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Last update - 17:21 25/03/2008 Ten ways Israel keeps Hamas afloat By Bradley Burston Tags: peace process, Gaza, Hamas  Say you really want Hamas to win the current installment of the 60 Year War between Israelis and Palestinians. What's the most direct, efficacious way to go about this? Simple. Just do exactly what Israel does. The student of history may at this point note that during the 1970s and much of the 1980s, Israeli defense officials, keen to foster a faith-based counterweight to the Marxist ideology of hardline armed groups such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, quietly but crucially aided the leaders of the Gaza branch of the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhood - a group which, six days after the eruption of the first Palestinian uprising, was to found the Islamic Resistance Movement, whose acronym was Hamas. But let us leave, for the moment, history aside. Let us look at what Israel is doing at present, and, as a result, the extent to which Hamas thrives. 1. If Hamas governance is untenable, act to make it work Prior to the implementation of Israel's curious, loudly-trumpeted and, in the end, half-hearted lock-down of assistance to the Strip, Gazans had begun grumbling aloud about the corruption of the new Hamas-led Palestinian government. Instead of pulling out all stops to make sure that food, home heating fuel, schooling and health care were available to Gazans the length of the Strip, Hamas officials had begun diverting critical aid to their own people, a practice which led directly to the downfall of the previous Fatah regime. As soon as Israel began curtailing its supply of electrical power to Gaza, Hamas played the move to the hilt, inviting journalists to a daytime cabinet meeting in which Ismail Haniyeh and Mahmoud Zahar sat in front of drawn curtains in a gloomy darkness, candles pointedly burning on the desk in front of them. The aim of the Israeli move was to prod Gazans to rise up and topple the Hamas government. The result of the Israeli move was to shore up Hamas at a time when no one else would help. 2. If West Bank Arabs lean toward Fatah, undermine Fatah in any way possible If police units of Mahmoud Abbas' Palestinian Authority begin to arrest Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives in places like Jenin and Nablus, and have begun to restore a semblance of civilian order in places where the Israeli army has largely vacated, and if there is a lull in terrorism, order high-profile, guns-drawn, often lethal commando raids in the same areas, to underscore who's really in charge. If there are any chances of renewed peace progress, such as internationally sponsored talks between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Abbas in Annapolis, make certain to follow it up with announcements of new housing construction in especially sensitive areas beyond the Green Line, like the settlement suburb of Har Homa between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. If you have pledged to remove illegal outposts and freeze new settlement construction in many areas of the West Bank, renege. If there is relative calm in the West Bank, make certain that all checkpoints , roadblocks, tall earthen barriers, impassable excavated trenches, locked entrance gates to villages, many of them intended to be only implemented for a few days duration, stay in place, regardless of the security role they may or may not serve. If you are the defense minister, promise that Israel will soon begin making life easier for West Bank Palestinians, but then say in the next breath that it won't remove checkpoints for now, and that it has no timetable to allow already agreed-upon industrial zones funded by foreign governments and meant to supply Palestinians thousands of new jobs. Have the Israeli army continue to stop Palestinians randomly in the streets of Ramallah, checking their identity papers. Have the Israeli army beat Palestinian policemen on duty in the West Bank. 3. If the Quartet supports a plan to shore up the PA, stonewall it As PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad noted in an interview last week with Haaretz' Akiva Eldar, prior to the Hamas-initiated rupture of the Gaza-Egypt border at Rafah, the U.S.