Hamas Says Gaza Not “Occupied”

[vminfla]

The UN’s continued labeling of the Gaza Strip as “occupied” was directly contradicted today by a top leader of Hamas, the vehemently anti-Israel Palestinian terror group that controls the territory.

Noting the Hamas statement reflects the reality since Israel's full withdrawal in 2005, the Geneva-based monitoring group UN Watch called on the UN to encourage Palestinians to take responsibility for areas they control, and to cease referring to Gaza, in reports and through officials and spokespeople, as “occupied territory.”

“The UN's traditional practice of absolving Palestinians of responsibility hasn't helped them one iota," said Hillel Neuer, UN Watch executive director. "On the contrary, Palestinian citizens are the main losers when those that directly govern and police them are never seriously held accountable for their actions."

"Now that the Palestinians running Gaza publicly regognize that it's not occupied -- which has been the reality since Israel's disengagement removed every solider, civilian and setttlement in 2005 -- the UN's refusal to do the same will only hinder Palestinians from developing a healthy culture of self-rule," said Neuer.

Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahhar confirmed there was no Israeli occupation of the territory in comments reported today by the Bethlehem-based Ma’an News Agency.



http://www.unwatch.org/cms.asp?id=2832097&campaign_id=63111

[holdencaufield]

1. Hamas doesn't consider Gaza occupied

Just everything EAST of Gaza.

[vminfla]

7. True enough

Their objective is to rid Jews from sea to sea.

[Shaktimaan]

10. Ha. +1

[shira]

2. But, but.... Western sources say Gaza is still occupied!

What does Hamas know, right?

The white people know better...

[holdencaufield]

3. They should hire an ad agency.

New, improved GAZA! Now with 100% fewer Jews!

They could hire Sterling Cooper. Don Draper has matzoh fever.

[vminfla]

9. Hamas has a great image campaign

Either that or effete leftists are dupes. Hard to tell sometimes.

[vminfla]

8. Sad, but true

It appears that there is an entire cottage industry that exists, from the UNRWA to ISM that insists on "helping" in perpetuity. Given the fact that Nasrallah is estimated to be worth more than US$200 million, I would imagine that other professional "aid" organizations are also raking in big money and don't want their cash flow to end.

[King_David]

4. The Western Latte Crowd leftists know better

Why even in this board I have seen posts implying Palestinians in Gaza do not know what they talking about and they should just shut up and let the American " liberals" such as the ISM lead and they (Palestinians) should just follow.

[shira]

5. Yes, they're more Palestinian than Hamas. n/t

[vminfla]

6. I think I prefer Latte crowd over effete milqetoasts

Latte crowd evokes the self-indulgent, self-important meddlesomeness that you find in Westerners who think they know better.

[King_David]

13. I have seen people in this forum still insisting Gaza IS REALLY occupied,

What the hell do the Palistinians who actually live there know?

[King_David]

11. Kick. nt

[vminfla]

12. Shhhhh

we can't have this kind of information becoming well-known. Better to stick with the meme that arabs are just poor pawns in Israel's evil machinations.