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Hamas

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What I find very curious is that Egypt is aligning itself with Israel against Hamas. People who are geographically close to Hamas don’t seem as kindly disposed towards it as those who are far away.

What Hamas is doing at this point is completely incomprehensible. What is the point of breaking the most recent cease-fire? To defeat Israel militarily? Obviously there is no chance of that. Then what? Persist until the indolent Western Europeans decide to put their money where their mouths are? The idea is risible.

I’m not into conspiracy theories or I’d start suspecting that some of the Hamas’s leaders are working for Israel.

38 responses to “Hamas”

  1. Vic Crain Avatar
    Vic Crain

    From what I have read, Hamas’ actions in bringing about the current conflict have much to do with its political situation within the Palestinian community. Apparently, there may be rivals focusing on economic progress rather than violence, and this was a strategy for Hamas to get back into control in Gaza.

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  2. el Avatar
    el

    // What I find very curious is that Egypt is aligning itself with Israel against Hamas.

    After crushing the Muslim Brotherhood at home, Egypt’s military rulers plan to undermine the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which runs the neighboring Gaza Strip, senior Egyptian security officials told Reuters.
    …
    “Gaza is next,” said one senior security official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. “We cannot get liberated from the terrorism of the Brotherhood in Egypt without ending it in Gaza, which lies on our borders.”
    …
    Egypt accuses Hamas of backing Al-Qaida-linked militant groups which have stepped up attacks against security forces in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula over the past few months. The attacks have spread to Cairo and other cities.
    http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/1.568515

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  3. el Avatar
    el

    Do you agree with the following claim about being surprised?

    REAPING WHAT YOU SOW
    White House Blindsided By Israeli-Egyptian Relationship

    “White House has been looking to the ‘offshore balancer’ model in which the U.S. would step back from the Middle East and let regional actors play a greater role. The Egypt-Israel-Saudi entente is at its core a reaction to the perception that the U.S. is stepping back and that these three powers need to work together against Iran and radical Sunnis who won’t toe their line.

    Yet official Washington still seems surprised that when the U.S. steps back, others come forward with ideas for the region that don’t match Washington’s preferences, and that they will sometimes act in concert to frustrate Washington’s goals.”
    http://www.the-american-interest.com/blog/2014/08/07/white-house-blindsided-by-israeli-egyptian-relationship/

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    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      I think this is a good analysis. It does seem like nobody was ready for this development which is probably why there is barely any discussion of it in the American press.

      Of course, Americans find it hard to discuss any subject in which they are not central.

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      1. Hattie Avatar
        Hattie

        Gosh I wonder why you put up with us stupid Americans.

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        1. Clarissa Avatar
          Clarissa

          I was wondering whether a whole month would pass without Hattie’s anti-immigrant jabs, but no, that is not meant to be.

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  4. el Avatar
    el

    An article I can’t read:

    An insane alliance: Israel and Egypt against Gaza
    Despite its mediator role, Egypt is no impartial broker. It shares Israel’s view that Hamas can be crushed and suffocated into submission. Palestinians wonder how their ex-ally can leave Gaza to burn.
    http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.609595

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  5. el Avatar
    el

    In his last column Uri expresses a view od Hamas, which is unusual (to say the least) in Israel:
    http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/channels/avnery/1407502014

    Had you been Israeli, would you have agreed with his approach?

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  6. el Avatar
    el

    I think the following may be one of true answers to why Hamas is firing:

    ” losing may be Hamas’s one last card to play. If it collapses totally, the chaos that would result in Gaza might be worse even than Hamas’s rule. … So even as Hamas appears to court its own destruction, it still may have something to sell. Its last weapon may be a threat to commit suicide as an organized force—the ultimate suicide bomber, as it were.”
    http://www.the-american-interest.com/blog/2014/08/08/hamas-restarts-war-in-losing-position/

    Found a Russian lj you may like :
    http://users.livejournal.com/vba_/362227.html

    The poetry quote is from Т.Шаов – Играем Тургенева (мумузикл)

    “- Мой муж покойный был изрядным либералом,
    Был книгочей, философ, в общем – балабол.
    И юбки девкам дворовым не задирал он,
    И мужиков принципиально не порол.