-UN-EU-Russian Quartet backed a plan to lessen tensions and bolster the PA by placing the border crossings between Israel and Gaza under the responsibility of the Abbas-led Authority. Israel, not in a position to say no to the Quartet, simply failed to say yes. And that was enough to stall the situation into further degeneration. 4. Do everything humanly possible to keep Gazans out of work This benefits Hamas in a number of ways. On a political level, if Gazans are forbidden from working in Israel, we can be certain that their only impressions of Israelis and of Israeli society will be those processed and broadcast by Hamas. The message will be clear: Israelis are bloodthirsty reincarnations of the Nazis. Israelis are monstrous defilers of Muslim shrines, ravenous thieves of Arab property, money-grubbing, international power-broking genocidal usurpers of Arab land. Israel is what stands between Palestinians and the glorious future of prosperity that is their birthright. Certainly, this makes it easier for Gazans to support the concept of rocket attacks against Israeli towns, and the recent massacre at the Mercaz Harav yeshiva in Jerusalem. On a financial level, if Israel bars Gazans from crossing in to work, if Israel freezes out subcontractors which once-shipped Gaza-manufactured good to Israeli firms, if Israel forbids the passage of raw materials across the border to allow Gaza industries to remain open, the Jewish state will be held responsible for the deepening despair of the Strip, something which Hamas has done nothing to rectify, but which can be blamed on Israel. The result is already horrendous. Four of five Gazans now live on $2 or less a day, fed by donations from international agencies. Seven of 10 are out of work. Those who do work, bring in meager incomes. Electricity lasts for a quarter to a third of the day, following Israel's June bombing of the Strip's power station. 5. Threaten Promise to invade Gaza. Promise to bring holocaust down upon them. Promise to dismantle Hamas, topple Hamas, annihilate the terror infrastructure. Promise to "clean" Gaza of Hamas terrorists, "purify" it of the lesion of Hamas, once and for all. In other words: 6. Make heroes of Hamas 7. If you do invade, lie about it On the last day of the recent IDF incursion into Gaza, state radio's Reshet Bet news network opened its morning news broadcast by quoted army spokesmen as saying that in the five days of fighting, "some 100 terrorists have been killed." That was the word on casualties. No mention of the fact that independent rights groups had determined that about half of the total of about 120 dead were unarmed civilians, and that about a third of the non-combatant dead were children. 8. Do not press for international peace keepers in Gaza There is reason to believe that UN, EU, and other peacekeepers on the ground in northern Gaza could have an influence in curtailing Qassam fire, thus helping protect the Gaza population as well as the people of Sderot and the western Negev. 9. Leave the media battle to Al Jazeera and Hamas TV Media authority Nachman Shai, who served as IDF chief spokesman during the 1991 Gulf war, has argued cogently that Israel must mount a strong media advocacy effort aimed at the Palestinians and other Arabs and Muslims, broadcasting by satellite and Internet in Arabic, and presenting Israel's side in a light which the Muslim world audience has no access to at present. It should also be pointed out that after decades of exposure to the west and sincere efforts to improve, Israel's spokesmanship for Europe and the States is still plagued by poor judgment, cronyism, poor presentation and, in some cases, poor command of languages. 