I’ve said this before, but since the thread seems to have vanished I’ll say it again.
If you look behind the bluster of Israel’s recent attacks against the Palestinians, you’ll notice a pattern:
Hamas used to be one of the Israel Army’s favourite targets. But ever since Hamas won the election, not a single Hamas activist has been targetted. Israel has turned up the rhetoric against Hamas to previously unheard levels, is using its allies to apply huge economic and political pressure, but seems to be carefully avoiding militarily attacking Hamas. The most physical action that Israel took against Hamas was to arrest a Hamas minister for a few hours for a travel permit violation.
In the meantime, Israel’s killed around a dozen Islamic Jihad activists; the most recent attacks have targetted militants loyal to Mahmoud Abbas, Hamas’s single most powerful political foe.
In short… Israel is killing off Hamas’s domestic rivals whilst being very careful to avoid attacking Hamas itself. That doesn’t sound like the action of a country convinced its neighbour actually would try to wipe it off the map.
Israel and Hamas are doing nothing but a staring fight. They are trying to make the other guy blink whilst hoping it doesn’t come down to a fight. From its experience of the intifada, Israel’s aware of how much economic damage it suffers in periods of intense conflict; Hamas in turn remembers the brutal days of the 1980s that gave birth to it.
Israel is using political and economic pressure to try to force Hamas to make concessions
Hamas is trying to counter this and make Israel back down through building international recognition and support.
At some point…a form of accomodation will be made, it’s inevitable. It probably is beginning behind the scenes… Hamas is the only one of the 3 largest Palestinian militant groups that seems immune to Israeli attacks for the past 3 months.
Re: Israel and Hamas
First let’s justify Israel’s actions by stating that they are in response to rockets being fired at Israel. (A fact)
That said it’s quite an embarrassment that the Palestinian government sits back while Israel steps up attacks on these rocketeers.
Hamas has 2 options, 1. Response to Israeli strikes, something it does not want to do with so many of its members in public and vulnerable to liquidation. 2. Respond to the rocket fire so Israel stops striking at will. We’ll seems to me that if Hamas responds against those firing the rockets, as they said they will now do ( http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/704167.html](http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/704167.html) ) it’s conceivable that this could cause some friction between terror organizations.
The thorn is now being pricked.
Re: Israel and Hamas
Hamas has an opportunity to mend old wounds, and get on with nation building for thousands of Palestinians.
Mullahs have not been proven to be reasonable people in the world politics. May Hamasi Mullahs will prove that wrong.
They should immediately accept Israel as denying Israel is like denying the existence of planets or stars.
Then they ought to sit down face to face with Israelis and work through the details. Off course Pakistanis were lucky that had a cold, and calculating leader in the form of Jinnah. He was able to do in 20 years what Mullahs have been trying to destroy for the past 60 years.
For those guppies who are "geographically-challenged", think Israel and think half the size of Karachi (population wise). This is a tiny country and we should quit shouting at Israel and Israelis. It is not good for Pakistan as it brings us down to the lowly status of Arabs.
Re: Israel and Hamas
So you think that Muslims should accept that illegal zionist country?
Re: Israel and Hamas
When somebody attacks and occupies American lands (as the Jews occupy Palestine) no doubt the locals will just sit back and do nothing?
Re: Israel and Hamas
read up on Hamas's history... and u'll understand this Noora Kushti
Re: Israel and Hamas
**Hamas ‘willing’ to recognise Israel **
**The Hamas-led Palestinian government is willing to recognise Israel if the latter withdraws fully from West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, Al Jazeera. net has reliably learnt.
Sources close to Ismail Haniya, the Palestinian prime minister, described the Hamas decision as a “significant change in policy”.
“What it means is that the Palestinian government is willing to recognise Israel if Israel met certain conditions, including a complete withdrawal from the territories Israel occupied in 1967,” a source told Al Jazeera.net on Wednesday.
Speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media, the source added that he expected the “new posture” to be announced officially by Haniya in the coming few days.
The Hamas-led government is coming under intense international pressure to recognise Israel, abandon armed resistance and accept outstanding agreements between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.
If true, the new development will constitute a significant departure from Hamas’ dogged refusal to accept Israel’s right to exist. Hamas’ officials and spokespersons in the West Bank have refused to comment on the movement’s willingness to recognise Israel in return for a viable Palestinian state on 100% of the occupied territories.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/254A8588-3089-495E-9D54-FE87479080DB.htm
**