Hamas vows to continue attacks on Israel after pullout

I was Shocked when I read your article attacking THE PATRIORC OF JERUSALEM . To call him names like THE MUSLIM PATRIORCH is very incensitive to the millions of Christian Catholics around the world.I would like to ask you " Who made you an AUTHORITY to write what you want about THE FIRST BORN PALISTENIAN PATRIORCHto hold that office.The man is not a liar ,and i know the truth hurts ;you should be ashamed of spreading lies all the time.

I think that the Israeli Government is made up of a bunch of numbskulls, fools and simply idiots. Firstly why in heaven are they leaving the Gaza strip?? You can?t say for peace because even the Arabs say openly that they have no plans at all for peace. Instead this will become a terror base that has a port to bring is terrorists and weapons!!!! Is the whole country stupid?? Don?t they see this???

Having followed the mideast for many years, its so sad that a group called the Palestinians, who deserve a homeland have been used, and abused by their own Arab countrymen. The world is told by other Arab nations that the Palestinian issue is so important to them. But its obvious by the way this has unfolded thru the years that the Arab world is more concerned with killing all Jews than providing a homeland for the Palestinians. Saudia Arabia and Iran with their Trillions of dollars does little if anything for the Palestinians. Arafat stole millions, if not billions from the PLO. Iran supporting Hamas has brought death and destruction to both sides of the issue. I have little simpathy for a people (Arabs) who have behaved the way they have thru the years. The Jews would love just to be left alone. Their confiscation of Arab land was not done out of a desire to build an empire, but to provide a more easilly defensible border. Lets not forget who started all the wars between them. The very next day after the UN made the Jews a nation they were attacked by the Arabs. The arabs belief in hate, war, theocracy and no respect for the innocent, stinks of a morally bankrupt culture that is more from Satan, than Alla.

Some hope the pullout will bring some sort of peace to the area...but will it? Some hope that once there is a boarder, any kind of attack againstIsrael there will be retailiation as any other country would retailiate under attack (eg USA). Will there be passport controlled boarders? Already the threats of Hammas, so called political, but definately millitant are seen. Never to be trusted are they! Hopefully Israel will not go soft and allow them to pass over into her territory, they will have their state, let them stay in it. Israel has no need of them and any that now live in Israel and want to go to this Palestine, go in peace and please dont return.

Unfortunately, my previous statements do not deal with any of the fudamental issues correctly listed by Marc Lincoln. In fact, I believe the situation will get worse before they get better. MC

I agree, to the fact that Israel will be better without Gaza. But, I am sure, If Hamas launches a terrorist atack Israel will all the legal right will invade another time or will have to teach them a real lesson.

Miri, you say "IF/WHEN Hamas initiates suicide bombings or fires rockets at Israel after the disengagement, there are only two options: 1) Mr. Abbas takes concrete action to round up the terrorist Hamas organization (somewhat unlikely given the history) or; 2) We initiate target killings, round up the militants, etc, etc." But Miri; there is a third posibility (or more) what may happen: That Israel may NOT wait for Abbas OR "make targeted assassinations and round up Militants" We are sick of sending our 19 yr old boys into Khan Yunis to arrest possible militants. It COULD be that when attacks come from a no-longer-occupied legally recognized withdrawn-from territory, that Israel MAY respond with F16s. I believe that Sharon is trying to usher us out of a period of patrolled occupation and settlement-based defense and instead draw up some very clear lines with the Palestinians via this withdrawl and the security fence. I beleve that future attacks, if continually not prevented or punished by the Democratically elected Palestinian gov't, will be responded to as any country in the world would to an attack on legally recognized borders by an inferior force -- with a superior force. We will all wait and watch, won't we...?

I say: Bring it on. These cowards are only good at butchering innocent civilians. let's see them go up against the Israeli Army unsheathed. Just like Jenin, they'll last about 24 hours, and then cry to everyone about how Israel kicked their backsides. so, the question to Hamas is, "Do you feel lucky?"

