Marco Rubio: Hamas to Blame for Gaza Casualties

[Peikko 1,575]

Oh, I stand by the statement that Hamas is responsible for all deaths - civilian and military, Israeli and Palestinian - in this conflict.

Then, I did read everything you wrote accurately. You only see one side of the story which results in a bias when you attempt to engage in a discussion on the conflict.

[OriZ 3,157]

Here is the widely believed fallacy: the Israeli blockade of Gaza led to the firing of Hamas rockets from Gaza.

And here is the little known truth: it was the firing of Hamas rockets from Gaza that led to the Israeli blockade of Gaza.

The fallacy distorts our understanding of why these escalations keep happening and what will make a durable peace possible. The fallacy frames the Israeli blockade of Gaza as motiveless and cruel at best, demonic at worst, while it presents the firing of Hamas rockets on Israeli civilians as acts of resistance. The fallacy makes us think that if only Israel "lifted the blockade" then peace would break out.

The fallacy spreads because of ignorance.

People do not know that when Israel left Gaza in 2005, the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon – who, like Rabin and Barak before him, and like Olmert after him, had crossed his Rubicon, finally accepting the need to divide the land – said: “We desire a life living side-by-side, in understanding and peace. Our goal [in disengaging] is that the Palestinians will be able to live in dignity and freedom in an independent state, and, together with us, enjoy good neighbourly relations.”

They do not know that the reply from the Hamas bomb-making chief Mohammed Deif was instant. On the website of the Izz-al Din Qassam Brigades he declared: “I thank Allah the exalted for his support in the Jihad of our people. I ask for your assistance to our jihad… We shall not rest until our entire holy land is liberated … To the Zionists we promise that tomorrow all of Palestine will become hell for you…”

They do not know that in spite of the Hamas threats, after leaving Gaza Israel signed an Agreement on Movement and Access with the Palestinian Authority which gave the Palestinians control over their own borders for the first time in history, allowed for imports and exports, and even approved construction of a seaport and discussions on an airport.

Unfortunately, Hamas does not respect deals made between the PA and Israel.

They do not know that Hamas launched a coup in 2007, took over the Strip, drove out its Palestinian political rival Fatah, threw their fellow Palestinians from rooftops, and declared as the new rulers of Gaza that they would now use the Strip as a base to destroy Israel.

They do not know that as a direct result, not only Israel but also Egypt put restrictions on the borders with Gaza, and Israel instituted a legalmaritime blockade around Gaza to keep rockets and other weapons out of the hands of Hamas, while letting food and other humanitarian aid in.

They do not know that a UN inquiry (the 2011 Palmer Report) determinedthat Israel’s policy was legal given the threat it faced.

They do not know that in March 2014, Israel intercepted an Iranian ship, one of several intercepted by Israel, with a cargo of weapons to Hamas in Gaza, including advanced M-302 surface-to-surface missiles, showing again why the naval blockade is necessary.

They do not know that millions of Egyptians loathe Hamas as much as Israelis do. (Watch this compilation of Egyptian bile being poured over the heads of Hamas.)

They do not know that Hamas describes Palestine as “an Islamic Waqf (Endowment) consecrated for future Muslim generations until Judgment Day” or that it pledges “Israel will exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it”.

They do not know that Hamas rejects all possible compromise with Israel, and all possibility of a negotiated peace in the following terms: “There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavours.”

David Horovitz, the British-born editor of the Times of Israel, expresses the exasperation of many Israelis about all this. He pleads for “opinion-shapers overseas to… exercise just a smidgen of intellectual honesty”, and stop contriving not to see that “If there was no rocket fire from this non-disputed enclave, there would be no Israeli response, and nobody would be dying.”

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/alanjohnson/100280272/its-time-to-bust-the-israeli-blockade-led-to-hamas-rockets-myth/

Egypt's argument is that it cannot open Rafah crossing unless the Palestinian Authority headed by Mahmoud Abbas controls the crossing and international monitors are present. Egypt Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Hamas wants the border opened because it would represent Egyptian recognition of the group's control of Gaza. "Of course this is something we cannot do," he said, "because it would undermine the legitimacy of the Palestinian Authority and consecrate the split between Gaza and the West Bank."^[7]

According to Sharif Elmusa, Associate Professor of Political Science at the American University in Cairo, Israel wants Gaza to fade into Egypt. Egyptian authorities are determined to avoid opening the Rafah crossing without ending the Israeli siege, which would ultimately serve Israel’s goal of displacing the Gaza problem onto Egypt. Secondly it is Cairo’s concern that under Hamas rule violence can spill into Sinai and threaten tourism, leaving Egypt vulnerable to US and Israeli accusations of ineffectively fighting terrorism.^[160]

