Gazans Rally Behind Hamas

[bemildred]

---

Hamas appears to be taking a page out of Hezbollah's reconstruction playbook. Shortly after Israel halted its month-long war in Lebanon, Hezbollah, funded by Iran, doled out cash and promised to rebuild, winning political support. Lebanon's Western-backed government, funded by moderate Arab states, struggled to compete.

Hamas already is handing out money in Gaza. Almost as soon as Israel attacked last month, Hamas started distributing funds to civilians caught in the crossfire, said Ahmed Lubat, head of a Hamas reconstruction committee in the Gaza City neighborhood of Sheikh Radwan.

In his neighborhood, Hamas handed out $50 each to some 420 families. The group collects some taxes in Gaza, but also receives charitable donations from overseas. Western officials believe Iran and Syria are significant backers.

For those whose houses have been destroyed or damaged, the first installment of the Hamas-funded reimbursement has been as much as $2,000, says Mr. Lubat.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123226304628993811.html

[panader0]

1. As with Hezbollah, Hamas has only grown stronger by being bombed

What was Israel thinking? Obviously, it was something in harmony with bush, as they pulled out in time for Barack's inauguration.
And anything in harmony with bush is questionable at the least.

[bemildred]

3. Gee, who could have predicted this?

Money works better than bombs?

I've been wondering if they were told to get out of Gaza.

[Alamuti Lotus]

9. Indeed

Hizbu'llah was a much more capable fighting force before and after the fights, otherwise the comparisons are quite apt here. Israel's only claim to 'success' in the assault was killing a couple 2nd-tier commanders, however they should ask Hasan Nasrallah how great an idea it was to murder `Abbas Musawi and his family in a similar vein.. the death of a commander only borne one more capable and militant than the prior.

I cannot think that the timing has much to do with Obama.. while he is not as much of a fanatic personally, most of his key players have always supported Israeli aggression. Perhaps they feel they were making some grand concession to curry favour with the slightly-new regime. :shrug:

[Vegasaurus]

14. The Gazans who support Hamas deserve their misery then

How absurd to support terrorists who have made their lives so insufferable.

Also, Hezbollah has been quiet on Israel's north.

They learned their lesson, and if Hamas has half the smarts, they will have learned their lesson too.

Israel deterred Hezbollah, and they can deter Hamas too.

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

2. Jeez, I didn't see that one coming.

:sarcasm:

[Idealism]

4. Chalk up another glorious victory for the IDF...

Hard to call it a victory when you strengthen your enemies resolve and bolster their support...

[GoesTo11]

5. Great news for the people of Gaza

[Igel]

6. The money was almost certainly in Gaza before the bombing.

Which means that Hamas was sitting on a pile of cash, while the press was reporting on people harvesting weeds road-side and eating them, on chronic malnutrition among children, and Hamas was constantly saying how poor everybody was and how much they needed help.

Of course, Hamas gets glory for having sat on the pile of cash while kids were malnourished.

Indeed, great news for the people of Gaza.

[azurnoir]

10. yeah but just think if Israel had thought to do

something like that rather than bombing, perhaps the rockets would have been stopped that way too, but apparently doesn't get quite as many votes as a pile of Palestinian bodies

[bemildred]

13. Someone is seriously misunderestimating the results of their actions. nt

[Alamuti Lotus]

7. Nice piece, thanks

Mr. Sultan's portion of the story is most interesting.

[azurnoir]

8. So detering Hamas included bulldozing

olive trees and citrus groves?

[PerfectSage]

11. But Kadima has almost caught up with Likud in the polls. :roflmao:

But it obvious Barak and Livni forgot to read: the strategist's short catechism. Did they really think they could seperate Hamas from the Palestinians through violence? :rofl:

http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:hMF2zBdS7BkJ:www.usafa.af.mil/df/dfh/docs/Harmon20.doc+The+Strategist%E2%80%99s+Short+Catechism:&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1

After a short research on what zionism as an ideology is: It's the right wing nationalist(Likud/Iron wallers) and religious zionist(let's steal west bank land and build settlements) who are the frickin' problem.

Funny how the RWers in America and Israel are so simular: Right wing Nationalist fucker's with sociopathic beliefs about power and religious fruitcakes with sociopathic beliefs about power. Coincidence or what?

To all the racist RW fucker's in Israel and America "Fuck You I won't do what'cha tell me. Motherfuckers" RATM

[iconicgnom]

12. Thanks for posting this. n/t

[ProgressiveMuslim]

15. The entire article is worth a read for anyone who cares to understand attitudes in Gaza.

(in spite of the WSJs bias in the piece...!)