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Last update - 09:43 12/02/2008 Palestinian revenge was inevitable By Ahmed Yousef Tags: rockets, israel, IDF  Last week's bombing in Dimona was the first martyrdom operation committed by Hamas in more than five years. For some time, we have been warning the world that the relentless pressure on our people would eventually tell. In the last two months, more than a hundred people have been killed by the Israeli occupation forces in the Gaza Strip, including many civilians, women and children. Thirty people have died in the last month for lack of medical care brought on by the embargo. Only two weeks ago, we saw the appalling sight of over 40 women and children seriously injured when an Israeli F-16 dropped an enormous bomb in the middle of the densely populated Gaza City, a few meters from a wedding party. This kind of atrocity, piled onto the daily death toll, has finally tested the patience of Palestinians, and after lengthy restraint, revenge was inevitable. To many in Israel and the West, this act of resistance will be judged in isolation. They will no doubt say that it justifies the inhumane embargo on the people of Gaza and the arrests of more than 500 people and daily torture of innocents in the West Bank by both Israelis and the puppet government imposed on us by the U.S. Advertisement What they seem to forget is that just in the last two years, 2,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military action and thousands more injured. The cold-blooded fact is that the ratio of Palestinian deaths to Israelis is now over 40 to 1. The Hamas-led government has consistently called for a long-term cease-fire. For nine months before the election that brought us to power we observed a unilateral ceasefire, ensuring that no rockets were fired from Gaza by our movement. We observed this policy during the first six months in government, despite the fact that our words and actions were summarily dismissed by the Israelis and their U.S. allies. If the people of Sderot want to know why rockets continue to land around them, they should ask their own government why it has continually rejected our calls for a cease-fire and continued its policy of daily incursions and reckless targeting that put the whole population at risk. We have tried consistently to create some kind of reconciliation with Fatah. But every attempt has been ignored by Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas]. The threat by Israel and the U.S. to cease negotiations if he cooperates with the lawfully elected Hamas government has led to political impotence in Ramallah. This makes our citizens deeply cynical about the peace process. It makes them feel that Israel is simply exploiting the situation and Abu Mazen. The cranes and bulldozers are still busy in the settlements on our land in the West Bank. Neither is there any sign that the numerous checkpoints that are crippling our economy and social life are being dismantled. While Abu Mazen and Olmert talk of a final agreement, the apartheid wall continues to be erected on land that should be part of any future Palestinian state. If our people can see no genuine and realistic political or economic horizon and their attempts to establish a genuine truce are consistently rejected, it is inevitable that they will turn to resistance as the only outlet for their anger and frustration. What happened at Rafah recently is a sign of what is likely to happen on a much larger scale if people can see no end to the relentless pressure and aggression that is part of our daily life here in Gaza. While in the past we acknowledged the right of Abu Mazen to negotiate on behalf of our people, we believe that he has forfeited this mandate, as he no longer commands the respect of the majority of our people. Given the facts on the ground and the total mistrust that now prevails on all sides, we believe neither