Following the events of the Gaza flotilla raid in May 2010, after Egypt opened its borders with Gaza, it was reported that former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was caught between the need to appease growing public anger at Israel's actions and the necessity of maintaining his close relationship with Israel. This friendship was needed to secure more than $2bn of American aid annually, money on which many analysts believe Mubarak's former regime depended on.^[92]

While Israel contends that the blockade is necessary to prevent smuggling of weapons into Gaza, Egypt argues that it is needed to prevent smuggling of them from Gaza into the Sinai

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockade_of_the_Gaza_Strip

[Expat1 971]

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/alanjohnson/100280272/its-time-to-bust-the-israeli-blockade-led-to-hamas-rockets-myth/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockade_of_the_Gaza_Strip

In your enthusiasm for justifying the slaughter of innocent people you are making the fundamental mistake of believing that we give two schticks about what Egyptians believe or do not believe is right. Both Egypt and Israel have serious issues with violation of basic human rights

[Expat1 971]

Roof knocking is always the last stage, when they don't leave after phone calls, text messages, leaflets, etc.

The truth about the blockade of Gaza is that Israel still brings in tons of medicine and other supplies daily.

I see. Bombing empty, abandoned civilian homes achieves what military goal again? (other than clearing the home off the property to make room for expansion so someone else can build on it?). Where I am from that's a terror tactic which makes the IDF a group of _____________? Right along with their Hamas neighbors.

You should hear yourself justifying the treatment of those people. "The truth about the concentration camps is that they still served food every day. So really they couldn't have been all that bad. They had food, they had shelter, because the humanitarian Germans gave it to them."

You would be better off remaining silent about what you think is wrong or right about other people and express thanks that our grandfathers did not feel the same way about the Jewish people that the Jewish people feel about their neighbors.

[OriZ 3,157]

He said concentration camps! *drinks*

[Jacque67 7,328]

I wouldn't worry. There are plenty of Kosher wine shops (at least in NYC)

[Expat1 971]

I wouldn't worry. There are plenty of Kosher wine shops (at least in NYC)

If I knew where to send it I'd order him a case

[OriZ 3,157]

Here's some more cartoons for you so pay attention

He said contaminated! *drinks*

Obviously someone is not aware I got married in Cyprus cause my wife is not Jewish, and actually, my friend here who is a police detective in milton pd makes some awesome home brewed beers...etc etc obviously I care not about rabbinic law but when you have nothing else to do besides try and smear a whole religion, I guess you are desperate enough to make a fool of yourself.

Edited July 21, 2014 by OriZ

[OriZ 3,157]

If out of everything I posted all you care to look at is the part about Egypt obviously you understood nothing. Israel left Gaza with the best of intentions, handed the keys to Abbas...Hamas took over and threatened Israel with rockets. Like I said, you can cry and whine about concentration camps and bulldozers till you are blue in the face. The fact of the matter is - I can guarandamtee you Israel will not and shall not move an inch until it can make damn sure what happened in Gaza will not happen in the west bank. Don't like it? Too bad.

[decocker 7,198]

gross.

[OriZ 3,157]

Indeed.

[decocker 7,198]

Indeed.

no matter how many innocent people are killed, stand your ground man.

so honorable.

[Expat1 971]

Roof-knock somewhere else. I'm not really seeing an outpouring of support for your silly propaganda.

I hope it ends soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69icTMgIjlw

[Expat1 971]

If out of everything I posted all you care to look at is the part about Egypt obviously you understood nothing. Israel left Gaza with the best of intentions, handed the keys to Abbas...Hamas took over and threatened Israel with rockets. Like I said, you can cry and whine about concentration camps and bulldozers till you are blue in the face. The fact of the matter is - I can guarandamtee you Israel will not and shall not move an inch until it can make damn sure what happened in Gaza will not happen in the west bank. Don't like it? Too bad.

This should make you proud! Maybe someday Israel will be compared to a peaceful, civilized country who gets along with their neighbors.

Edited July 22, 2014 by Expat1

[Karee 4,189]

Roof-knock somewhere else. I'm not really seeing an outpouring of support for your silly propaganda.

I hope it ends soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69icTMgIjlw

Wow that's awfully kind of them. I see a Nobel peace prize in their future.