10. Isolate Gaza no matter what Thanks in part to Hamas' own knack for working against its own interests - and in favor of Israel's - you can depend on supporters of Israel to hold Hamas responsible for whatever happens to the Gazans. If Israel blockades all coastal areas, shoots at all Palestinians who approach its border fence, and keeps all Gazas bottled up within the Strip, a chorus in Israel and abroad will agree that Hamas brought it all upon itself. Israelis will see little of the negative effects, apart from the criminal practice of rocketing Israeli population centers. Thus far, the Quartet, which fears, distrusts, and profoundly dislikes Hamas, is standing firm with Israel, regardless of the outcome of the policy of isolating Gaza. But what if it doesn't work? The fact is, it hasn't yet. The likelihood is that it will not. Why not? The student of current affairs may sense a pattern here. The bottom line: Distress + Hatred of Israel = Hamas Rule The Palestinian credo of summud, steadfastness in the face of oppression, plays directly into Hamas' hands. Too bad that after all these years, all this failure, all this experience, Israel is doing exactly the same. ______________ Previous blogs: Macho U.S. Jews, pantywaist Israel Ten Commandments for Arab and Jew at war To the Westerner who 'understands' the terrorist Nine immoral solutions for Gaza - a guide Islam will win Bookmark to del.icio.us   Falk's folly Israel will refuse entry to the UN's Richard Falk for equating Israel to Nazi Germany. Peace when? After 30 years, the public has adopted Peace Now's views, but peace is still elusive.   1.   Donot bother us with the facts,Kadema does it ITS way 19:42  |  sam 24/03/08   2.   don`t forget Israel`s short-term gains 00:03  |  Truth 25/03/08   3.   I wish Hamas luck only in defeating Fatah. 00:37  |  Chaim 25/03/08   4.   bitterly true 01:35  |  ben 25/03/08   5.   Bravo! 04:34  |  Some Random Guy 25/03/08   6.   Falling For The Jihadist Rhetoric - Hook Line And sinker 06:59  |  Tim R 25/03/08   7.   MAKE IT 12, MR. BURSTON 07:30  |  indrajaya 25/03/08   8.   SOME SIMPLE THINGS TO MAKE THIS CONFLICT END 09:51  |  indrajaya 25/03/08   9.   A worthy article but misrepresents Israels intentions 10:25  |  Natallie Durson 25/03/08   10.   The Sad State Of Affairs We Inherited From Oil Companies And... 10:33  |  Yosemite 25/03/08   11.   mösyö BURSTONOVIC, TALK ABOUT THE PALESTINIAN CAMPS 10:39  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 25/03/08   12.   Her Burston ! DO YOU SUPPORT DRAW TO 67 BORDERS ? 10:40  |  ... 25/03/08   13.   WHY THERE STILL ARE PALESTINIAN REFUGEE CAMPS ! 10:42  |  Atilla Karagözoğlu 25/03/08   14.   The patrons of Hamas... 10:55  |  Esther 25/03/08   15.   N.DURSON.Israel`s existence is THE problem for Hmas 11:08  |  PETER SM 25/03/08   16.   WHAT DOES GENETIC GENODICE MEANS ? 11:11  |  ... 25/03/08   17.   INDRAJAYA MAKE IT #1. PAL. use of children7 civillian facilities 11:17  |  PETER SM 25/03/08   18.   DOES ISRAEL GIVE FOOD TO PALESTINIANS ? 11:18  |  ... 25/03/08   19.   GENETIC WARS 11:20  |  ... 25/03/08   20.   GENETIC WARS ARE MUCH CLEAN THAN NUCLEAR WARS 11:22  |  ... 25/03/08   21.   IS IT POSSIBLE TO PLAY WITH WATER ,GENETICIALLY? 11:23  |  ... 25/03/08   22.   NO NEED NUCLEAR IF WE HAVE GENETIC WEAPONS 11:26  |  ... 25/03/08   23.   DOES ISLAM WORLD HAVE ITS OWN MEDICINE MANUFACTURE ? 11:30  |  ... 25/03/08   24.   CAN WE CHANGE SOMEONES CHARACTER WITH GENETIC MEDICINES ? 11:31  |  ... 25/03/08   25.   The war against Hamas is a total war without concessions. 11:40  |  Jean Van Daem 25/03/08   26.   Falling For The Jihadist Rhetoric - Hook Line And sinker-2nd Try 11:56  |  Tim R 25/03/08   27.   ıslam world much divided than christian and jewish, today ! 12:00  |  why ? 25/03/08   28.   teach me what you learned / sorry I cant teach all ... 12:11  |  I already ... 25/03/08   29.   Your critique is silly...Fatah had no role in this.... 12:43  |  r 25/03/08   30.   Burston, closet Catholic aspiring saint, blames 12:48  |  Absolute Sweden 25/03/08   31.   But it FEELS GOOD! 13:01  |  Mark Lincoln 25/03/08   32.   Haaretz Censor 13:14  |  Try This 25/03/08   33.   half bull half fact 13:20  |  Empresaria 25/03/08   34.   Haaretz Censor 13:26  |  Try This 25/03/08   35.   One Palestinian was rich 13:27  |  American Christian 25/03/08   36.   This suggests that Israel is run by total jackasses, Bradley 13:27  |  Clickfool 25/03/08   37.   bradley is mostly talking ab. tactical moves 13:45  |  bozhidar bob balkas 25/03/08   38.   #26Your critique of the critique is silly 13:46  |  A.M. 25/03/08   39.   Nice way of describing deliberate policy of ethnic cleansing! 14:00  |  lakshmi 25/03/08   40.   