If nothing else - just like the clinton's - it's for the children...
Israelis are taking the image at face value
Posted on 02/06/2003 2:14:55 PM PST by anotherview
Feb. 6, 2003
Hamas leader: Islamic group is ready to take over from Arafat
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hamas is prepared to assume leadership of the Palestinian people, a senior Hamas official said Thursday, a rare expression of the goal of the violent Islamic movement, while five Palestinians, another Arab and two soldiers were killed in clashes.
Mahmoud Zahar, a leader of the Hamas political wing, told The Associated Press that his group is "absolutely" prepared to lead the Palestinian people now. He said Hamas has the infrastructure to take over leadership "politically, financially (and) socially."
Hamas has been responsible for dozens of suicide bombing attacks against Israelis during 28 months of fighting. As a matter of Islamic principle, Hamas does not recognize the existence of a Jewish state in the Middle East, opposing Arafat's policy of creating a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Hamas has avoided direct conflicts with Arafat's regime up to now, though from time to time, clashes between the rival groups have erupted.
Polls have shown consistently that Arafat's Fatah movement is more popular than Hamas among Palestinians, but Arafat has not visited Gaza in more than a year, confined to his Ramallah West Bank headquarters by the Israeli military presence and implied threats that if he leaves, he will not be allowed to return.
Israel charges that Arafat is allowing militants from all groups to carry out attacks. Arafat has spoken out against attacks on Israeli civilians.
Hamas has moved into the vacuum in Gaza, stepping up social services in the crowded territory, poverty-stricken in the best of times and made even more destitute by the effects of the conflict. Also, its frequent attacks against Israel have bolstered its backing.
Zahar said the Hamas takeover would come through elections, not a military operation. Palestinians had elections scheduled for Jan. 20 but postponed them because Israeli troops are in control of most of the West Bank population centers.
Reflecting Hamas policy, Zahar said the armed conflict with Israel would continue. Egypt has been trying to obtain a declaration from rival Palestinian factions to stop attacks on Israeli civilians, but Hamas has refused, torpedoing the efforts.
Ziad Abu Amr, a Palestinian legislator from Arafat's Fatah movement, said Hamas leaders rarely state the takeover goal in public, but it is clearly their intention. "They want to mold things according to their vision," he said. "All along they presented themselves as an alternative, but they want to do it peacefully.
Once a self-proclaimed terrorist group officially takes over the PA (as opposed to the "Oh, we renounced violence at Oslo" PLO) then Israel has every right to treat the PA like we treated Afghanistan and to deal with Hamas and Hezbollah like we do with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
Hopefully, Hamas will use our Iraq intervention as its cue to topple Arafat. The US and Israel in the Middle East, both with their gloves off. It's a good thing.
I don't believe some Palestinian leaders are going to be happy about this. If I am right, we might see a moderate leadership emerge. If I am wrong, it pretty much verifies what folks have thought all along.
The policies of Hamas and one other group in the Palestinian state have seen the standard of living plumet since they implemented a policy of bombing across Israel two years ago.
As I have said before. Israel should adopt a shoot on sight policy for Hamas leaders.
Hopefully, Hamas will use our Iraq intervention as its cue to topple Arafat. The US and Israel in the Middle East, both with their gloves off. It's a good thing.
Couldn't have said it better myself!
Did I miss something? When did the PLO take out of their charter the destruction of Israel?
If nothing else - just like the clinton's - it's for the children...
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