Hamas' terrorism hinders peaceful negotiation with Israel
Vivek Thuppil
Issue date: 4/21/06 Section: Ed-Op
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The difference could not be clearer cut. The Israeli people rejected the hard-line policies of the Likud party and the Jewish extremists when they elected Ehud Olmert, the center-right successor to Ariel Sharon who wants to finalize an international border between Israel and a potential Palestinian state in the next few years. While he isn't necessarily the most philanthropic Israeli from the Palestinian point of view, he is also not the most extremist. He has shown a willingness to enact permanent borders and help create a Palestinian state, even if he hopes to annex large tracts of land in the process. On the other hand, the democratically elected government the Palestinians have selected had the following to say in response to a barbaric terrorist attack in Tel Aviv that killed nine innocent civilians and wounded 50 more, "Our people are in a state of self-defense and they have every right to use all means to defend themselves."
Statements such as this underscore the fact that Hamas is merely another terrorist outfit, regardless how much they claim themselves to be a legitimate political party. Refusing to recognize the state of Israel is one thing. It is a nation's sovereign right whether it wishes to recognize another nation or not. Defending a terrorist attack is entirely another. It leads me to wonder that if the Palestinian government openly supports terrorist activities even when speaking to international media to this extent, how much are they covertly equipping would-be suicide bombers and terrorists?
Following this most recent suicide bombing, the State Department should waste no time in listing the Palestinian Authority as a state sponsor of terrorism, as they have clearly shown themselves to be through their jubilant support of Islamic Jihad, the group that carried out this particular attack. The United States and the European Union have rightfully withheld all aid to the Hamas government pending a complete renunciation of violence and terrorism on the part of the Palestinians.
Statements such as this underscore the fact that Hamas is merely another terrorist outfit, regardless how much they claim themselves to be a legitimate political party. Refusing to recognize the state of Israel is one thing. It is a nation's sovereign right whether it wishes to recognize another nation or not. Defending a terrorist attack is entirely another. It leads me to wonder that if the Palestinian government openly supports terrorist activities even when speaking to international media to this extent, how much are they covertly equipping would-be suicide bombers and terrorists?
Following this most recent suicide bombing, the State Department should waste no time in listing the Palestinian Authority as a state sponsor of terrorism, as they have clearly shown themselves to be through their jubilant support of Islamic Jihad, the group that carried out this particular attack. The United States and the European Union have rightfully withheld all aid to the Hamas government pending a complete renunciation of violence and terrorism on the part of the Palestinians.
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Anonymous
posted 5/16/06 @ 9:29 PM EST
I am writing a position paper on the issue of pulling aid from hamas.
I am a young jewish girl who really beleives that because of Hamas' goals
it would be detremental to offer aid. (Continued…)
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