Try this 14:03  |  Purple Canary 25/03/08   41.   bradley calls the sit. in expalestine a war 14:10  |  bozhidar bob balkas 25/03/08   42.   Maybe they support Hamas because they want a state? 14:19  |  Donald 25/03/08   43.   #33 boris the clucking fool and words 14:33  |  v hardman 25/03/08   44.   Try This - Haaretz Censor 14:39  |  Annoyed Already 25/03/08   45.   Damned if you do, damned if you don`t 14:52  |  ARA 25/03/08   46.   bozhidar bob balkas # 38 What? (part 1) 14:59  |  Jeff Northridge 25/03/08   47.   to censorcritics who does not understand 15:09  |  Close Talkback 25/03/08   48.   Its been 100 yrs since the 1st Arab massacre on Jews in this land 15:11  |  Greg 25/03/08   49.   Simple, just leave OLMERT IN POWER 15:11  |  Dolly 25/03/08   50.   Kudos to No. 43, Jeff Northridge 15:22  |  ARA 25/03/08   51.   Kudos to No. 43, Jeff Northridge 15:22  |  ARA 25/03/08   52.   Kudos to No. 43, Jeff Northridge 15:24  |  ARA 25/03/08   53.   Kudos to No. 43, Jeff Northridge 15:25  |  ARA 25/03/08   54.   Kudos to No. 43, Jeff N. of CA, USA 15:29  |  ARA 25/03/08   55.   bozhidar bob balkas # 38 What? (part 2) 15:48  |  Jeff Northridge 25/03/08   56.   To indrajaya-"Final Four" 15:59  |  Albert 25/03/08   57.   43. jeff. thank u for u`r reply. since u haven`t 16:08  |  bozhidar bob balkas 25/03/08   58.   # 52, ALBERT 16:26  |  indrajaya 25/03/08   59.   43. jeff. ab. the second item in u`r reply 16:42  |  bozhidar bob balkas 25/03/08   60.   Hamas is a creation of Israel, thanks you Bradley for this articl 16:58  |  Philip 25/03/08   61.   Bradley Burston - murderers rather than rapists? 16:58  |  Moshe 25/03/08   62.   Thanks God Israelis are Israelis. Otherwise it would be 17:01  |  Andreas 25/03/08   63.   Give me a break 17:02  |  Gili 25/03/08   64.   So What Do You Suggest, Mr. Burston? 17:06  |  Jeff Northridge 25/03/08   65.   So in other words, for a moderate entity in Gaza 17:19  |  Smadar 25/03/08   66.   Thank you No. 61 17:19  |  ARA 25/03/08   67.   Intelligent article 17:38  |  drdanielito 25/03/08   68.   42 Donald the Palestinians already have a state since the days of 17:39  |  lakshmi 25/03/08   69.   Jeff BB`s formula is simple 17:40  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 25/03/08   70.   #64 Jeff Northridge 17:44  |  Smadar 25/03/08   71.   Not necessarily so Clickfool 17:47  |  Mark Lincoln 25/03/08   72.   Partially true Philip 17:51  |  Mark Lincoln 25/03/08   73.   #15 Peter SM 17:58  |  Natallie Durson 25/03/08   74.   Jeff Northridge 18:00  |  GABE1 25/03/08   75.   The Bottom Line - Mr. Burston 18:07  |  Mark Lincoln 25/03/08   76.   43. jeff. ab. the 4th item in u`r reply 18:10  |  bozhidar bob balkas 25/03/08   77.   lakshmi-Good Plan! 18:15  |  Albert 25/03/08   78.   If Israelis had wanted peace .... 18:25  |  Secualr 25/03/08   79.   To Mark Lincoln-Hamas Can Never Win. 18:52  |  Albert 25/03/08   80.   There is no difference between Hamas & Fatah 18:58  |  Barry 25/03/08   81.   Angry American 19:04  |  W 25/03/08   82.   Bradley`s Patronizing view 19:06  |  FOX 25/03/08   83.   My advice, read indrajaya`s comments 19:32  |  Scharker Yid 25/03/08   84.   Smadar # 70 That`s Fine With Me 19:35  |  Jeff Northridge 25/03/08   85.   The Social element to the conflict 19:46  |  FOX 25/03/08   86.   77 Albert,have you heard of Basic Palestinian Law? 20:25  |  lakshmi 25/03/08   87.   # 65 Smadar...Since there is an ongoing prosecution 20:33  |  Lynn 25/03/08   88.   # 64 Jeff Northridge...they will also claim victory 20:50  |  Lynn 25/03/08   89.   # 42 Donald...."give them what they want" 20:53  |  Lynn 25/03/08   90.   Indy... some groups just don`t deserve respect 21:15  |  Lynn 25/03/08   91.   # 78 Secular of Chicago.....any excuse is a good one 21:23  |  Lynn 25/03/08   92.   Lakshmi :86 21:38  |  UK Jew 25/03/08   93.   #68, Lakshmi, Arabs dont want another Arab Palestine 21:41  |  David 25/03/08   94.   To lakshmi #86 - Basic Palestinian Law...? 21:49  |  Dagma 25/03/08   95.   #65 smadar gets canadian frostbite in the head ! 22:44  |  v ictor hardman 25/03/08   96.   Laksmi-Basic Palestinian Law? 22:48  |  Albert 25/03/08   97.   #46 Jeff asks a question 23:38  |  Johnboy 25/03/08   98.   Fox #85 01:11  |  Fox Hunter 26/03/08   99.   