Obama: 'I Have No Sympathy For Hamas'

[Baclava]

Source: Huffington Post

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama continued his forceful defense of Israel on Wednesday, blaming Hamas for the conflict in Gaza that has left nearly 1,900 Palestinians and 67 Israelis dead.

"I have no sympathy for Hamas. I have great sympathy for ordinary people who are struggling within Gaza," Obama said at a press conference, when asked if he agreed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that Israel's bombardment of Gaza was both "justified" and "proportionate."

Obama, who has publicly stood by Israel throughout the crisis, reiterated many of the talking points he and his administration have employed since the war began on July 8.

"I have said from the beginning that no country would tolerate rockets being launched into their cities," he said. "As a consequence, I have consistently supported Israel's right to defend itself, and that includes doing what it needs to do to prevent rockets from landing on population centers and, more recently as we learned, preventing tunnels from being dug under their territory that can be used to launch terrorist attacks."


Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/06/obama-israel_n_5655600.html

---

Can't get much clearer than that.

[DeSwiss]

1. ....

Obama: 'I Have No Sympathy For Hamas'

/fixed


- Yeah, I know.....

“This blind defense of Israeli brutality towards the Palestinians is betrayal of the memory of all those killed in other genocides in other times. The lesson of the Holocaust is not that Jews are special. It is not that Jews are unique. It is not that Jews are eternal victims. The lesson of the Holocaust is that when you have the capacity to halt genocide, and you do not, no matter who carries out that genocide or who it is directed against, you are culpable. ” ~Chris Hedges

[TomCADem]

4. Not all Palestinians Are Members of Hamas

That is painting with a very broad brush.

[DeSwiss]

5. This does not seem to matter.

As societal life became more complex, noisy and confusing they invented blinders so that horses could see only what's in front of her/him.

- Leaving the important decisions about where they're being led, up to the person holding the reins....

[TomCADem]

7. Right Wingers Assume All Muslims...

...are members of Al Queda or are terrorists, I would not assume that Hamas is synonymous with Palestinians.

[former9thward]

8. Palestinians in Gaza put Hamas in power.

And keep them there. This was after Hamas murdered many of the Fatah leaders in Gaza.

[karynnj]

18. The elections were a mess - with many suggesting that people should not vote

In addition, in many areas, the PA supported more than one candidate - dividing their vote.

[Comrade Grumpy]

23. Israelis in Israel put Likud in power.

And keep them there. This was after Israel murdered many Fatah and Hamas leaders. And a few thousand Palestinian civilians.

[leftynyc]

29. I can't really say

it's by their choice as there have been no elections since hamas won. Why they weren't out in the streets demonstrating against that is a mystery to me.

[DeSwiss]

11. And yet.....

...that is the only conclusion one may reach. The dead and wounded get no mention at all.

- Orwell spoke of this in his dystopian future-world as well....

''You think—I dare say that our chief job is inventing new words. But not a bit of it We’re destroying words—scores of them hundreds of them every day. It’s a beautiful thing the destruction of words. Of course the great wastage is in the verbs and adjectives but there are hundreds of nouns that can be got rid of as well. It isn’t only the synonyms there are also the antonyms.

Don't you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it. Every concept that can ever be needed, will be expressed by exactly one word, with its meaning rigidly defined and all its subsidiary meanings rubbed out and forgotten. Already, in the Eleventh Edition, we're not far from that point. But the process will still be continuing long after you and I are dead.

Every year fewer and fewer words, and the range of consciousness always a little smaller. Even now, of course, there's no reason or excuse for committing thoughtcrime. It's merely a question of self-discipline, reality-control. But in the end there won't be any need even for that. The Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect. Newspeak is Ingsoc and Ingsoc is Newspeak,' he added with a sort of mystical satisfaction. 'Has it ever occurred to you, Winston, that by the year 2050, at the very latest, not a single human being will be alive who could understand such a conversation as we are having now?'