Israelis nor Palestinians are ready for final-status negotiations. It would be disastrous if the international community were to try to impose this, especially while we remain divided as a Palestinian people. We have consistently suggested that the best solution to our problems is a long-term cease-fire that provides both sides with the space and opportunity to address our differences in an atmosphere of calmness and normality. We can have little optimism for the immediate future when it is impossible to see any clear light at the end of the tunnel that we are now forced to inhabit. The writer is a senior political advisor to the foreign minister in the Hamas government. Bookmark to del.icio.us   'We lost a great leader' Dignitaries honor the only Holocaust survivor to serve in the U.S. Congress. Deadly incursion A mentally disabled Palestinian dies of wounds sustained in a West Bank IDF arrest raid.   1.   A ratio of 40 to 1. 10:06  |  Altalena 12/02/08   2.   MORE TAQIYYA "1st in 5 yrs"??? Fatma Najar!! NOV 2006!! 10:09  |  PETER SM 12/02/08   3.   Ahmed Yousef 10:14  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 12/02/08   4.   1/40 ! ! ! 10:18  |  victor 12/02/08   5.   HAMAS targetting hundreds of Israeli CIVILIANS a week.Don`t count 10:18  |  PETER SM 12/02/08   6.   Typical, misleading 10:22  |  MarkC 12/02/08   7.   Goal of Hamas is a new Shoah 10:23  |  Ofer Maimon 12/02/08   8.   Ahmed Yousef: What exactly(!) are your terms for a cease fire? 10:37  |  AA 12/02/08   9.   Agressor pays little price 10:37  |  Minda 12/02/08   10.   Ahmed GFY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 10:38  |  Alberto Cohen 12/02/08   11.   Ahmed Yousef is a proven liar 10:45  |  S 12/02/08   12.   ahmed yousef and abdel bari atwan 10:47  |  al quds al arabi 12/02/08   13.   "revenge:" the favourite in Arab vocabulary 10:50  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 12/02/08   14.   YOU BETTER TAKE CARE OF ABBAS FIRST 10:51  |  indrajaya 12/02/08   15.   Palestinian stupidity 11:04  |  Bardawili 12/02/08   16.   Ahmed Youssif is a proven liar 11:14  |  Zaki AbuHaroon 12/02/08   17.   2,000, or 800 11:21  |  DJStahl 12/02/08   18.   Mr. Yosef - Do you really think... 11:25  |  Richard 12/02/08   19.   ahmed yousuf as a spokesman shouldnt you 11:35  |  occubation 12/02/08   20.   Haaretz! Some responsibility, please! 11:36  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 12/02/08   21.   ahmed yousuf seeks our sympathy 11:38  |  occubation 12/02/08   22.   Ahmed Yousef - lie some more 11:39  |  Adrian de Klerk 12/02/08   23.   ahmed yousuf "tested the patience of the palestinians" 11:42  |  occubation 12/02/08   24.   ahmed yousuf whines"death toll is 40:1" 11:45  |  occubation 12/02/08   25.   ahmed yousuf "we asked for a ceasefire" 11:48  |  hudnaman 12/02/08   26.   # 20, SHLOMO FROM TEL AVIV 11:53  |  indrajaya 12/02/08   27.   Das Ha`Aretz - Israeli newspaper as propaganda tool 11:56  |  Ariel 12/02/08   28.   Haniyeh needs a new, more savvy advisor 11:56  |  JES 12/02/08   29.   ahmed yousuf sees "no light at the end of the tunnel" 11:56  |  tomdickandharry 12/02/08   30.   ahmed yousuf "mistrust on all sides" 11:58  |  jokeofthecentury 12/02/08   31.   Lies and propaganda 12:00  |  Nik Miller 12/02/08   32.   Reality check needed 12:02  |  Bon Levi 12/02/08   33.   SO they NEVER lie ? Where is the liar who kept saying that 12:09  |  PETER SM 12/02/08   34.   what comes around goes around 12:14  |  guy 12/02/08   35.   now if the Palestinians stopped 12:23  |  cool 12/02/08   36.   "revenge" 12:42  |  Murray 12/02/08   37.   Next, an article by Le Pen? Or may be by Ahmadinedjad? 12:44  |  Mr. Ami Goldman 12/02/08   38.   Peter blind by bigotry 12:52  |  Truth 12/02/08   39.   ahmed yousuf is an atrocious and beastly hypocrite 12:59  |  natke nir 12/02/08   40.   What if...? 13:01  |  Minda 12/02/08   41.   TO ALL JEWS 13:02  |  YAHOODI 12/02/08   42.   