Ha’aretz lacks reading comprehension

First the headline read “Hamas charter mentions armed struggle, but not Israel’s destruction.”

Now the headline reads “Hamas’ platform pushes for armed fight.”

The article remains pretty much the same, and incredibly clueless.

Hamas published its official platform for the upcoming Palestinian elections, which proved to be more moderate than either its 1988 charter or public statements made by its leaders throughout the ensuing years.

It’s the biggest case of “LaLaLaIcan’tHEARyou” I’ve seen yet in the Israeli press.

Diplomatically, the platform does not differ substantially from that of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah faction, calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital – although it does not specify that such a state should be confined to the West Bank and Gaza.

The document also makes no mention of the principle that has been Hamas’ raison d’etre since its founding: the destruction of Israel and establishment of a Palestinian state on all territory west of the Jordan River in its place.

So, let’s see. The organization calls for the destruction of Israel regularly, the latest only a few days ago. Their charter states their goal of an Islamic state positioned exactly where Israel is right now. But because they have learned not to put those words into worthless political documents, they are suddenly more “moderate”? How is this “moderate”?

However, the document’s introduction comes out strongly in favor of armed struggle. “Our nation is currently at a stage of national liberation, and it has the right to act to regain its rights and end the occupation by using all means, including armed resistance,” it states. “We must use all means in order to support our people and establish a state whose capital is Jerusalem.”

Once again, we’re not seeing the word “East” in front of Jerusalem. Because they don’t want a state that merely encompasses the palestinian territories. They want an Islamic state “from the river to the sea,” as they say.

The introduction also defines the refugees’ “right of return” to what is now Israel, as “an inalienable right about which no political concessions should be made.”

But this is “moderate.”

The introduction explains that Hamas decided to run in the elections, because it believes that this will contribute to “the liberation of Palestine, the return of the Palestinian people to its land and its homeland, and the establishment of an independent state whose capital is Jerusalem. Our participation in the elections strengthens and supports the resistance program and the intifada, which is the nation’s preferred alternative for ending the occupation.“

But this is “moderate.”

Ha’aretz is ignoring the evidence. It’s right there for all to see.

It also states that Hamas views Palestine as “part of the Arab and Islamic territory, and an absolute Palestinian right that no legal or military means can alter.”

Once again, “Palestine” is the state they want to have instead of Israel–not beside her.

Ha’aretz, who do you think you’re fooling?

Let’s take a look at this article, also in Ha’aretz:

Hamas man indicted for seeking to set up West Bank cell
During his interrogation Halawa admitted that about a month ago he was recruited by another Hamas activist, Mahmud Shambari, to set up a Hamas cell in the West Bank that would take orders from the Gaza headquarters.

Halawa was directed to abduct soldiers in order to use them as bargaining chips in negotiations over the release of Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.

He left the Gaza Strip via the Rafah border terminal, using a false document attesting to medical treatment he was supposedly to receive in Egypt. Once in Egypt he hired an Egyptian smuggler who agreed to take him over the border between Sinai and Israel for $1,000. Halawa and several other infiltrators were captured on the Israeli side.

Suuure they’re moderating their stance.

Great analysis there, Ha’aretz.