Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - and Likud’s failed leader - has compared the rise of Hamas to the success of the Nazis in 1930s Germany:
“A few days ago, a new foe arose. When Hitler rose to power, it was said that ruling would moderate him, and it was also said in regards to the Ayatollahs regime and the Taliban. There are urgent warning signs that [scream] out a lust for murder and destruction.
“The Likud will not continue transferring territory, [we] need to stop giving them money - neither ours nor the world’s - and [we] must prevent them from establishing an army any which way possible.”
Netanyahu says that international pressure will convince the Palestinian government to change direction. Perhaps the more extreme elements of the Arab world - likely to become key benefactors of Hamas - will attempt to pressure the Western world to isolate the Jewish state. Extreme rhetoric on either side is counterproductive and pointless.
Netanyahu seems to believe that Israel has the right to dictate candidates and political platforms for the Palestinian people, criticising the current Israeli government for allowing Hamas to participate and allowing Palestinians to vote in East Jerusalem. Netanyahu rants like a colonial master off the leash.
It would be a mistake to go back to Netanyahu. Even though Hamas’s past rhetoric has not been very helpful, I think once they actually have legitimate political power they will be more reasonable. Still some basic ground rules need to be established before Israel should even consider talks.
Without an unambiguous declaration of Israel’s right to exist within, at least, 1967 borders, Israel would be mad to even acknowledge Hamas.
Pretty predictable. Notice on the link there’s a page;
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/676173.html
“Israel says it won’t transfer January tax revenues to PA
By Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondent
Israel will not transfer this past month’s tax revenues earmarked for the Palestinian Authority, a senior government source in Jerusalem said Sunday.”
Well it is their money, but f*ck it you just can’t take the risk. They’ll be spending it on death camps and ovens. This is our survival at stake. Our back is to the sea.
And this is a real gem;
“According to a senior diplomatic source, “The main consideration in favor of transferring the money is that this is Palestinian money.” He went on to say halting payments would not constitute a violation of agreements with the PA, because Israel agreed to transfer tax money solely to former PA Finance Minister Salem Fayyad. “Since Fayyad resigned, the agreement is no longer valid,” he said.”
So there you go. Beautiful. It’s their money, so we should give it to them. But we only give to one guy. If that guy’s not around, we keep it. That’s fair.
i may be proven wrong but i think that netanyahu is a far more dangerous figure to have in charge than sharon, its not that he is more right wing, i just think he is totally amoral, a very sinister figure
I agree. I think it was significant that his first words in response to 911 was that it was “very good”.
Listen, they’re all the same . The fill-in charmer of Huffington is witholding the Pali’s money, because they’re “terrorists”. Well f*ck him as well.
Most of Israel’s leaders, Sharon will end up being the last of them, were members of terrorist organisations like Stern, Irgun, Betar etc.
But that of course was different!
They may be terrorists, but they are “our” terrorists.