dorothy to interlocutor"i have seen your posts but not read them" 13:05  |  amir yoffe 12/02/08   43.   # 3 cIPOAR LONG EXPLAINATION OF THEM AS "LOSERS` 13:20  |  Petra 12/02/08   44.   murray what marvellous advice 13:28  |  ginsberg 12/02/08   45.   guy "jews are gestapo bruts"(sic) 13:34  |  thanksguy 12/02/08   46.   Has Ha`aretz lowered it`s standards... 13:44  |  Walter 12/02/08   47.   Ya Ahmed Yusuf : why are you distorting facts?? 13:45  |  Muallem 12/02/08   48.   "TRUTH" Pakistan etc.are not at war with Israel 13:53  |  PETER SM 12/02/08   49.   Palesatinians never learn 13:53  |  Bamboustic 12/02/08   50.   On the contrary Shlomo from Tel Aviv 14:03  |  sh 12/02/08   51.   An accurate assessment of Israel`s crimes 14:07  |  Nick Ferriman 12/02/08   52.   Pearls before swine 14:07  |  Natallie Durson 12/02/08   53.   GUY WITH your spelling one thing is for sure . 14:11  |  PETER SM 12/02/08   54.   # 45 thanksguy 14:15  |  guy 12/02/08   55.   3Cipora KJ,20Shlomo TA,26Indrajaya, 14:21  |  lakshmi 12/02/08   56.   Season of the Witch 14:37  |  FOX 12/02/08   57.   Hamas Media Offensive! 14:45  |  FOX 12/02/08   58.   aid and comfort to the enemy 14:48  |  Avi 12/02/08   59.   Bamboustic, its all just hype 14:52  |  FOX 12/02/08   60.   Author Speaks the Truth, Israel Has Been The Villian 14:53  |  Johan Odin 12/02/08   61.   Ham(ASS) 14:54  |  GABE1 12/02/08   62.   Congratulation to Haarets 14:54  |  Ana 12/02/08   63.   retaliation 14:58  |  TI 12/02/08   64.   indrajaya the warmonger #14 14:59  |  S 12/02/08   65.   Lackshmi loves a good civil war 15:00  |  FOX 12/02/08   66.   Sh (......) 15:03  |  GABE1 12/02/08   67.   Always blame the other side for your ills 15:07  |  Jeff 12/02/08   68.   HAARETZ YOU REALLY, REALLY DISGUST ME!! 15:07  |  A Jew 12/02/08   69.   #51 ferriman the anti semite writes from thailand 15:09  |  v hardman 12/02/08   70.   Response to Ahmed 15:14  |  Mike 12/02/08   71.   That`s Quite A Soliloquy, Ahmed Yousef 15:15  |  Jeff Northridge 12/02/08   72.   thMany Noble Palestinians Are Supporting e Armed Resistance 15:28  |  st. paul 12/02/08   73.   finally, the other side 15:31  |  sev 12/02/08   74.   dear jews, some of usar not against jews 15:40  |  bozhidarevski 12/02/08   75.   Jewish thinkers, Ginsberg 16:03  |  Murray 12/02/08   76.   Nick Ferriman # 51 What Crimes? 16:14  |  Jeff Northridge 12/02/08   77.   The main difference is Idealogy not justification. 16:19  |  Jo 12/02/08   78.   Smells like a stinker 16:20  |  Awake 12/02/08   79.   Israel has called for tolerance and peace for years. 16:22  |  de 12/02/08   80.   You know what gets me. This is no f---king way to wage a war. 16:26  |  Pssd off American. 12/02/08   81.   Double talk in English but straight truth in Arabic 16:28  |  Josh 12/02/08   82.   Where`s Clickfool? 16:31  |  Jim 12/02/08   83.   And Eilat was what? 16:32  |  Gee 12/02/08   84.   Johan Odin...a story from Scnadinavia 16:34  |  Ofer Maimon 12/02/08   85.   Ahmed Yousef - Return to the Arab world 16:40  |  Bo 12/02/08   86.   Ahmed Yusuf: an enemy of the Palestinians 17:10  |  Simon 12/02/08   87.   Hamas behaves like an ass 17:22  |  Od Yosef 12/02/08   88.   Ahmed Yusuf : BLA, BLA, BLA ! 17:27  |  Bamboustic 12/02/08   89.   #84 bo from sweden. ahmed is in arabia 17:28  |  sev 12/02/08   90.   Palestinian Revenge 17:40  |  Dennis Provda 12/02/08   91.   #52 is a fake Natallie Durson 17:44  |  Natallie Durson 12/02/08   92.   ... why? why do we give the stage to these ...? 17:46  |  felix 12/02/08   93.   THE"RE GETTING DESPERATE! 17:50  |  Igor D. 12/02/08   94.   murray and jewish thinkers 17:53  |  ginsberg 12/02/08   95.   Hey Haaretz, you are turning the other cheek! 18:00  |  Shlomo 12/02/08   96.   #71 Thank Goodness Jeff/Chicken and Egg Argument 18:02  |  Dorothy 12/02/08   97.   Nick Ferriman "Ferang" slob or agenda myopic? 18:05  |  FOX 12/02/08   98.   