Why do Arabs support Hamas over Fatah?

Ha'aretz ^ | July 01, 2008 | Shmuel Rosner

[forkinsocket]

"The Arab-Israeli conflict remains a central issue for most Arabs," concludes Shibley Telhami. But do we really need a poll to understand that? The Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development at the University of Maryland, and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Saban Center at Brookings, Telhami was presenting the findings of new polls on Tuesday. Whether one likes it or not, whether this is justified or not, "the Arab-Israeli issue remains the prism through which most Arabs view the world." In fact, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was never higher on the agenda as it is today, at least since 2002, the year Telhami started conducting this annual poll. According to the study, 88 percent of Egyptians rank it among the top three most important issues, while 100 percent of Jordanians do the same.

In addition, 99 percent of Lebanese rank this issue as one of the top three. One would think Lebanese have other things to worry about. Yet, 40 percent of them have changed their view of Hezbollah for the better, compared to just 29 percent who now see Hezbollah more negatively than in the past.

Among Arabs in general, 56 percent thought that the Israeli-Palestinian issue is the single most important issue compared to 43 percent in 2003, 56 percent in 2004, 24 percent in 2005, and 43 percent in 2006.

2.

But there's much more to this poll than just ranking the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The most interesting part of it is the one dealing with the Fatah-Hamas divide. The headline:

In all six countries surveyed (those polled were all non-Palestinian Arabs), Arabs favored Hamas over Fatah.

[forkinsocket]

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[Resolute Conservative]

“The Arab-Israeli conflict remains a central issue for most Arabs”

Arabs killing, raping, and torturing around the world like they own the place is my central issue.

[JimSEA]

the Arab-Israeli issue remains the prism through which most Arabs view the world."

Don't let this bit of propaganda stand. The Arab Israeli conflict is the one that has been sold to the rest of the world as if, once solved, there will be peace (never mind that the only acceptable solution to the Arabs is killing all the Jews). Look at the places with major conflicts in the world. Select those which pit Muslims against other religions. Now you can see the Islamic Agenda.

[forkinsocket]

True, but at the same time, I want the Jews to know that Muslims truly loathe Israel & its defeat is at the top of their agenda, that this subject is brought up constantly to their Western allies. I want the Jews to understand that they cannot depend on anyone else for support because we are ultimately a burden & a nuissance. The Muslims are many, we are few. We don’t have oil, diplomatic prestige, or a powerful economy to offer anyone. Many people logically think, why make so many enemies just for the sake of one small country? We cannot expect or depend on others to make their lives more difficult just for us. This is the cold truth. Jews need to get used to doing what needs to be done without expecting any praise, permission, or support from anyone, & to let condemnations just roll off our backs.

[jongaltsr]

Simply put - Hamas offers greater benefits to the Arab community. They give money, houses, water, food, etc to the people. They are just more willing to give to their people what they have stolen from others, received in grants from Iran (Etc) and from their money printing press in the Baca Vally.

[SJackson]

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[JimSEA]

There is no question that the loss of Israel would be yet another and perhaps the worst Holocaust. There is no other outcome that would satisfy Islam. I just want to emphasize that it isn't “just the Jews” as so many Europeans and American Democrats seen to think (repugnant as such an attitude is).