    Права, свободы, паче просвещенье мира.
    Бывало, дворню созовёт в господский зал,
    Им Сумарокова читает, Кантемира,
    А те в испуге только пучили глаза.

    Мужик непоротый теряет ориентиры,
    К работе хладен, в голове разброд.
    Хозяйству вред один от этих Кантемиров.
    От Сумароковых падёж и недород.

    А свобода – суть отрава,
    Вольтерьянство наносное.
    Человек имеет право,
    И это право – крепостное.”

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  7. Jules Avatar
    Jules

    By Jove Clarissa…on to something, you are….how astute (“some of Hamas leaders working for Israel”)

    Perhaps that could explain the new shop in Tel Aviv Mall.
    “eat & meet at Hamas Gefelte Fish Deli”

    observer Jules

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    1. el Avatar
      el

      I think it was “eat & meet at Humus Gefelte Fish Deli” 🙂

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      1. Clarissa Avatar
        Clarissa

        Hilarious. 🙂 🙂

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  8. cliff arroyo Avatar
    cliff arroyo

    Well the CW is that Israel supported the creation of the more religiously aggressive Hamas to act as a counterweight to the more secular Fatah (keeping the Palestinian house divided, as it were) but badly underestimated just how a) potent and b) destructive politicised Islam can be. Leaders in countries with first hand experience of the poison of radical politicised islam are going to be more realistic (while still paying the Pals some lip service).

    In other news, Palestinians only seem to exist in opposition to Israelis. AFAICT there’s no unique Palestinian dialect (a marker of identity within the Arab world – most speak kinds of levantine or other neighborng varieties while promoting the bland official fusha [aka modern standard arabic]) or particularly Palestinian religious practices. Palestinian nation building seems all about opposing and being oppressed by the Israeli state and disintegrates into clan or sectarian based corruption without a strong Israeli presence.

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  9. Metal Thug Avatar
    Metal Thug

    The situation in Gaza is terrible. The onus is on not only Hamas, but the Israeli government and their handling of the strip over the last decade.

    The often mentioned open air prison statement is close to true. On other hand, Hamas has a charter saying they want to destroy Israel – there is a lot of bad on both sides.

    Too many people trumpet one side or the other, instead of trying to place themselves in both sets of shoes as it were. Hamas is as much of a problem as the IDF is. You can’t be “more civilized” and kill 300 children because rockets stored in a basement, or fired next to it – just like you can’t excuse the indiscriminate rocket attacks.

    Tough situation to analyze. Too many wrongs, and very few rights – Muslim and jew alike.

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  10. el Avatar
    el

    From 23/12/2013

    Israel’s intelligence community has determined that Turkey has replaced Iran as the leading financial backer of Hamas since 2012, reports the World Tribune, citing unspecified “Israeli sources.”

    The sources said the government of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has overseen the transfer of up to $250 million a year to Hamas, and particularly to its governing apparatus in Gaza.
    …
    Hamas said in June that its relations with its longtime sponsor, Iran, had suffered as a result of Hamas’s support of rebels battling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom Iran supports with its troops and those of its proxy Lebanese force, Hezbollah.

    Hamas was also once an Assad ally but last year it endorsed the revolt against him.
    http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/175441#.U-focON_tPk

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  11. el Avatar
    el

    May be, you’ll be interested in the blog

    “Ottomans and Zionists: Blogging about Turkey and Israel, the two most interesting countries in the Middle East”
    http://ottomansandzionists.com/

    I found his blog via this post, where he attempts to express a nuanced position (not “side X = good, side Y = bad”)
    “Dealing With The World That Is Rather Than The One We Want”

    Dealing With The World That Is Rather Than The One We Want

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    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      Very interesting, thank you!