Ahmed Yusef kazab kebir 18:07  |  AbuTawil 12/02/08   99.   Haaretz reaches a new high in reality journalism 18:07  |  Genuine Tosefta 12/02/08   100.   Allow me to translate this piece from Islamofascist into English 18:11  |  Dr. L. Brnd 12/02/08   101.   Ahmed, Ahmed, Ahmed 18:17  |  Natallie Durson 12/02/08   102.   Ahmed Yusuf Return to the arab world 18:22  |  Bamboustic 12/02/08   103.   Israeli Mantra: It`s all about me 18:26  |  DoubleClick 12/02/08   104.   The world is watching 18:29  |  Altalena 12/02/08   105.   80. pisst off amer talks like that while 18:31  |  bozhidar balkas 12/02/08   106.   A "Cease Fire" means , , , 18:37  |  Shlomo 12/02/08   107.   Hamas cancer speaks. 19:02  |  David 12/02/08   108.   Why is this cancer on haaretz? 19:03  |  David 12/02/08   109.   Every WORD true, true, TRUE! Oh yeah, it`s TRUE! 19:04  |  Joe 12/02/08   110.   cry me a river 19:15  |  peter 12/02/08   111.   # 80 poor Pssd of American 19:43  |  Bob 12/02/08   112.   Hamas liers 20:12  |  Wade 12/02/08   113.   You smell like a stinker 20:13  |  Pantoulish 12/02/08   114.   Mr. (whatever) Yourself is lying 20:24  |  Scientist 12/02/08   115.   # 93 poor Scientist 20:48  |  Bob 12/02/08   116.   Hopeless with Hamas lunatics in control 20:50  |  George W. Bush 12/02/08   117.   Hopeless with Hamas lunatics in control Part2 20:53  |  George W. Bush 12/02/08   118.   LIES and more LIES 20:57  |  GABE1 12/02/08   119.   Thank you, Haaretz 21:04  |  Yakov 12/02/08   120.   peter of montreal 21:05  |  GABE1 12/02/08   121.   lol 21:06  |  MIKE 12/02/08   122.   #37 Ami from sao Paulo, Be easy on Haaretz.. 21:15  |  Max Zinger P.Chimist 12/02/08   123.   #101 Natallie Durson,you go girl,go! You rock! U R the real deal! 21:40  |  Genuine Tosefta 12/02/08   124.   Try a Unilateral Cease Fire 21:49  |  David Mann 12/02/08   125.   Dorothy # 96 Uri Avnery 22:00  |  Jeff Northridge 12/02/08   126.   #Bob and your cozy and friendly Qua`ran 22:07  |  Scientist 12/02/08   127.   Propaganda - 1st try 22:12 HT 22:12  |  BBSNews 12/02/08   128.   # 74 bozhidhar.... 22:28  |  Lynn 12/02/08   129.   Peter Sm and racist hatred 22:40  |  Truth 12/02/08   130.   #71, "That`s quite a sololiquy....." 22:48  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 12/02/08   131.   revenge 23:02  |  ben 12/02/08   132.   # 126 Scientist / I 23:03  |  Bob 12/02/08   133.   # 126 Scientist / II 23:05  |  Bob 12/02/08   134.   ala Hamas, 1000 palestinians=1 israeli 23:19  |  cizi 12/02/08   135.   True Themes? You`re a tool 23:25  |  Awake 12/02/08   136.   Palestinian revenge was inevitable 23:26  |  Julian 12/02/08   137.   #101 Datallie , Datallie, Datallie, Nurson 23:32  |  Labhras 12/02/08   138.   Realization of Roman Hills! 23:37  |  Paul 12/02/08   139.   The substrate 23:41  |  Paul 12/02/08   140.   Truth re Peter SM the Arab Hater and Aboriginie subjugater 23:44  |  Labhras 12/02/08   141.   No rockets "by our movement" but we armed other groups, etc 23:48  |  McQueen 12/02/08   142.   Like Purim 23:56  |  Scharker Yid 12/02/08   143.   Jeff N./One sided opinions/Arafat`s Death Remains Uncertain 23:59  |  Dorothy 12/02/08   144.   #137 Labhras 00:13  |  Natallie Durson 13/02/08   145.   #123 Genuine Tosefta 00:17  |  Natallie Durson 13/02/08   146.   "martyrdom operation" says haaretz 00:22  |  don 13/02/08   147.   Hello Haaretz? Hamas calling 00:36  |  Aphemia 13/02/08   148.   #101 U R the real deal, Natallie Durson,you go girl,go! You rock! 00:39  |  Genuine Toseftat 13/02/08   149.   If Israel were truely democratic... 00:41  |  kiwi girl 13/02/08   150.   #137 is a fake Labhras 00:43  |  Labhras 13/02/08   151.   #126,127 Bob: Terror vs. "Resistance"? 01:39  |  Scientist 13/02/08   152.   L O V E Y O U S S E F 02:15  |  Kamal 13/02/08   153.   Jeff Northridge and dishionesty 02:22  |  Truths 13/02/08   154.   David Mann plese read some recent history 02:25  |  Truths 13/02/08   155.   