Posted on 06/21/2008 9:16:59 PM PDT by forkinsocket
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh denied on Friday that his organization had agreed to stop weapons smuggling efforts on Gaza's border with Egypt as part of the cease-fire deal with Israel, and claimed it was incapable of such action.
According to a Reuters report, Haniyeh - speaking to worshipers ahead of Friday prayers in Gaza City - said: "We cannot talk about stopping smuggling because it is something beyond our ability as a government and we did not give a commitment in this regard."
Haniyeh added that Hamas would not force other organizations in Gaza to abide by the truce, but added that they had nevertheless agreed to it voluntarily.
In response, spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Mark Regev said that the cease-fire agreement included a halt to weapons smuggling and to attacks by all Gaza-based terror groups.
"Anyone who says otherwise apparently wants to destroy the calm before it has a chance to really succeed," he said.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
The fact that Hamas can't control the flow of goods (and possibly money and people) across the borders of its territory speaks volumes. Either they are lying through their teeth or they are effectively powerless.
The latter case is contradictory with the notion of a government, so they must be lying.
(Note that this argument may also apply to the United States government with regard to illegal alien traffic across our southern border.)
Both are true. They don’t want to stop the smuggling & they couldn’t even if they wanted to.
And no one notices that this is indeed the “reloading” part of the “ceasefire”?
Gee, how nice of them!
If you "would not force" others to abide by a truce, then what good is a truce if they decide not to "voluntarily" abide by it anymore, and what good are you as a governing body if you have no control over independent terrorist groups? Idiots.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.