Underwriting Hamas

[barb162]

Editorial

Underwriting Hamas

Published: March 4, 2006

America cannot bankroll a Hamas government that preaches and practices terrorism, denies that Israel has any right to exist, and refuses to abide by peace agreements signed by previous Palestinian governments. That should be blindingly obvious. America is engaged in a global armed struggle against terrorism. It is firmly allied with Israel and is committed to Israel's survival.

Hamas won the recent Palestinian election fair and square. American officials, who say they are so forcefully committed to the cause of expanding democracy in the Middle East, should not even entertain the idea of doing anything to try to somehow undermine the results and install a different government. But that does not mean continuing to provide the subsidies that help pay for the Palestinian police, civil servants and other employees.

The Palestinian Authority is having a genuine financial crisis, but it is not America's responsibility. Continuing United States subsidies while Hamas is in power will not move the region one step closer to a fair and sustainable peace.

That must be the bottom line, unless Hamas starts changing its tune and behavior on peace-related issues. But Washington should leave itself room for flexibility and pragmatism in working out the details. Money should continue to flow to nongovernmental relief organizations for humanitarian projects, provided that the recipient organizations have no links of any kind to terrorist activity or organizations. The same thing goes for independent foundations that remain committed to the principles of the Oslo peace agreements and peaceful dialogue with Israel. And Washington should continue to press Israel to resume turning over to the Palestinian Authority the Palestinian tax and customs funds that Israel collects on the authority's behalf. This is not aid, but the Palestinians' own money.

snip
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/04/opinion/04sat1.html?th&emc=th

[idontwantaname]

1. a friends letter in response.

To the Editor,

Perhaps you need glasses. What is blindingly obvious to anyone who is interested in the truth is that the Palestinians are living under a brutal Israeli occupation. Now both Israeli officials and Americans are calling for starving the Palestinians. The Geneva conventions, signed by both Israel and the U.S., make the occupier responsible for the welfare of the occupied people, forbid the occupier to move its own population into the occupied territories and mandate that "the sick and wounded shall be collected and cared for." Well, with nearly 400 checkpoints in the West Bank, 17 -foot high walls surrounding neighborhoods, villages and towns, and Gaza turned into a giant prison camp with no airport, no seaport and all exits controlled by Israel, there's not much care or welfare for the Palestinians. If anyone were treating Jews this way you'd certainly be able to see the injustice of the situation, but since it's the Palestinians, no human rights concerns need apply.

The situation is so unjust that even the stones in Palestine are weeping. Shame on you. Why don't you tell Israel to end their brutal military occupation, repatriate the settlers, withdraw their army, tear down the Apartheid Wall and sit down with the Palestinians to negotiate a resolution that's fair to all. Hamas has said it will willingly negotiate with Israel if Israel ends the occupation. Israel has nuclear weapons and the 4th or 5th largest army in the world; its survival isn't at issue. It's the Palestinians who are the victims here, not the Israelis. For once the U.S. should stand up for justice and decency instead of war and oppression. And so should you.

[barb162]

2. the letter makes no sense in light of Hamas' charter to nullify Israe

and also what certain Hamas leaders have been saying the last few weeks about refusing to even recognize Israel.

[idontwantaname]

3. "israel" refuses to recognize the green line...

as well as international law. can you really fault hamas for not recognizing someone who doesnt recognize them or the palestinians right to exist?

[barb162]

4. If Israel doesn't recognize them, then who got Gaza in Sept. 05

Brazil?

[idontwantaname]

5. mountain of amole hill

if i steal 2 things but give only 1 back how should you react?

note: you are aware construction for more settlements and house demolitions and target assassinations are all still going on in the west bank correct? they have not stopped. if israelis really wanted to give the palestinians a chance the back off from the territories and stop breaking international law!

[barb162]

6. interesting little question but the more important one is

if someone basically tells you they are going to destroy you, do you hand money over to the person?


Article 13 of the Hamas Charter:
Peaceful Solutions, Initiatives and International Conferences:

Article Thirteen:
Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement. Abusing any part of Palestine is abuse directed against part of religion. Nationalism of the Islamic Resistance Movement is part of its religion. Its members have been fed on that. For the sake of hoisting the banner of Allah over their homeland they fight. "Allah will be prominent, but most people do not know."

Now and then the call goes out for the convening of an international conference to look for ways of solving the (Palestinian) question. Some accept, others reject the idea, for this or other reason, with one stipulation or more for consent to convening the conference and participating in it. Knowing the parties constituting the conference, their past and present attitudes towards Moslem problems, the Islamic Resistance Movement does not consider these conferences capable of realising the demands, restoring the rights or doing justice to the oppressed. These conferences are only ways of setting the infidels in the land of the Moslems as arbitraters. When did the infidels do justice to the believers?

"But the Jews will not be pleased with thee, neither the Christians, until thou follow their religion; say, The direction of Allah is the true direction. And verily if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, thou shalt find no patron or protector against Allah." (The Cow - verse 120).

There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors. The Palestinian people know better than to consent to having their future, rights and fate toyed with. As in said in the honourable Hadith:
snip

[idontwantaname]

7. actually the question should be...

what is the occupation doing to these people that would make them react this way?

the thing is israelis know what is going on. they know about these target assassinations which kill the 1 person they are after... but also kill and wound many others. if this was a suicide bombing youd be freaking out and demanding retailiation.

without a doubt if you knew all the shit the IDF and BP do to palestinians you would not be suprised there hasnt been more violence.

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[Coastie for Truth]

8. The Green Line is a cease fire line

not a border or peace treaty line.

ATFP advocates the following six principles towards a fair & lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:

1. Two sovereign states--Israel and Palestine--living side by side in peace and security based on the borders of June 4, 1967 with mutually agreed upon territorial adjustments.

2. An end to the Israeli occupation and the evacuation of all Israeli settlements, save for equitable arrangements mutually agreed upon by the negotiating parties.

3. A just solution for the Palestinian refugee problem, in accordance with international legality and the relevant UN resolutions.

4. A shared Jerusalem open to all faiths, serving as the capital of two states, providing for the fulfillment of the political aspirations of both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples.

5. Full acceptance of Israel by all Arab states, and normalized diplomatic and economic relations throughout the region.

6. A "Marshall Plan" style package of aid and investment for Palestine and the new Middle East.

Positions - American Task Force On Palestine

This is the position of the American Task Force on Palestine - which publishes Rashid Khalidi's works.

[idontwantaname]

9. mutually agreed upon

and what arafat was offered at camp david was anything but mutual.