This is the gift that keeps on giving: The op-ed from the New York Times by Ismail Haniye’s “political adviser” that declared
“Palestinians want, on their terms, the same thing Western societies want: self-determination, modernity, access to markets and their own economic power, and freedom for civil society to evolve.”
[…] Our stated aim when we won the election was to effect reform, end corruption and bring economic prosperity to our people. Our sole focus is Palestinian rights and good governance. We now hope to create a climate of peace and tranquillity within our community.
And there’s this laugh-line as well:
We want to get children back to school, get basic services functioning again, and provide long-term economic gains for our people.
What, exactly, is Hamas doing to effect all of this? Well, they’re patrolling the streets in heavily armed teams of terrorists.
THE nights in Gaza belong to the Izzedine al-Qassam brigades. On potholed streets in the border city of Rafah last week, disciplined rows of fighters bristling with guns and rocket launchers listened to a midnight pep talk from their commander before melting into the darkness.
The militia that was once the underground military wing of Hamas, the Islamic extremist organisation, has become a feared unofficial army controlling this isolated strip of Palestinian territory.
[…] Each six-man unit travels with rocket-launchers, machineguns and grenades and carries a locally made antitank mine similar to the explosively formed projectiles (EFPs) that have wreaked havoc against allied armoured vehicles in Iraq.
And how are they using these patrols to “get children back to school, get basic services functioning again, and provide long-term economic gains”?
Like this:
Only believers feel safe; supporters of Fatah, the political organisation led by Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president, are routinely arrested and tortured. Journalists are harassed and unIslamic dress can result in a beating as well. More and more women in Gaza are covering not just their hair but their faces. Many bitterly resent Hamas.
And like this:
Courts are now being convened in mosques, based on sharia (Islamic law).
Last week two university students were taken to court for having a romance. The court tried to force them to marry but their feuding families refused. In the end, the court ordered the woman’s family to keep her at home and her boyfriend to leave the city for a year.
These are the people that Jimmy Carter, and others, insist that Israel should be talking peace with. These are the people that Jimmy Carter, and others, insisted that once they had to actually rule Gaza, they’d put aside their weapons due to the overwhelming work of the daily routine, like picking up the garbage and running municipalities.
Funny how they don’t seem to care if the garbage as picked up, as long as the women putting it outside are covered up according to their version of Islamic law.
Hamas has not moderated. Hamas will not moderate. Perhaps it’s time for world opinion to moderate. When will the world accept the reality that a terrorist group is running Gaza, and nothing will be accomplished until the terrorists are defeated?
I’m putting ten bucks on the Twelfth of Never.
“Palestinians want, on their terms, the same thing Western societies want: self-determination, modernity, access to markets and their own economic power, and freedom for civil society to evolve.â€
Sure. They just don’t want Jews to have it – or anything, other than a bullet to the head.
I would say the first week that has two Friday’s.