Shelling of Sderot highlights an interesting problem nation-states try to forget: absence of large-scale security. Historically, border areas are a trouble zone. Peace agreements were rare; nations mostly coexisted on ad hoc basis, uneasily. Border skirmishes were common. On positive side, borders in constant flux reflected the real-time balance of power. Neighboring states fought the conflicts on small scale, mostly in border areas. Peace agreements changed that situation. Parties adhering to peace promise refrained from exploiting their current military advantages. Discontent and power disparity grew. When the wars finally erupted, they tend to be total. Peace treaties, like other barriers to natural course of events, suppressed many minor problems until they become one big problem. Total wars replaced continuous skirmishes.
Nation-states hate to admit that peace treaties do not bring peace. States are built on the promise of safety for their citizens. City-states amalgamated into nation-states to be more secure – but ended up facing total wars which brew beyond the walls of peace treaties. Modern states heralded the end of the era when every clan stands for itself and every man walks the street armed. States promised security in return for taxes. Sderot shows that promise is false.
Europe licks wounds after the two world wars and the US is more attractive to Mexican laborers than Mexican guerrillas, but most of the world borders are not safe. Border between Iraq and Turkey, Iraq and Iran, Egypt and Sudan, Syria and Lebanon, Abu Dhabi and Oman, Israel and Gaza are transparent to people and weapons. No wonder, Israeli border is also transparent to rockets.
Border areas were always lawless. Rome established pax Romana throughout the civilized world, but Cicero notes that rare person ventured in Roman suburbs for the fear of being killed, robbed. The countries the West arrogantly calls “failed states” are a historical norm. It was unusual for a central power to establish itself in border areas. Mighty Soviet Union exercised next to no control over its Asian and Far East border zones, and America cannot secure its borders with Mexico and Canada. Most states cannot rein in their fringe groups and guerrillas; those who can are a totalitarian aberration and don’t exist for long, since they invariably suppress political opposition alongside guerrillas. Whether Israel reaches peace agreement with Palestinians or not, some of them will continue terrorism. Israeli government presents peace treaty as panacea forgetting that Israel recently sustained terror attacks even from Egypt, a country at peace with Israel and with strong security apparatus.
Carpet-bombing Palestine would solve the problem of terrorism only temporarily. The 1948 war inflicted on Arabs no less suffering than wide-area bombing, but the Palestinians soon returned to terrorism.
Smart states settled border areas with retired legionnaires or militant pioneers; stupid Israel settled them with welfare recipients. Instead of dismantling the settlements, Israel should line up her borders with colonies and give the Jews there a carte blanche for countering Arab terrorists – with punishing raids, if needed.
Israel only needs to arm the settlers and turn a blind eye to their actions.
