Palestinian official likens Netanyahu to IS leader

[Mosby]

RAMALLAH (AFP) -- A senior Palestinian official on Tuesday likened Benjamin Netanyahu to the leader of the Islamic State group, after the Israeli prime minister compared Hamas to the organization.

"Netanyahu is trying to disseminate fear of the Islamic State led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, but Netanyahu forgets that he himself leads the Jewish state," said Saeb Erekat, the PLO's chief negotiator in peace talks with Israel.

"He wants us to call Israel the Jewish state and supports terrorist settlers who kill, destroy and burn mosques and churches... like Baghdadi's men kill and terrorize," Erekat told AFP.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=731118

[Ken Burch]

1. Fair comment on his part.

To Palestinians, Netanyahu IS a terrorist, and we should accept that they have the right to see him that way.

[jaysunb]

3. +1 n/t

[Scootaloo]

2. And?

[bravenak]

4. Yes.

I am sure the Palestinians feel terrorized by the settlers, I know I would.

[Scootaloo]

6. But remember, Bravenak...

It's the feelings of the audience that are the primary consideration here, and absolutely not the conditions of the people affected.

[azurnoir]

5. Palestinians are terrorized both by settlers and the IDF under who's protection settlers commit

acts of terror, just yesterday (Tuesday) settlers committed a home invasion against a Palestinian family in East Jerusalem taking over their home by force

Israeli settlers early Tuesday occupied 23 houses in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan south of the Old City of Jerusalem, a local information center said.

Wadi Hilweh Information Center said in a statement that "settlers of the Elad (Ir David) Association" stormed Silwan at 1:30 a.m. escorted by Israeli soldiers and forcibly evicted the residents of an apartment and occupied it, in addition to several vacant homes.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=730914

what does Bibi do to stop these acts?

[oberliner]

7. Notice the consensus opinion on this here

Granted, it's a small sample size, but the prevailing opinion seems to be that this comparison is an accurate one.

[King_David]

8. I think far more like Hamas

Same views as Hamas on Jews Gays Women Sharia and Religion.

Hamas and ISIS are almost identical.

Netanyahu not so much , lol

[oberliner]

9. Hamas has changed, at least cosmetically

In the late 90's when Hamas was sending folks to blow themselves up at pizzerias and nursing homes, there were a lot more similarities. In the more recent past, though, since they became coalition partners, they have moderated their public personae in a lot of ways. For instance, the ISIS videos of the beheadings - you would not see Hamas doing something like that, certainly not nowadays.

I agree with neither ISIS comparison, personally, and find both sides to be playing political games in that regard. What is ironic is that ISIS is in many ways the enemy of both Israel and the Palestinian Authority-Hamas coalition. I still cling to the belief that the forces of moderation will eventually prevail on all sides.

Not to sound like a liberal elitist but...secularism is really the way to go. Embrace one's cultural ties to Judaism, Islam, Christianity, etc. and perhaps incorporate some of the spiritual wisdom found therein but this strict adherence to the most fundamentalist elements of any faith is dangerous.

Believe what you want, but don't refuse to sit next to me on a plane or threaten to blow me up on the subway.

[King_David]

10. Some of that true

I think Hamas wasn't worried at all about prolonging the war no matter what the civilian casualty count was ( Palestinian civilians not Jews)
Even given the opportunity of cease fire at the beginning of the war they declined due to political reasons.
They could of used the tunnels as bomb shelters for their people etc.