Allow Egypt to Absorb the Gaza Strip

Credit: Khalil Hamra for the Associated Press

In the image above, smoke rises from the Egyptian side of the border with Gaza, as the Egyptian Army destroys buildings to create a buffer zone which will help prevent smuggling into Gaza.

I want to repeat this: the Egyptian Army is engineering a buffer zone with the main objective of preventing weapons and rocket parts from getting into the hands of Hamas.

Therefore, I reiterate my question: Why doesn't Egypt simply absorb the Gaza Strip? The Gaza situation is untenable for Israel and for the residents of Gaza; an Egyptian solution seems like the most obvious path.

Similarly, we should be looking toward Jordan to absorb the West Bank and bring some order to that territory, as well.