It is unthinkable that the Gaza pullout is in the best interest of Israel. Those who will immediately move-in are anti-Israel and will be in a more strategic position to attack her. This is as illogical, unreasonable and irresponsible as Russian Roulette.

"Shame on you for allowing the memories of the fallen IDF soldiers who fought and died for Israel." - Thomas Sprague What? What happened to the memories? Tell me! Finish the sentence!

"Mark while a sumation of blaming and finger pointing neo-conservatives and whabism in Saudi Arabia that sounds good and clever, there`s a lot more to it then that." - Ike Yeah, there was that brilliant Conquest of Iraq which was to be over in just a few months, cost just a few billions of dollars and bring instant peace and democracy in the middle east. It is hard to imagine people who are more consistently and devastatingly wrong than neoconservatives. When you say "thank god for neo conservatives" I take it you are not speaking for the 3,000 folks murdered by Ronald Reagan's "Freedom Fighters" in the NY Trade Center. "Neo Cons like Reagan& Co, saw the Paper Tiger behind the Soviet Union," - Ike Then why were they not honest with Americans? Why did they insist on cooking the intelligence books with the "Team B" report which exaggerated the threat? Why did they denounce the CIA conclusion in the early 1970s which held that the Soviet Union was weak, getting weaker, and would not last until the end of the century? Why did they insist upon hundreds of billions of dollars in wasted military spending? "Neo Con`s like Reagan and Eishenhower."- Ike Eisenhower was no neo con. Quite the opposite, conservatives at the time, such as Joe McCarthy, opposed him as a liberal. Most neo conservatives - such as Ronald Reagan were democrats in the 1950s and into the 1960s (Reagan was a democrat until half way through the decade of the 60s) and supported democrat candidates. Sorry Ike, back in 1985, when the neo cons were creating Al Queada, and giving chemical weapons to Saddam, they were dead wrong, and they are dead wrong today, because the threats we face today, are ones they created in their mindless zeal to oppose communism without any regards to the consequences of their actions.

I dont ever remember reading Jesus saying, "If you can't get yourself to see your neighbor as an equal and treat him as such then just kill him." Vietnam was mass murder... Iraq now is to. In America we do not believe that you are allowed to kill someone because you are mad at someone else but cant get him. But that is exactly what we have done with Iraq and Osama. Many liberals wanted WAR after 9/11 ... But we are the type of people that reason and think with that thing in our skulls. Any reasonable person thinking about the response to 9/11 would NEVER suggest invading Iraq. Afghanistan? of coarse. Saudi Arabia? You bet your ass. Pakistan ... they have been caught red handed selling WMDs to Iran, Libya, NKorea, they harbor Osama... so ya Pakistan should be enemy #1. BUT IRAQ???? Only a BUSH would suggest such a thing.

Tim you sound like the redcoats in the American Revolutionary war. The George Washingtons men, the IRA, Hamas all have the right to resists. period. They DONT have the right to try to force israel into the sea, but they do have the right to not bend over and take it just because we are white and they are not.

BEFORE YOU CRITISIZE PEOPLE LEARN HOW TO SPELL THEIR COUNTRY?S NAME. SECOND HOW CAN YOU PROVE ZIONISTS ARE LYING AND ALWAYS WILL BE???? AND IF YOU THINK KILLING INNOCENT PEOPLE IS OK MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU. ALL I HOPE FOR YOU IS TO HAVE AN OPINON OF YOUR OWN AND NOT BE SO IGNORANT AS TO FOLLOW THE MOB MENTALITY SET FOR YOU .

Who is Mark Lincoln? He is so adept at keeping the "neutral" line, lecturing and clarifying, yet he has never sounded a position of his own

The L-rd is One.