''Except---'' began Winston doubtfully, and he stopped. It had been on the tip of his tongue to say 'Except the proles,' but he checked himself, not feeling fully certain that this remark was not in some way unorthodox. Syme, however, had divined what he was about to say:

''The proles are not human beings,'' he said carelessly. ''By 2050 earlier, probably -- all real knowledge of Oldspeak will have disappeared. The whole literature of the past will have been destroyed. Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Byron -- they'll exist only in Newspeak versions, not merely changed into something different, but actually changed into something contradictory of what they used to be. Even the literature of the Party will change. Even the slogans will change. How could you have a slogan like "freedom is slavery" when the concept of freedom has been abolished? The whole climate of thought will be different. In fact there will be no thought, as we understand it now. Orthodoxy means not thinking -- not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness.''

~George Orwell, 1984

[KoKo]

22. And...for emphasis...THIS...

"The whole literature of the past will have been destroyed. Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Byron -- they'll exist only in Newspeak versions, not merely changed into something different, but actually changed into something contradictory of what they used to be. Even the literature of the Party will change. Even the slogans will change. How could you have a slogan like "freedom is slavery" when the concept of freedom has been abolished? The whole climate of thought will be different. In fact there will be no thought, as we understand it now. Orthodoxy means not thinking -- not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness.''

[Sunlei]

24. what broad brush?HE SAID, "I have great sympathy for ordinary people who are struggling within Gaza"

"I have great sympathy for ordinary people who are struggling within Gaza,"

[karynnj]

15. You are equating Palestinian to "Hamas" and ignoring the entire second part of Obama's statement

The problem with that is that Obama - and Kerry - have gone VERY Far from the long term US habit of never speaking of the plight of the Palestinians. I suspect that the reason Israel went bullshit crazy over Kerry's proposal is that it may be the first time that a US administration has EXPLICITLY spoken of the 7 year siege of Gaza. (Kerry, as a Senator, personally, but quietly, asked why items like pasta were not allowed in after he saw trucks stopped at the entrance. This led to a change in policy noted in Haaretz, but no US paper that any of us in the JK group could find. The administration did not then address the "list" of what was allowed - at least publicly. )

The significance of that negotiation - clearly approved by Obama - is that it was NOT what past cease fires were - and what Israel has always assumed would result - a promise for calm from both sides. (Note that if that is the case, the cost to Israel of any hostility is pretty low (this time is far higher than usual because of the ground invasion). From my perspective, the Israeli action was not triggered by either Gaza's rockets or the teens being killed. The teens' kidnapping was used as an excuse to arrest around 400 people with supposed links to Hamas - possibly as a response to their anger over the Unity government. This was followed by the rockets and unwise comments from Hamas, which then led to Israel's bombing and invasion.

Imagine the original Egypt ceasefire had been accepted and ended the hostilities - which some Israeli papers, blasting Kerry, argued would ultimately have happened. Consider how the hostilities changed each side. Hamas would have had 400 people from the West Bank related to them in some way in Israeli jail, their inadequate infrastructure further destroyed, and over 1000 people dead. Israel would have lost somewhere around three people and have used up some of its ammo - that Congress would happily replace. There would be no leverage on Israel to do anything to make life less awful for Gaza. It also would have left the Unity government with little support.

I suspect, though Israel would never credit the US, the reason for the Israeli right and Netanyahu speaking of various alternatives that would put Gaza under someone -whether Abbas, the UN, or even an EU force - while opening the siege would never have happened had the US NOT spoken of BOTH Israel's concern of terrorism AND the impact of the siege. Only time will show whether anything changes, but I really do not see how Obama -- and especially Kerry, who bore the brunt of the anger, could have done more -- especially as Netanyahu (and Israel) really does have the entire US Congress behind them.

[bahrbearian]

2. Obama, We are all Zionist Now

[Cha]

36. That's not what he's saying and you know it..

"The U.S. goal right now would be to make sure that the ceasefire holds, that Gaza can begin the process of rebuilding, and that some measures are taken so that the people of Gaza feel some sense of hope and so the people of Israel feel confident that they're not going to have a repeat of the kind of rocket launches that we've seen over the last several weeks," Obama said.

[another_liberal]

3. I think this is called . . .

Digging deeper, although one is already in a hole.

