An Instrumental Approach to the Day After in Gaza: Part 1 - Blanket Ban on Long Arms

An Instrumental Approach to the Day After in Gaza: Part 1 – Blanket Ban on Long Arms
Dr. Aaron Lerner, 7 January 2023

Foreword: This is the first of a series of short articles presenting
elements of an instrumental approach to the day after in the Gaza Strip. I
refer to it as “instrumental” because it recognizes, based on actual
historical experience on the ground, that any combination of local Gazan
leadership and international actors will fail to act effectively to prevent
the growth of a terrorist presence in the Gaza Strip. This development is
often denied by international actors, who are compelled to claim success in
the programs they’re associated with. To be clear: the purpose of these
notes is not to engage in polemics regarding this reality but instead to
propose various features which can make “the day after” workable.

Local Gazans would undoubtedly be involved in maintaining law and order in
“the day after”.

Realistically, there is no effective way to screen the local Gazans to
prevent this “local police force” from including terrorists or Gazans who
ultimately become terrorists.

However, an effective local police force requires armament.

Restricting the local police force to handguns provides them with the
capability to maintain order while significantly reducing the damage they
can do if they are ultimately terrorists.

A blanket ban on long arms in the Gaza Strip dramatically simplifies
enforcement of the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip by categorizing anyone
observed possessing a long arm as a terrorist.

Israel insists on having a free hand to conduct security operations in the
Gaza Strip as a core element of any “day after” scenario. Consequently, this
would extend to dealing with anyone observed possessing a long arm.
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