Mr.Lincoln. Your opinion i can respect but i strongly suggest you do more research for your own reasoing with regards to PALESTINIAN suffering. When The Jewish state was created, Prime Minister DAVID BEN-GURION offered citizenship to all the arab people's residing in Israel proper at the time, an olive branch you could say. They chose not to accept and thus left their homes with the promise from all the invading arab countries that they will be back shortly once the jews are drowning in there own blood. The root of their hatred and their fundamentalist ideology is not the likud party, or it's politics. (it was the likud party under Begin that signed the peace treaty with Eygpt in 1978 and gave the whole of the sinai back to Eygpt!) The root dear sir lies with in the frame work of religious irrationality being hammered into the minds of generations of Palestinians by the Imams and National leaders calling for JIHAD to incite violence and murder in the name of ALLAH. Co-existence is what the majority of Israeli's want.... PEACE SHALOM! Israeli's and it's ELECTED leaders don't incite murder and blood shed in any name of g-d or zionism. In my opinion the Palestinian leadership and ideology is feeding and causing their own poeples suffering. As well as most of the Arab world using them as a propaganda tool to shape world opinion againts the only true democracy in the middle east.

Yan hit the nail on it's head, The Palestinin Leadership and it's people are still under the illussion that they will return to all lands from Jordan River to the Meditereanian Sea. It started with the terrorist Arafat regime and continues with the "smiling" Mahmoud Abbas. The statements of Hamas are at least very frank. PA and Abbas are pushover weaklings with no spine to tell the Palestinians that a compromise with Israel is the only solution. Watch the competition between PA and terror groups to claim who pushed out the Israelis from Gaza. They will get carried over with their own rethoric and will start believinng the fantasies as if they all "smoked" grass" (Abbas: Today Gaza, tomorrow Palestine with Jerusalem as its Capitol) All the problems of ethnic wars in central Europe were resolved by force after the German and Italian fascists were defeated. 9, million Germans were removed (ethnicaly cleansed ) from Poland (Silesia and Pomerania), Czech Republic (Sudetenland) and Eastern Prussia (Now Russia around Kaliningrad) Only then was a peacefull coexistance achieved. As a person with left of center believes, I came to the conclussion , that only when the Palestinians are transfered to Jordan State with some West Bnak adjustements, and the transfer of th 1,3 million of palestinians from Gaza to Jordan will peace between Arabs and Israel materialize. Call it "ethnic cleansing" or view it as the arrangement like in Europe after WWI. After all Israel creation was a consequance of the Holocaust. The guilty gentiles succumbed and agreed to the birth of Israel. If the Palestinian Jordanian solution is not implemented a perpetual war in Israel and West Bank/Gaza is a tragic reality. It will take generations of Palestinians to reach this compromise. In retrospect, starting with Oslo Agreement and allowing Arafats PA PLO to return to West bank/Gaza, establish PA without prior final agreement was a monumental mistake. In Arafats Strategy it was a Trian Horse in the land of Israel

"We are tired of these long time revolutionaries, we need nation builders not revolutionaries." - El-Birawi "No nation has ever benefited from protracted warfare." - Sun Tzu