No people, or ethic group within any nation, would meekly tolerate what the government of Israel has done to the Palestinian people for decades on end. It is the Palestinians right to resist in any way possible such illegal violence, theft and occupation; in fact, it is their duty to do so.

[Lurks Often]

6. It's called recognizing which way the political wind is blowing

and despite the outcry here on DU, the bulk of the country that actually cares what happens in the Middle East and more importantly, Congress, are on the side if Israel.

[MADem]

9. Shhhh. There's no interest in political nuance and actual fact here.

People seem to forget the shock waves that happened when Hamas replaced al Fatah. They forget the vacillations of Yassir al Arafat, the pushback he got, the confusion that swirled after his death.

They think the Palestinians are a bunch of monolithic locksteppers all supporting one faction in a very troubled land. They don't want to believe that some factions will "sacrifice" children in order to create outrage around the world. That doesn't make wholesale bombing "right" either, BTW, but dare say things like this, and you're "supporting" one side over the other.

I suppose it's far easier than understanding the complexities involved.

I'm on the Peace Team, myself--don't know if they'll ever win a match.

[Lurks Often]

10. "I'm on the Peace Team, myself--don't know if they'll ever win a match." Probably not

Got bored one day back on DU2 and spent some time doing some research. I went all the way back to 1750 and couldn't find a single year in which some part of the world wasn't at war, be it a civil war or one with a neighboring country and I know that the years prior to 1750 weren't peaceful either.

[AuntPatsy]

27. Exactly, bottom line Humanity in its obvious infancy has proven we are no better now

Than we were then...

[chervilant]

12. Yeah, well, the propaganda brigade has been extremely successful...

Don't you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it. Every concept that can ever be needed, will be expressed by exactly one word, with its meaning rigidly defined and all its subsidiary meanings rubbed out and forgotten.

George Orwell was prescient...

[Lurks Often]

13. I think most of the country is barely paying attention to what is happening

both sides, in one form or another, have been killing each other for decades and will continue to kill each other for the foreseeable future, so why pay attention to the news about it.

[DeSwiss]

59. With propaganda, the sheeple never know what's going on......

- That's the whole point in ''manufacturing consent.'' Or at minimum, manufacturing silence.

[Lurks Often]

64. Another view is they just don't care

about what happens over there or in the Ukraine or wherever else the latest tragedy is occuring.

[DeSwiss]

65. Well, given our current President's penchant for an extremely loose......

...interpretation of what ''due process'' means, they should be.

- But then that's why they're called sheeple......

[center][/center]

''The masses never revolt of their own accord, and they never revolt merely because they are oppressed. Indeed, so long as they are not permitted to have standards of comparison, they never even become aware that they are oppressed.''

~George Orwell, 1984

[karynnj]

17. Exactly - Obama has shown enormous political courage in his actions over the last month

While not satisfying the far left, they are a HUGE step towards even handedness. I think that all the administration's actions have created at least some shift in the solutions being discussed. It is a lot to hope that they could lead to ending the siege, but it something that that issue is at least being discussed openly by the administration.

Obama is a brilliant politician - and even a mediocre politician knows that simply backing Israel and slamming Hamas that would be the most politically expedient. In addition, any gain from having taken the stand he did would likely not be obvious or immediate -- in addition to not being all that likely. It is a rare case where it is a moral, principled stand that is more likely to hurt him politically. (Note that even if - after all the negotiation - something that makes Gaza less of a prison results, few will look back and credit Obama.)

[another_liberal]

20. I haven't seen much of an "Outcry" here . . .

Although I am happy to learn there have been voices calling Israel to account for barbarous crimes against the Palestinian population it holds captive.

As to the feelings of the "bulk of the country," I never underestimate the effectiveness of our pro-Israeli lobby's hold on literally all facets of the mass media in this country.

[Lurks Often]

25. It's a matter of perspective

There have been a number of long, divisive threads about what is going on there, maybe it's that you were hoping for more of an outcry here then occured.

[frylock]

28. enjoy that support while you can..

as the millennials come of age, that support will sink like a stone.

