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Sunday, January 04, 2009
Hamas is to blame
I have largely remained quiet on the Israeli bombings of the Gaza strip. This not because I don’t have an opinion, I was concerned that complexity of the situation did not lend itself well to this sort of forum. But now that ground troops have surrounded Gaza City, I feel that something has to be made entirely clear. This is the fault of Hamas.
A year ago Hamas forces threw a coup in Gaza, chasing out the supporters of the more moderate President Abbas. After this Hamas’ Gaza effectively became a state within itself. It is Hamas that has acted as police and have kept order in the crowded and impoverished area. Abbas or any other Palestinian faction was unable to do anything to restrain the radicalism of Hamas.
Hamas used this free hand to strike terror into Israel. They launched hundreds of rockets into Isreal, killing and maiming with no military end. What country could tolerate this state of affairs? Imagine warning sirens going on a daily bases. Imagine not only fearing for your own life but for the lives of your children and your neighbours. Israel has reacted in the only way that a reasonable person could expect them to react.
There are volumes of books written about the moral responsibility of war. Yet I have never read any author who claimed that a country may not attack back if they are attacked. Israel was under attack by the only authority left in the Gaza Strip. It should be universally acknowledged that Israel has a duty to defend itself. The present engagement of hostilities is therefore clearly the fault of Hamas.
Posted by Hugh MacIntyre on January 4, 2009 | Permalink
Comments
Yes Hamas is to blame. An old Cowboy saying that might suit this situation is: "Never pet a burning dog" Doesn't exactly make sense, but it does convey an idea.
Hamas has been petting a burning dog and now they are going to pay for it.
Still, its an Isreali / Hamas affair.
Posted by: JC | 2009-01-04 9:49:59 AM
Editing requirements? Please? The Standard deserves better than columnists who spell the name of the country wrong three times in two paragraphs. How embarrassing.
Posted by: L | 2009-01-04 3:49:44 PM
L: Get rael, will you? What is your rael problem? :) Hamas is to blame....a no brainer.
Posted by: Markalta | 2009-01-04 4:33:37 PM
L - what country pray tell? Oh, I am forgetting the invented name for the non existent country of "Palestine".
Posted by: Alain | 2009-01-04 4:37:53 PM
I tend to blame the Pali's that voted for and support Hamas. Even those of able body and mind that stand idly by and allow Hamas to rule in Gaza must shoulder some of the blame. It's not like Hamas has a "hidden agenda" (like those scary conservatives in Canada:)rather their agenda is known and very clear. I doubt that any reasonable person would deny that a significant number of normal everyday Germans were to blame for Hitlers rise to power.
I wish it were otherwise, I'd prefer that Jew and Muslim could join in a rousing rendition of "Cum-By-Ya" by the camp fire, but the IDF needs to do some serious house cleaning. And that means civilian deaths, regrettable that may be.
Posted by: Dave | 2009-01-04 7:32:27 PM
For heaven sure hamas is to blame because there is a limit for everything and Hamas has crossed their limits. They will damn pay. Before Isreal was bearing hamas well now its their turn to show up. Hamas is gonna see WONDERS OF DESTRUCTION.......
THEY WILL PAY FOR THEIR DEEDS... What a pity I have for them...
Posted by: palak | 2009-01-06 8:54:12 AM
Whatever you folks are smoking, I want some of it. Rat-face jews have just carried out another massacre, this time the Hannukah Massacre '08, and the cabal dominated media is perpetuating the same vile lies and deceit that rat-face jews specialize in.
The IDF is responsible for mass-murder, period. The jewish torah and talmud condone and support acts of rape and murder against non-jews, or as the jews call 'goyim'.
Let's stop whoring ourselves for Uncle Cohen, or Rabbi Goldberg.
Posted by: Joe | 2009-01-06 9:00:47 AM
Go sit on your thumb Joe
Posted by: hughmacintyre | 2009-01-06 9:03:38 AM
Let's stop whoring ourselves for Uncle Cohen, or Rabbi Goldberg.
Posted by: Joe | 2009-01-06 9:00:47 AM
Shouldn't you be goose stepping around your basement in front of a swastika....there's a good Nazi, run along now....
Posted by: JC | 2009-01-06 10:21:03 AM
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