"Who allowed Hamas ( designated as a terrorist organization by the US) into the territories in the first place? I believe it was Mr. Arafat. " - Miri Actually during the late 70s Menachem Begin turned a blind eye to the organization and development of the humanitarian branches of Hamas, figuring that it would undermine the PLO. This is not to say that Begin wanted Hamas as a terrorist organization, but his hopes that it would turn out to be more benign than the PLO were wrong. Hamas was competition to Arafat from the beginning, as it is competition to Abbas now. Arafat was not running the occupied territories then, Israel was. "a civil war is exactly what Abbas is trying to avoid. I guess it`s better that Hamas kills us than Hamas killing Palestinians (or Abbas himself!!)." - Miri I am certain Abbas is trying to avoid a civil war and that Hamas wants one. "My view, let them have a civil war..and may the best man win." - Miri I would hate to see Hamas win. "If Hamas is the winner, you can bet your US dollar that Israel won`t be fighting them alone. I`d even host US soldiers in my home!!!" - Miri We don't have any soldiers to spare, we are going deeper in debt every minute, and Americans are beginning to tire of Bush's Iraqi adventure. Don't count on Uncle Sugar to save you from Hamas. "Dare I say that we`re not the only ones in this position in this war, and some are a lot more powerful globally than us." - Miri The blunders have been monumental. Israel has never made a blunder as big as Ronald Reagan and the House of Saud made when they recruited, trained and equipped what became Al Queada. "To a Muslim terrorist, any westerner or supporter of western values is fueling their cause." - Miri No, they have total contempt for western values. The objective of Al Queada is to get the US and other western nations out of the middle east. The objective of Hamas is to get Israel out of the middle east. "We`d rather not have the distinction of being the most practiced at stopping terrorism and would prefer to have our children, family and friends back." - Miri Understood, Israel has never had a day of peace in it's entire history.

At first I was somewhat taking a middle of the road approch to the PULLOUT. At first I thought it might be in Israels' best interst. Give up a little land for a lot of peace. Sounds good doesn't it? But then here comes Hamas with their statements to fight on until all of the West Bank and Jerusalem are in the hands of the Palestinian people - ie, HAMAS. What begun as a movement towards peace now looks like a movement towards the possible downfall of the State of Israel. What about the families of the IDF who lost loved ones during the 67' war. Did they die for nothing? It appears to me that what Israel has fought for for over five (5) thousand years and finally won, will be lost in a few short years because of the PULLOUT. Shame on you MR. Sharon for giving in and aiding in the possible downfall of Israel as we know it today. Shame on you for allowing the memories of the fallen IDF soldiers who fought and died for Israel.

"but to be fair people who have been displaced in earlier wars should return to their lands before" - Yan All right, everyone back to Africa now!

While talking about allowing displaced people to return to their ancesteral lands, don't forget the Jews returning to Palestine/Israel/Judaea. Rome (now represented by western Europe) displaced the jews from Palestine (The Roman name for Judaea to p*ss off the jews was Palestine - hence the term Palestinians originially applied to the Jews - they Arabs have even tried to disposess us of the name we didn't want from the Romans!). The fact that Rome occupied it, then muslims then crusaders then ottomans then british, does not erase the fact that the original disposessed from the land were Jews!!!

Mark while a sumation of blaming and finger pointing neo-conservatives and whabism in Saudi Arabia that sounds good and clever, there's a lot more to it then that. The main people involved in terrorism Bin Laden and pals were people that did have something to live for, and were very rich with sucesfull business. So thinking that as soon as a country or someone get's a little economic prosperity is going to curve palestinian hatred and terrorism is a nieve idea. It will help but not cure the problem. The home grown london bombers weren't desperatly poor either and all had equal footing to lead good lives but chose terror. The worst thing you can do is pacify an abuser or dictator. Neo Cons like Reagan& Co, saw the Paper Tiger behind the Soviet Union, so did Martin Luther King against an established imbalanced "democratic 1960's America" but took on the challenge. Bieng left wing Liberal with no backbone got us over ran in Vietnam and it will get the Western world overan in terror. We need to hold to our guns and stay the course and not be an appeaser to terrorism because we saw the mistake European countries made with appeasment in WWII, but we saw the vicotry couragous man have won by staying the course like Neo Con's like Reagan and Eishenhower.

The disengagement gives Israel at least two important advantages. One, a Jewish majority in Israel/occupied which if it is to remain democratic is essential. Two, the moral high ground. Anything Sharon does after the disengagement as a response to Hamas further violations will be automatically be understood/approved at least by the EU and the US. A combined support of the US and the EU coupled with strong response from Israel will stop Hamas in its tracks almost immediately.