The other side of the equation 02:49  |  Mark Lincoln 13/02/08   156.   There is an astounding number of idiots 02:51  |  Mark Lincoln 13/02/08   157.   BARDAWILI, EFHAM THIS 02:55  |  ELIAS KHOURY 13/02/08   158.   No one ever of "BREAKING THE SILENCE"? 02:59  |  Palestinian Prince 13/02/08   159.   Shlomo # 106 A "Cease Fire" means , , 03:21  |  American in NY 13/02/08   160.   How should Haaretz deal with Slowman? 03:40  |  Ahmed Yousef 13/02/08   161.   Lincoln, Navel Gazing #140 03:50  |  FOX 13/02/08   162.   To Lincoln and Durson 04:39  |  Oetis 13/02/08   163.   Fox - yes 04:53  |  Mark Lincoln 13/02/08   164.   Terrorist Ahmed Should Turn His Fabricated Grief to Arabs Leaders 04:54  |  Joseph . E 13/02/08   165.   What do you do with a total idiot? 04:56  |  Mark Lincoln 13/02/08   166.   40:1 how shameful 05:05  |  Michael 13/02/08   167.   same stupid logic 05:17  |  Israeli guy 13/02/08   168.   Fox please look at facts. 05:33  |  Truth 13/02/08   169.   #124 David Mann, a problem with your suggestion 06:43  |  Johnboy 13/02/08   170.   TRUTHS as you accept racist hatred child indoctrination 06:51  |  PETER SM 13/02/08   171.   Ahmed Yousef why not pay him extra from some Iranian weapon funds 06:55  |  PETER SM 13/02/08   172.   Then whats the gain of Haaretz 06:59  |  drdanielito 13/02/08   173.   references for a Hudna 08:00  |  EZ 13/02/08   174.   Martydom... and anquish for better days. 08:29  |  allang 13/02/08   175.   AHMED YUSEF 08:36  |  JOJO 13/02/08   176.   Lincoln, #165 Weak at Best 08:39  |  FOX 13/02/08   177.   #156 mark ther are even a bigger number of idiots 08:49  |  v hardman 13/02/08   178.   The Nature of Hamas` "Ceasefire Observation" 09:44  |  Awake 13/02/08   179.   Truth #168, bending the truth to fit 09:51  |  FOX 13/02/08   180.   lots of pissed off jews 09:59  |  fadi 13/02/08   181.   The big lie of grievance-based terrorism 21:38  |  Polybios 13/02/08   182.   144 dear natalie. where ar human rights for any1 23:21  |  bozhidar balkas 13/02/08   183.   Israel is the outlaw that must be reined in the Territories 18:24  |  Dutch 14/02/08   184.   Hamas is being very reasonable 18:33  |  Mick Napier 14/02/08   185.   Mark Lincoln # 156 22:05  |  American in NY 14/02/08   186.   Mark Lincoln # 156 22:06  |  American in NY 14/02/08   187.   RE: "Agressor pays little price" 22:37  |  DrRJP 14/02/08   188.   DrRJP - 1st try 01:48 HT 01:48  |  BBSNews 15/02/08

Today Online Nasrallah: Blood of Mughniyah will lead to Israel's elimination Responses: 299 Israeli embassies on high alert following Mughniyah killing Responses: 74 Yossi Melman: It's not whether Hezbollah will respond, but how Responses: 101 Ballistic expert: Israel ignoring option of U.S. anti-rocket system Responses: 119 Shmuel Rosner: Israel has always been involved in U.S. elections Responses: 35 More Headlines 00:35 Israel issues abduction warning for citizens traveling abroad 01:48 Livni to tell Rice: Qassams must stop before end of peace talks 23:06 Nasrallah: Mughniyah's blood will lead to elimination of Israel 21:21 Dignitaries honor Tom Lantos; Livni: World lost a great leader 22:35 Damascus: Syrians to sue U.S. for selling weapons to Israel 19:10 French President sparks row over religion, Holocaust studies 01:22 U.S. charges Israeli man for trying to sell stolen French antiques 15:33 IDF bombs Gaza buildings used for launching rockets at Israel 22:40 UN examines damage caused by Qassam rockets, Israeli sanctions 22:28 Hamas delegation visits Egypt, demands Rafah crossing be reopened 21:47 Gazans celebrate Valentine's Day as Hamas looks the other way 21:01 Brazilian FM: Assad ready to launch dialogue with Israel 16:10 Ballistic expert: Israel ignoring option of U.S. anti-rocket system Previous Editions Select Day 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb 07 feb 06 feb 05 feb 04 feb 03 feb 01 feb

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