[Lurks Often]

31. Care to elaborate in a more coherent sentence?

[frylock]

32. Why Millennials Find Israel’s Actions Harder to Justify Than Other Generations

Recent polls show a growing divide between a younger generation that’s “over Israel” and their elders who, according to Salon writer David Palumbo-Liu, still view the recent conflict in the context of the Holocaust among other reasons. But can we wait for Generation Y to address the “tremendous humanitarian crisis” taking place in Gaza?

Absolutely not, Palumbo-Liu contends. Although there is hope that those aged 18-29 now, a large portion of whom condemn the current war in Gaza due to their social media fueled perspective of the conflict, will someday stop America from supporting Israel’s military actions, the Salon writer says the time to act and stop this crisis is now, for although “change might be coming ... for now action is needed.”

<more>

http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/millennials_find_israels_actions_harder_to_justify_than_others_20140802?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+Truthdig+Truthdig%253A+Drilling+Beneath+the+Headlines

[frylock]

33. Millennials are over Israel: A new generation, outraged over Gaza

It might seem counterintuitive to make the argument that Israel should no longer count on U.S. support for its policies as assuredly it has in the past. After all, hasn’t the Senate just passed not one but now two resolutions by unanimous consent declaring its backing of Israel’s deadly attacks on and invasion of Gaza?

In the first – Resolution 498 – the Senate “reaffirms its support for Israel’s right to defend its citizens and ensure the survival of the State of Israel; condemns the unprovoked rocket fire at Israel; calls on Hamas to immediately cease all rocket and other attacks against Israel; and calls on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to dissolve the unity governing arrangement with Hamas and condemn the attacks on Israel.” The second — Resolution 526, passed again by unanimous consent on July 29 — restates the Senate’s support for Israel and adds a criticism of a United Nations report on the violence. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said that the U.N. report “was ‘disgusting’ and failed to recognize that Israel is defending itself from attacks started by Hamas, a terrorist organization.”

Yet even with these unambiguous resolutions emanating from the Senate, we find more and more evidence that support for Israel from the American public is slipping. A recent report in the Washington Post noted that “A new Pew Research Center poll is the second in the past week to show a huge generational split on the current conflict in Gaza. While all age groups north of 30 years old clearly blame Hamas more than Israel for the current violence, young adults buck the trend in a big way. Among 18 to 29-year olds, 29 percent blame Israel more for the current wave of violence, while 21 percent blame Hamas.”

<more>

http://www.salon.com/2014/08/01/millennials_are_so_over_israel_a_new_generation_is_outraged_over_gaza_demands_change/

[Lurks Often]

35. Thanks

Not entirely sure I agree that those current views will have long term effects on a change in our relationship with Israel, but we shall see.

[bravenak]

58. Oh, it will.

We have been seeing dead babies for a month straight now. All palestinian babies. We will not forget this or cast lead. And we are the ones having all the babies right now. I plan on having two more. Thats four non Israel supporters of the next generation. My cousin has 8 between the ages of 8 and 24. She has just had 3 grandchildren at 38 years old. Her Facebook page is filled with dead Palestinian babies.

The future looks bleak for Israel American relations in the future. Hispanics, the largest growing demographic are supporting Palestine. Blacks (for the most part) are against this massacre. Young people are all about freeing Gaza.

With all of Israel's supporters calling us names, being nasty to us, calling us Hamas supporters, ignoring the trauma of Palestine, why should we change our minds later?

The leaders of Israel treat us all like we are stupid. We are not. They scream human shields. We google it and see that Israel's IDF went to court to get the permission to KEEP using palestinians as human shields. The hypocrisy of Israel's rightwing govt. is losing the world.

[Lurks Often]

63. As I said, time will tell

We going to disagree, but when it comes down to it, all each of us can do, is make our own best guess as to what the future will bring to relations between Israel and the United States.

[Cha]

37. Just because you know all about digging yourself in a hole doesn't mean it applies to anyone else..

quit projecting.

[Larkspur]

14. I wonder what the American public would feel if they found out that Israel

supported Hamas in the past to neuter the Palestinian Authority, and that a growing number of Israel's politicians today publicly support the genocide of Palestinians? It's almost as if Hamas is doing the fascists of Israel a big favor by launching rockets that that can hardly hit an Israeli target.