I agree that Palestininas should return to their former homes, but to be fair people who have been displaced in earlier wars should return to their lands before Palestininas, i.e Greeks should return to Turkey, Germans should return to Poland and Chezk republic, Hindus should return to Pakistan, Muslims should return to India, and while we are at it, Normans should return to France, Saxons should return to Germany and then Palestininas should return to their former homes.!

"I certainly hope he approaches NATO" - Giles Martin NATO has no spare forces to send. All tied up in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Remember the reason why Israel took the terroritories in 1967 in the first place. To enlarge Israel over a Zionist ideology as most Arabs and Leftist would have you believe? Hardly!" - William The borders of land in, or occupied by, Israel were determined by military considerations. The obvious place to stabilize the line of defense against the Jordanian Army was the Jordan river. The obvious place to stabilize the line of defense against the Egyptian Army was the Suez canal. The obvious place to stabilize the line of defense against the Syrian Army was atop the Golan Heights. "Israel knew this and with 5 armies on teh edge of launching an attack on the nation, did what was necessary to do to protect it`s people. Again, Israel acted with the ultimate strategy of security...of itself." - William So goes the original justification for continuing the occupation beyond the point where it was clear that land for peace was not an immediate prospect in 1967. This strategy has essentially failed for decades. Indeed, the problem evolved to strikes in the heart of Israel as well as on it's periphery. "If occupation of the area was the primary goal, why was the idea of handing self-governance to Palestinians on the table from the 5th day of the Six Day War?" - William The idea of turning occupation into a permanent "Greater Judea and Samaria" did not become unofficial policy until after Likud took control of Israel in the late 70s. "Peace from Gaza??? Not a chance!" - William It isn't a good chance, but it is the ONLY chance that Israel and the Palestinians have.

"I wonder, if. . . palastineans . . . are actually waging a legitimate war against occupation" - Werner In a legal sense they are. Israel is an occupying power and as such has failed to fully meet the responsibilities of such powers under international law. The Palestinian 'resistance' has been self-defeating, and has kept Palestine a theory instead of a reality for many decades. The Palestinian resistance lost all moral and legal standing when it started attacking civilian targets in Israel instead of strictly military targets in the occupied territories. I sympathize with the suffering of the Palestinians and wish they would start acting with a bit of sense and wage unrelenting peace at this point because that could actually free most of the occupied territories in relatively few years. Continued terrorism against Israel will only make it possible for Israel to consolidate it's hold on much of the West Bank for ever.

It is all about posturing. Of course Hamas leadership will come out and say such idiotic statement. They need to stay in the game and make sure they have a place at the table, and to make sure that Fatah does not take it all and spoil it all. Such unwise and usless statement are ok within the the context of putting Fatah in check. But to coninue and to wage war on Israel is not only stupid but irresponsible as well. Hamas should be happy the Israelis are pulling out of Gaza so that they can show what they can do for the people, now that Israel is out of Gaza. It is a big mistake for Hamas leadership to continue to speak and talk such language. We have heard it all before from the time of Nasser and his Voice of the Arabs, Ahmed Saeed and we heard it before from Arafat and now let us hear what the leaderships has to say about building a nation state. We have seen what the stupid and useless rockets can do. Now let us see how many homes, schools, hospitals, roads and farms they can build. We are tired of these long time revolutionaries, we need nation builders not revolutionaries.

