.
"Statement on Goldstone Report and UN Human Rights Council Resolution," October 17, 2009.
"Gilad Shalit," October 5, 2009.
"J Street Statement on Goldstone Report," September 21, 2009.

Click here for J Street’s archived press statements on Gaza.
Click here for J Street’s archived statements on the Goldstone Report.