[another_liberal]

21. Sadly, I doubt it would matter to most . . .

They have been carefully and thoroughly indoctrinated to think only in terms of: Israeli = Good! Arab (or Muslim) = Evil!

I know how effective this indoctrination can be. I was under its sway for many years, only my curiosity and respect for the truth led me to question establishment doctrine concerning Israel/Palestine.

[whatchamacallit]

16. I've lost my last remaining shred of respect for this tool. n/t

[Plucketeer]

19. Palestinians may have elected Hamas

But I cut them some slack in doing so. I can understand the desperation of them watching as Israel has slowly and very deliberately encroached farther and farther onto to their territories. Dismembered bodies and blood - it's all so horrific. Yet, I sit back and wonder just what country would gracefully accept a major incursion onto their lands? An incursion justified on a religion, no less? Yeah - I know - ancient history. But THAT'S what's at the heart of all this.

Palestinians elected Hamas? Geeze, you mean an oppressed populace acted with desperation? Wow! Aren't we fortunate than no harmful choices are made at OUR voting booths! It may well be that we've sent no one to public office who has launched rockets at an offending, neighboring community..... but we HAVE consciously elected reps who've been behind supplying such weapons to folks who DID blast folks they found offensive! How are THESE elected reps any better than Hamas???
Hell, we send reps to office that are GLARING detriments to those that elect them - sortra like aiming rockets at ourselves!

No, Israel has ALOT of backstepping before I say that Palestinians are no longer correct with who they tap to represent them.

[leftynyc]

30. If the Palestinians still support

hamas, why haven't there been elections?

[Marrah_G]

40. Elections were scheduled to be held by September of this year as part of a Unity Government

Not sure how the recent destruction in Gaza will effect that timeline.

Also in 2006 Hamas won the most seats but only got 44.6 % of the votes, just behind Fatah which got 41%.

[regnaD kciN]

42. And let's be clear...

...in the election in question, Hamas won a plurality of votes, but not a majority. The remainder of the vote was split, with the PFLP taking just enough from Fatah totals to enable Hamas to edge them. Nader 2000, anyone?

[SnakeEyes]

47. The elections were in 2006

after Israel pulled out of Gaza and dismantled settlements in Gaza and a few in the West Bank. Israel was not encroaching but retreating.

I'm getting to the point now where I am tired of debating over Israel. I am tired of the lies, distortions, misleading statements, whether intentional or not, about Israel and the great effort that some people make to defend, overlook, or misrepresent Hamas's terrorist actions. The only pointing to Israel but not denouncing Hamas is so ridiculous.

[onecaliberal]

26. The women and children

Being murdered are not Hamas.
Fuck!

[SnakeEyes]

48. But the targets Israel are going after ARE Hamas n/t

[onecaliberal]

50. Then why are most of the dead women and children?

[SnakeEyes]

51. Because of where hamas and their weapons are

And weapons have to make big boom to penetrate targets and increase likelihood target is destroyed/killed.

[onecaliberal]

52. Like the UN schools where there were NO weapons?

[SnakeEyes]

53. No like the UN schools where there were weapons.

If you want to be persuasive, You don't get to just invent facts to help your arguments.

[onecaliberal]

55. You might try pulling your head out.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/30/us-firm-condemnation-shelling-un-school-gaza

Oh enjoy the moth ball box!

[MFM008]

57. you cant do pinpoint strikes

with WMD s.

[DeSwiss]

60. Then they are fucking lousy shots and should put their guns down! n/t :-|

[PeaceMonger12345]

34. My observation

In empirical sense, the Israel Army destroyed mostly Palestinian Civilians while failing to have cost-effective measure against terrorists and Islamist Militants.
The cost of lost destroyed water supplies stations, discharged pollutants, soot, smog, decayed organic waste, and destruction exceeds the benefits from war. Empirically speaking, the Palestinian civilians have been destroyed by an Israel Army.

The publishing suppliers, schools, and shelters have been destroyed.