"Palestinians are just another representation of this phenomenon....they just happen to get a lot more press." - rich Not the same phenomenon at all. The Palestinian terrorism preceeded by many years the Islamic Fundamentalist movement first recruited, trained and equipped by the Reagan Administration, and fed by Saudi support for the last 25 years. It's root lay in the original partition and the War of Independence, as well as the occupation after the Six Day War, and the efforts of the Likud to make life miserable for Palestinians so that they would leave the West Bank and Gaza. The roots of Palestinian terrorism are in the solid ground of Palestinian suffering, real and imagined, imposed by Israel and self-imposed. The roots of the Fundamentalist Islamic Terrorism are in the ultra-conservative politics, religion, and economic ideologies of the House of Saud and the American Neoconservative Movement. The Palestinian problem can probably be dealt with far more easily than the Fundamentalists problem. The reason is that the Palestinian problem can be improved by improving the lives of Palestinians to the point where they have something to lose, and therefore something to live for. The Fundamentalist problem cannot be so easily dealt with because it is rooted in right wing fundamentalist religious ideology and there fore there is nothing that can be done to remove the cause short of ensuring that there is little public support for it to hide in.

Zionists and Jews should accept that Palestinians were indeed disposesed in the wake of Israel's founding. But so what? That is the historical price Arabs had to pay, just like Jews payed a historical price in the Holocaust, just like Serbs paid a historical price in their expulsion from ancesteral lands in what is now Croatia in 1994 and Kosovo in 1999 and many others accross the time. Palestininas should resign themselves that they are not going to turn back time and should start building their state on what is available.

So, 1000 Hamas murderers practice their "craft" in front of TV cameras and vow to continue their killing of Israelis. The IDF & IAF should have taken the opportunity to blow them away. It's a war folks: Hamas continues to kill Israelis, continues to threaten to kill Israelis. It would have been completely justified.

"And after the systematic destruction of the Palestinian Authority's security forces and authority amongst Palestinians waged over the decade since Oslo by the Likud, what has Abbas left to deal with Hamas? Who allowed Hamas ( designated as a terrorist organization by the US) into the territories in the first place? I believe it was Mr. Arafat. Thus, it is Mr. Arafat that Mr. Abbas should be pissed at, not Israel. Maybe if Mr. Arafat used the billions in aid he was given to build up his territories vs funding terrorism, everyone would be better off. "..the failure of the PA will constitute more of a victory for Hamas than Israel." The possibility (or reality as I think it is happening or on the verge of happening now in the territories) of a civil war is exactly what Abbas is trying to avoid. I guess it's better that Hamas kills us than Hamas killing Palestinians (or Abbas himself!!). My view, let them have a civil war..and may the best man win. If Hamas is the winner, you can bet your US dollar that Israel won't be fighting them alone. I'd even host US soldiers in my home!!! "Israel has failed miserably at undermining the cause of terrorism, rather Israel has shown itself dedicated to fueling them." Dare I say that we're not the only ones in this position in this war, and some are a lot more powerful globally than us. To a Muslim terrorist, any westerner or supporter of western values is fueling their cause. I think it's naive to think otherwise. We'd rather not have the distinction of being the most practiced at stopping terrorism and would prefer to have our children, family and friends back.

Your point is irrelevant. If The arabs attack from Gaza, the Israeli have a right to defend themselves and pursue the attackers, even taking over their positions . If Hamas continues to attack from Gaza after the disengagement, the world will condone Israel this time for going in there. Perhaps this is their brilliant plan. To get the world to see the unending violence of Hamas.

Abbas is a well-groomed man who leads a medieval people. If he acts against Hamas he will be killed and then lionized by fat-headed US State Department officials. But his death and the Hamas-duced chaos that will follow will mean that Israel will enter Gaza and slaughter Hamas like so many burnoosed ants at a picnic. George Bush, having already had his foreign policy "triumph" with Israel's withdrawal, will admonish Sharon mildly. And that will be Sharon's triumph. He may be a bull in a china shop, but he is counting on the Palestinians' proven tendency to resort to medieval behavior. Indeed, why should they be different from any other Arab Muslim? It will be Sharon's triumph, and it will be lovely to watch.

Hamas promises renewal of attacks against Israel following the disengagement. Abbas promises to control them. His immediate situation requires enough show of force--requiring advanced weaponry. I certainly hope he approaches NATO if he finds himself unable to contain Hamas. If the PA is able to show strength against rejectionists, and to deliver on Abbas' speech in Gaza, then he may be the unquestioned leader of the Palestinians. If return to the 1948 armistice line is not achieved, how would you deal with a newly appointed High Commissioner?