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    2. Metal Thug Avatar
      Metal Thug

      ““Dealing With The World That Is Rather Than The One We Want”
      http://ottomansandzionists.com/2014/07/31/dealing-with-world-that-is/”

      I don’t agree with parts of this article, but I enjoyed the information and did agree with several opinions expressed in it.

      “Nevertheless, there is a point that I am itching to make, which is that this deep ideological bubble that so many are in leads to unrealistic expectations on all sides, because everybody wants to deal with a world that they want rather than the world as it is. Possibly my all-time favorite quote is the Pat Moynihan line that everyone is entitled to his own opinion but not to his own facts, and there is a worrisome trend going on of people ignoring reality in favor of ideology and attempting to make policy as if the world can be bended to their will, or suggesting that either Israel or Hamas act in a certain way that disregards facts on the ground.”

      The point that was made was an excellent one. Thanks for sharing.

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      1. Clarissa Avatar
        Clarissa

        “I don’t agree with parts of this article, but I enjoyed the information and did agree with several opinions expressed in it.”

        – Intelligent people are incapable of agreeing with anything 100%. 🙂

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  12. el Avatar
    el

    Watched this video – what Palestinian children are taught at Unrwa summer camps, mainly financed by USA, England, Canada, Norway and Europe.

    In short, “The Right of Return and compensation – there is no alternative.” Nobody talks about creating a Palestinian state. Look at 12:50 a girl talking about the value of education and weapons accelerating the Right of Return. From 11:12 with Jews as the wolf is too “great.”

    I don’t say that Jews didn’t expell Arabs during creation of Israel, but as long as their next generation is raised on ideas of Return and is ready to put them into “armed struggle” (terrorism), nothing good will happen to them. Don’t know why 1st world countries pay for such camps, probably since Palestinians simply won’t have schools / camps / whatever without such indoctrination.

    Only thing in this sad video was funny 14:48 :

    [a small girl is asked]
    Q: Who are the Jews?
    A: They are a gang of infidels and Christians.

    At the end of the clip a teacher talks about the value of being a suicide bomber and going to heaven afterwards. (16:58)

    As somebody commented, it should’ve been named “War Starts Here.”

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    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      Do you know what children’s camps organized by the Sochnut teach kids?

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      1. el Avatar
        el

        Better comparison would be summer camps in Israel.

        Besides, Israel pays for Sochnut and its camps, not Europe.

        Do Sochnut camps teach the approach of “Whole Land of Israel”?

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        1. Clarissa Avatar
          Clarissa

          Ah, no, if they pay for it themselves, then that’s totally fine. I didn’t know you were such a Marxist.

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  13. el Avatar
    el

    \\ Ah, no, if they pay for it themselves, then that’s totally fine.

    I don’t think that.

    But it is one of important questions: why do democratic countries pay for “let’s have war forever” propaganda?

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    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      “But it is one of important questions: why do democratic countries pay for “let’s have war forever” propaganda?”

      – I’m guessing they have laws protecting free speech if they are democratic countries. They can’t censor what’s being said.

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    2. el Avatar
      el

      – I’m guessing they have laws protecting free speech if they are democratic countries. They can’t censor what’s being said.//

      Honestly. It’s not “what’s being said”, it’s one of central goals of those camps, if not The central goal.

      I am sure they would stop paying for “Join Jihad against America / West” camps fast enough.

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      1. Clarissa Avatar
        Clarissa

        This is the standard discourse of all patriotically minded Lefties, actually. It’s very fashionable. I heard it on campuses, conferences, even parties. My own professor in a state school would promote “Jihad against the West and especially the US in the classroom. He also celebrated 9/11 in the classroom, on the day it happened and in front of a dozen US students.

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  14. el Avatar
    el

    \\ This is the standard discourse of all patriotically minded Lefties, actually. It’s very fashionable.