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=48330#.U-OxgPldVu4
The fighting has forced approximately 118,000 Palestinians to seek refuge in 77 schools run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, UNRWA’s Director of Legal Affairs, Lance Bartholomeusz, told the Council.

This figure is about 6 per cent of Gaza’s population, and double the peak in UNRWA shelters during the 2008 to 2009 conflict, Mr. Bartholomeusz said.

Civilians in Gaza have no safe place to go with 44 per cent of the land declared a ‘no-go zone’ by the Israeli army, according to OCHA.

The UNRWA facilities are not immune to destruction. At least 18 medical facilities, include five UNRWA health clinics have been hit by airstrikes and shelling. In addition, at least one school was hit on Monday alone, then a second time on Tuesday when UN humanitarian workers went to survey the damage.

The UN agency is appealing for $115 million and humanitarian agencies are expected to issue a full Flash Appeal in the coming days, Ms. Kagan said.


One Logical Hypothesis about US Perception of Israel

Possibly, an Evangelical Conservative population would support Israel defactrum regardless of their actions due a memes such as Holy Land. Polling reports support this hypothesis:

http://www.pollingreport.com/israel.htm



Somehow American Populations ignores civilian casualties in Palestine.

[Cha]

38. "The U.S. goal right now would be to make sure that the ceasefire holds, that Gaza can begin the

process of rebuilding, and that some measures are taken so that the people of Gaza feel some sense of hope and so the people of Israel feel confident that they're not going to have a repeat of the kind of rocket launches that we've seen over the last several weeks," Obama said.

Lots of whining because the President "doesn't have sympathy for Hamas".. but, of course they're not looking beyond that headline to see what else is being said.

[rollin74]

39. I agree with President Obama

well said Mr. President

[regnaD kciN]

41. I also have no sympathy for Hamas...

...but all the sympathy in the world for the people of Gaza -- and reject the notion that the IDF can oppress them in the name of "fighting Hamas."

[WhoWoodaKnew]

43. agree

[Adrahil]

44. Well said! NT

[SnakeEyes]

49. If the rockets stop...

the conflict stops.

oh look, Hamas just broke a ceasefire again

[DeSwiss]

61. The illegal settlements too?

- That's why it started if you'll remember. So those illegal settlements get torn down?


Not gonna happen is it? Especially now that Nettie's got what he wanted......

[24601]

45. Dear Hamas, If you are looking for sympathy, check the dictionary between shit and syphilis.

[kwassa]

46. I remember when Bob Dole told that joke ...

something a surgeon said to him as Bob was recovering from severe wounds received in WWII.

[DeSwiss]

62. Dear Israel, If you are looking for sympathy, check the dictionary between holocaust and hell.

[24601]

66. So spelling wasn't one of your better grades? But Israel clearly is not looking for sympathy any

more than the US was on December 8th, 1941. Given that many Israelis today are descended from holocaust survivors, "Never Again" is more than a campaign slogan.

While I'm not a cheerleader for the administration and don't always agree with President Obama, I stand with him without reservation regarding Hamas, designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization on October 8th, 1997.

[DeSwiss]

67. Actually I was an ''A'' student who could spell quite well.....

...as well as knowing all thing alphabetical.

Apparently you weren't aware that Hebrew (as with Arabic) is read from right to left? Therefore going from holocaust to hell would be perfectly apropos. And which is exactly what I was alluding to. But then I suppose history nor theology was your strong subject.

As for standing with Obama you go right ahead, there should be plenty of room.

Israel created Hamas and used it to divide the Palestinians. Now they're sick of their little ruse and want to get rid of it.

As for assigning people with names and designations like ''terrorist'' that's what King George called the Patriots. Terrorist is a BULLSHIT term used to con sheeple into ostracizing and later painting a target on the backs of the very victims of colonialism and capitalism.

So go right ahead, you stand there. I'm sure you'll feel right at home.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

54. Mr President, please drop some aide to the people in Gaza

It is a humanitarian crisis!

[oberliner]

56. Literally hundreds of truckloads of aid enter Gaza daily

Just FYI.