Remember the reason why Israel took the terroritories in 1967 in the first place. To enlarge Israel over a Zionist ideology as most Arabs and Leftist would have you believe? Hardly! Every terror attack eminated from that region, whether it be from the Fatah training camps in the Golan hills that laid almost daily attacks on farmers in the Galilee, to shooting attacks and mortars in the South, from Gaza. Israel knew this and with 5 armies on teh edge of launching an attack on the nation, did what was necessary to do to protect it's people. Again, Israel acted with the ultimate strategy of security...of itself. If occupation of the area was the primary goal, why was the idea of handing self-governance to Palestinians on the table from the 5th day of the Six Day War? If I understand this culture well, simply being given something is more shameful than the fight behind it, which is what brought Israelis together in the end (although, they would have accepted the State without the war just fine). And, in an Arab negotiation tactic, if something is given to you based on agreement, then there is more room for movement, to be brought about by violence. The current Intifada proved this. Peace from Gaza??? Not a chance!

I wonder, if it is just stupidness or a kind of a morality-lack not to understand that palastineans -or terrorists, as they are labelled by wealthy judeo-phil americans- are actually waging a legitimate war against occupation. Now some of those quiet smart zionist person try to deligitmize the resistence itself by mocking about the special type of resistance (blowing themselves up), as if the occupation would show up big in idle treatments of the suppressed. Zionist people always lied and will be lying, just as this newspaper will be engaged in this typical style of selective reporting.

Already there are hints that the armed struggle against Israel will continue irrespective of the disengagement. Hamas has said that much. There have already been provocative statements even from Mahmoud Abbas. Are we on the threshold of renewed terror after the disengagement, including the possible establishment of an Al-Qaeda cell in Gaza in the near future? This is not an easy time for Israel. The disengagement decisions are the correct ones from a moral standpoint. However, when there does not seem to be a serious partner with whom to negotiate about the future, many very serious questions and misgivings remain. The withdrawal of settlers within the green line in the disengagement decisions is a necessity for a smooth transition from Israel's point of view. The Palestinian Authority may also hold that view. However, the playing cards as to the future lie in the hands of Hamas who seem to be increasing their influence in Palestinian street. Another point of concern is the fact that they have remained an armed militia with Islamic Jihad. Mahmoud Abbas has decided to appease the terrorist groups by not disarming them. This does not bode well for the future of peace in this area.

rubbish... what is it about people like you that stops you from seeing the big picture ? Nigeria, Sudan, Algeria, Morroco, Chechnya, Iran, Southern Thailand, Xinjiang, Indonesia, Phillipines, Central Asia, Kashmir, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh....basically everywhere throughout the islamic world there are major problems with islamic radicals who seek to install their ways/interpretations onto all others. Palestinians are just another representation of this phenomenon....they just happen to get a lot more press.

"I`m trying to be optimistic. This will either be Mr. Abbas` finest moment or his worst nightmare....his choice." - Miri And after the systematic destruction of the Palestinian Authority's security forces and authority amongst Palestinians waged over the decade since Oslo by the Likud; what has Abbas left to deal with Hamas? "Again, the Palestinians will screw themselves." - Miri Alas, I think you are right. Of course, bear in mind that the failure of the PA will constitute more of a victory for Hamas than Israel. "We are not leaving to go back in, HOWEVER, no one should have any doubt about Israel`s ability or priority to defend itself against terror...no matter what." - Miri Three observations here. First, Israel is far better, and far more practiced, at stopping terrorism than any other democracy. Second, Israel has not been able to stop all terrorism. Third, Israel has failed miserably at undermining the causes of terrorism, rather Israel has shown itself dedicated to fueling them.