BB forgets about murderous intifada 01:15  |  Free Gilad Shalit 26/03/08   100.   92UK Jew,96 Albert.UK Jew,Great Britain has an unwritten 01:50  |  lakshmi 26/03/08   101.   Smadar: Please Look At The Last TB 02:44  |  Tim R 26/03/08   102.   Israel is a problem 03:06  |  Truth 26/03/08   103.   hamas 03:11  |  kpr 26/03/08   104.   Haaretz -- you are gutless traitors to Israel 03:26  |  DrRJP 26/03/08   105.   #87 Lynn and #95 Victor Hardman 03:32  |  Smadar 26/03/08   106.   # 86 The Moon is a perfect place for philistinian law, Lopsh.... 03:36  |  misha 26/03/08   107.   #36 stealing land or losing it? 04:43  |  Andrew 26/03/08   108.   excellent article, bradley; although there IS one line... 05:59  |  eric 26/03/08   109.   TRUTH Where has Hamas said they are prepared to live in PEACE 06:55  |  PETER SM 26/03/08   110.   ERIC The Arabs said NO Peace,NO Recognition,NO Negotiations 07:17  |  PETER SM 26/03/08   111.   wrong as usual eric 07:45  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 26/03/08   112.   #102 smadar affirms frostbite problem 08:10  |  v hardman 26/03/08   113.   Unfortunately this is Right On 08:11  |  Shtarka 26/03/08   114.   #84 A very odd distinction indeed, Jeff 09:08  |  Johnboy 26/03/08   115.   eric #104 09:21  |  S 26/03/08   116.   Foxhunter #97 09:34  |  FOX 26/03/08   117.   Smadar #102 09:47  |  FOX 26/03/08   118.   BS detector #116 14:54  |  Fox Hunter 26/03/08   119.   Foxhunter #118 17:17  |  FOX 26/03/08   120.   Really bad art 18:25  |  Fox Hunter 26/03/08   121.   # 110 leave it to you, peter sm in MELBOURNE 06:11  |  eric 27/03/08   122.   #111 to margie in tel aviv 07:12  |  eric 27/03/08   123.   # 115 with my sincere respect, "S"... 08:01  |  eric 27/03/08   124.   Burston for PM 13:56  |  Daniel 27/03/08   125.   #117 Fox con`t of part 1 17:28  |  Smadar 27/03/08   126.   eric #123 17:21  |  S 28/03/08   127.   foxhunter 21:11  |  CANOE 28/03/08   128.   hamas 00:00  |  cliff 29/03/08   129.   Hamas 00:04  |  Nigel 29/03/08   130.   # 126 to my friend "S" (2ND TRY) 11:08  |  eric 29/03/08   131.   eric#130 20:23  |  CANOE 30/03/08   132.   eric #130 you are my friend too (third try) 22:12  |  S 30/03/08   133.   S #132 I`ll Butt In And Correct You Slightly 08:44  |  Tim R 31/03/08   134.   Yes Israel should do this! 09:32  |  Adam 31/03/08   135.   # 132 you`ve brightened my day "S"! (2nd try) 11:56  |  eric 31/03/08   136.   End of Times 09:33  |  Ayub Khan 03/04/08   137.   Israel is a shameless bully 04:10  |  Truthteller 04/04/08   138.   Ayub Khan #136 "End of Time" (Second Try) 09:40  |  Tim R 04/04/08   139.   Who supports Pals? 23:34  |  Johnson 08/04/08   140.   Who supports Pals? 23:34  |  Johnson 08/04/08   141.   Who supports Pals? 23:34  |  Johnson 08/04/08

Today Online Bradley Burston: I want the Palestinians to win Responses: 166 Evangelist to Yoffie: 'I'm not trying to undermine peace' Responses: 109 Moshe Arens: Making Palestine Judenrein Responses: 91 Vice PM: Ofra settlement homes built on private Palestinian land Responses: 99 Barghouti peace overture to be read at Peace Now rally Responses: 99 Rosner's Domain Until last week I wouldn't have said "Enough with 'Israeli occupation' guilt; Gaza isn't Auschwitz" Rice for Vice? (WTR) Pastor Hagee vs. rabbi Yoffie, round two Poll: Yoffie or Hagee - you can vote! What is worth fighting for? More Headlines 22:54 Complainant against Katsav seeks to reenter rape charge in new indictment 19:01 Katsav accuser: Decision to drop plea deal stems from denial 20:56 Anaylsis: All outcomes possible in Katsav sex crimes case 20:49 Tunnel meant for terrorist infiltration found in N. Gaza 20:16 Israel to bar UN official for comparing Israelis to Nazis 21:14 Peace Now: Our views are now mainstream but peace still elusive 22:19 Interior Ministry, Finance Ministry employees to strike Wednesday 19:38 Police release 7 peace radio staffers after night in detention 20:40 Strikes cost Israeli economy over 2.5 million workdays in 2007 22:08 Ahmadinejad: We've added 6,000 centrifuges to nuke program Previous Editions Select Day 07 apr 06 apr 04 apr 03 apr 02 apr 01 apr 31 mar 30 mar 28 mar 27 mar 26 mar 25 mar

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