An affirmative-action buffer zone

Israel is taking criticism from the Good People in the US and elsewhere for the buffer zone it's creating ing between itself and the Gaza Strip. The buffer is needed, given Hamas's avowed intention to murder, rape, burn, and kidnap any Israelis it can reach. But Gaza isn't very wide -- nor is Israel, come to that -- so perhaps it would have been more politic to clear 500 meters on each side of the border, instead of subtracting the whole kilometer from Gaza.