Reply #21: That wasn't exactly the question [View All]

[Idealism]

The question was should Bush be held liable for allowing such a thing in the first place, which seems to be the case here. You are saying Hamas should be responsible for any crimes committed from their region. They have arrested members of the Brigade at several points, who were at one time rivals and other times aligned with them during the unity government period after the 2006 elections. They have clashed in the past with Islamic Jihad, too, as recent as 2007 both sides suffered losses from skirmishes, so I am not sure how much favoritism is there.

Another thing to look at is the utter lawlessness of Gaza under the Fatah government. The powerful clans that ran Gaza were allowed to get away with literal murder under the corrupt Fatah leaders. When Hamas got elected, they greatly cracked down on the clans, particularly the Dagmoush family. They arrested several prominent members of the family, as well as members of extremist groups connected to the Dagmoush clan (like the Army of Islam).

Yet one more possibility to look at are the political implications of the rocket attacks during the Egyptian brokered cease-fire. Who stood to gain more, or who stood to lose more rather, if Palestinians launched rockets and mortars into Israel following June 19th? Certainly there are Fatah sympathizers and supporters in the Al-Aqsa Brigades. Maybe they saw chances to weaken Hamas with rocket fire into Israel, as that would definitely exacerbate the situation? I think all these things are possible, and must be taken into consideration.

Hamas arrests Gaza militants for rocket fire: group
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iAw_GA_ohPpI2OM7HqVTyqw8P4_g
Jul 11, 2008

GAZA CITY (AFP) — Hamas has arrested four members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades for firing rockets at Israel or trying to do so, a member of the militant group ruling the Gaza Strip said on Friday.

Hamas arrests al-Aqsa spokesman
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2008/06/2008629141838866503.html
Monday, June 30, 2008

Hamas forces in Gaza have arrested Mohammed Abu Irmana, the Al-Aqsa Martyr Brigades spokesman, after the group claimed responsibility for a rocket attack on Israel.