Last year Palestine held elections which were accepted as free and fair elections with the only interference in the democratic process coming from Israeli troops in Jerusalem. The election resulted in a victory for the political wing of Hamas.
Hamas is a bit like the IRA and Sinn Féin. The IRA were the terrorists and Sinn Féin were the “acceptable” political arm of the group. Hamas has both a militant and political wing, both of which are called Hamas.
Since Hamas were elected by the Palestinians, Israel, the US, the UK and the EU have all stopped direct aid and refuse to deal with the Palestinian government, choosing to go directly to the President who belongs to the Fatah movement.
This last week has seen what is basically a Fatah-sponsored attempted coup d’etat. There have been gun fights in the streets, kidnappings and executions. Hamas troops have taken back control of Gaza but the Fatah insurgency has moved to the West Bank where they have stormed the Parliament building.
The President is expected to swear in a Fatah Prime Minister and “emergency government” in defiance of last years election result.
Now all this is pretty much par for the course in the Middle East where regime changes happen more often than they change their underpants. However, there is a legitimate government in Palestine democratically elected in a free and fair election. What are the champions of justice and democracy doing to ensure that the legitimate, democratically elected Palestinian government isn’t ousted in a bloody coup? Nothing. In fact, that’s not strictly true – Israel controls Palestine’s borders and for Fatah troops to get from Gaza to the West Bank they would have to pass through Israeli checkpoints. Known insurgents, probably carrying weapons. That doesn’t happen if they don’t want it to. But that’s understandable, Israel has been sponsoring terrorist activity in Palestine as an excuse to bomb them into the stone age for years but the UK and the US invaded Iraq in the name of democracy, surely they’ve got something to say about it?
Yep. The UK, US, EU and Israel are all prepared to welcome the new “emergency government” and maybe even reinstate direct aid. There’s a word on the tip of my tongue … yep, got it – hypocracy.
Hamas instigated the violence in Gaza. Fatah have retaliated in the West Bank.
It was in the Israelis interests to incite palestinian divisions, however they counted on Fatah, the secular moderates beating the islamist theocrats Hamas.
Israel is a nation we should defend. If the iranians get the bomb then they will use it. Hiafa – gone. Tel Aviv – gone etc… The Iranians are nutters. If they were to win any such war then the Israelis would be in the sea, the holocaust would be nothing compared to what the Iranians and co would do.
For their to be pace with Israel and Palestine there must be a government in Palestine who are committed to peace, not to the destruction of Israel, ala Hamas. Fatah should be supported by the West, indirectley, as they are a force of moderation. To sort the entire middle east out all we need to do is solve the Palestinian question, instead of fighting almost proxy wars, i.e Iraq.
Israel is going to exist, there are no 2 ways about it. Israel is the only democracy in the middle east, and is thus supported. There can only be peace if both sides want it. The Israelis want peace, their very survival depends on it. The question is do the Arab nations want peace? The answer is that they are all divided on the issue.
1 thing on Iran. I’d say that there is a 60-70% chance that Israel attacks Iran, with or without US/Western help by the 3rd quarter of 2008. I’d put money on it.
“The UK, US, EU and Israel are all prepared to welcome the new “emergency government” and maybe even reinstate direct aid. There’s a word on the tip of my tongue … yep, got it – hypocrisy.”
Well, it’s more than hypocrisy. I would call it FASCISM! The people voted for a group who were going to protect their interests, like it or not. Why would they do that? Because of years of being invaded/killed by a foreign army. THEN, they are told that democracy isnt for you, also by foreigners!
I dont think you can act surprised when the Palestinians thnk we move one way were wrong; we move the other way we’re wrong and react accordingly! I think the English people feel an affinity with them as the sweaties/eurolanders are acting the same way towards us! The only difference is the way in which the aggression and hostility is being carried out! Wouldn’t you agree?