McFate Weighs In on the Future of Gaza in Daily Mail Article

November 20, 2023

Sean McFate

Maxwell in Washington, D.C.

Conflict

International Affairs

Middle East & North Africa

Terrorism & Extremism

Sean McFate

As the Israel-Hamas war continues into its seventh week, the future of the Gaza Strip—and millions of Palestinians—hangs in the balance. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the Jewish state would assume "overall security responsibility" for Gaza once Hamas is defeated.

Sean McFate's prognosis of the future of Gaza is dark. "Post-conflict Gaza is more theory than fact. It is unknown how much Israel feels compelled to rebuild Gaza (after defeating Hamas). In the Israel-Hezbollah war of 2006, the IDF [Israeli Defense Forces] destroyed much of Lebanon's infrastructure in the south and did not rebuild it," says McFate, adjunct professor in Maxwell's Washington programs.

"The international community will likely react negatively (to an Israeli occupation of Gaza) but I doubt Israel cares...I think Israel, Arab countries, and the US gave up on the two-state solution a long time ago...No other Arab country will accept the Gazans," he says.