    Those are 0.000001% of population. Try to talk like that in some mainstream place and say you’re for your government paying for such propaganda.

    \\ . My own professor in a state school would promote “Jihad against the West and especially the US in the classroom.

    A complete fool (?) and hypocrite. He is the West himself. Does he support terrorism or what?
    I guess he was WASP? Don’t think Muslim professor would be let to talk like that.

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  15. el Avatar
    el

    Without a clear anti-Israel stance, William Schabas would not have been selected to chair the UN commission probing Israel’s crimes. Schabas and the UN Human Rights Council, which decided to appoint the committee, have a common denominator: Regular anti-Israel stances.

    When the decision was made to appoint a commission of inquiry into Israel’s crimes, the European Union ambassador told the UNHRC that “the final draft text continues to be unbalanced, inaccurate, and prejudges the outcome of the investigation by making legal statements.”

    It turns out that even the EU, which cannot be suspected of overly sympathizing with Israel, is capable of setting red lines. The UNHRC, like the commission of inquiry operating on its behalf, is a completely different story.
    …
    international law is deteriorating in the direction of the legal system in Sudan and in Iran. It’s kind of amazing that dignified professors cooperate with this growing distortion. They could have saved the status of international law if they had maintained their decency. But they gave up. The result is not a fair trial; the result is a showcase trial.
    http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4558635,00.html

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  16. el Avatar
    el

    Children in South were asked to draw as a way to deal with their fears. I link because of the last part of the article with a drawing, subtitled ‘A slap full of love’
    http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4556858,00.html

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  17. el Avatar
    el

    A Militant Jewish Group Confronts Pro-Palestinian Protesters in France

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  18. el Avatar
    el

    Uri’s new column
    http://zope.gush-shalom.org/home/en/channels/avnery/1408109792

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  19. el Avatar
    el

    Update: Wanted to share that Hamas decided to end the cease-fire. There was some shooting at Israel during the day, Israel returned fire, a few minutes ago – “Heavy barrage of rockets fired at Tel Aviv area, South.” Public shelters are re-opened. Don’t know whether this cycle will soon end or whether current shooting heralds a “new beginning” of worse violence.

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  20. el Avatar
    el

    Two updates:

    1. Today Hamas fired mortar shells at the *only* functioning Crossing of injured / ill Palestinians into Israel. “A mortar wounded three Israeli Arabs who work as taxi drivers tasked with taking a group of Gazans from the crossing into Israel for medical care.”
    http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4562669,00.html

    2. Vandals in Denmark targeted school, nursery. Both (some) parents and children are afraid to return to the place. Freaks targeting unconnected to conflict Jewish kids.

    “Founded in 1805, the school, which includes a nursery, describes itself as the world’s second oldest still functioning Jewish school.
    …
    Most attacks have been carried out by Muslim extremists, but elements of both the hard-left and far-right have also used Israel’s Operation Protective Edge as a pretext to attack Jewish communities throughout Europe.”

    http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/184320#.U_oaycV_tPk

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  21. el Avatar
    el

    Poll finds support for Hamas rises after Gaza war
    In first large post-Gaza conflict poll, 61 percent of Palestinians say they would vote for Hamas’ leader Haniyeh to lead Palestinians, over 32 percent who said they would back moderate Abbas.
    […]
    a poll in June, conducted by the same pollster, found only 41 percent of Palestinians backed the Hamas figure. At the time, Abbas had 53 percent support.
    http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4566784,00.html

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    1. Clarissa Avatar
      Clarissa

      ‘Poll finds support for Hamas rises after Gaza war”

      – Color me unsurprised.

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      1. el Avatar
        el

        Because the worse conditions are, the more support will Hamas get? Do you believe improving conditions would lead to Hamas’s fall? Seems unlikely to me.

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        1. Clarissa Avatar
          Clarissa

          “If what you are doing is leading to bad results, try doing something else. . .”

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A conservative literary critic and college professor

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