"The Palestinians will not accept Israel`s surrender and will give Sharon the justification he needs for entering Gaza and destroying Hamas." - John First, Israel is not surrendering. Second, I think you are right, that is Sharon's plan, and it will fail. Reentering Gaza and destroying many Palestinians and many towns and cities will not destroy Hamas, rather it will become stronger, for what will be destroyed is the PA and any moderate Palestinian influence. "Sharon needs to get Israeli domestic opinion behind him, which he did not do in the 1982 Lebanese expedition. Remember, Sharon has a lot of past experience, dating from the 1950s, pacifying Gaza." - John Sharon's life long career as a failed bull in a china shop is well documented.

"You see, it exonerates "the occupation" of any responisiblity of destroying people`s psychic life. It makes it easy to forget what the impact of 40 or so years of collective humilation and punishment." - Will I am far more concerned about the pernicious effects of occupation upon Israeli society than Palestinian society. The negative effects upon Israel have been not only psychic, but political and economic. To say nothing of during the two intfitadas higher terrorist casualties than ever existed before occupation; and the endless cost in manpower, money, and blood of actually keeping the jack boot on the necks of the Palestinians. The Palestinians have suffered, a great deal, but so have the Israelis.

"First -- Islamic fundmentalism has been encouraged the US and Isreali secret services right through to the fall of the Soviet Union." - Will It seemed like a good idea to the fools who did it. And, don't forget that the biggest source of funds (though not training and equipment) was Saudi. The Israelis didn't 'support" Hamas, rather during the late 70s a blind eye was turned towards it in the hope that it would undermine the PLO. "This does not excuse terrorist groups, but we should wonder at the military strategey of giving billions to religious lunatics." - Will The support of the House of Saud and the Reagan administration for fundamentalist terrorists was not a military strategy. It was a political/ideological strategy. "However, Hamas is not composed of lunatics, but people that range from hating every jew to just hating Israel and all it stands for, to people who just hate the occupation." - Will So, is anyone, particularly Palestinians, trying to take advantage of these schisms? "If Hamas was so successful in the first place, it was because it actually provided relief for it`s citizens, actually spending it`s money on schools and mosques, as well as terrorist activities. " - Will The humanitarian efforts preceeded the terrorist activities by several years, that is why the Begin administration gave it tacit approval. This twin overt political and humanitarian as well as covert terrorist approach was first developed by the Irish. "Who is to say if They will continue to blow themselves up? Perhaps, if there is any chance for a normal life, potential martyrs may actually have a real alternative." - Will Lets hope this is the case, it could be that Hamas is just posturing. I doubt it, but they could just be trying to position themselves to take the 'credit' amongst Palestinians. "It`s very convenient to say that your enemy is completely mad, because then you can easily sell the image of them as completely irrational." - Will It is also VERY dangerous, because it precludes intelligent understanding of their motives, strategy and motives. Without such understanding, it is almost certain you will respond in the wrong way and make things worse rather than better.

"Don`t Israeli`s see that the Palestinians are making fools out of them over this?" - Tim No. Why should they? What is happening is that Hamas is making a fool of itself. It is gratifying the Israeli right, and ensuring that there will be support for retaining the remaining West Bank settlements. At the very same time to much of the world it will be showing that a genuine Israeli 'peace gesture' is met by a reply of death.

We've been down this road before people. IF/WHEN Hamas initiates suicide bombings or fires rockets at Israel after the disengagement, there are only two options: 1) Mr. Abbas takes concrete action to round up the terrorist Hamas organization (somewhat unlikely given the history) or; 2) We initiate target killings, round up the militants, etc, etc. We are not leaving to go back in, HOWEVER, no one should have any doubt about Israel's ability or priority to defend itself against terror...no matter what. IF Hamas attacks Israel it will severely damage the Palestinians in securing statehood. Just ask the US government. Again, the Palestinians will screw themselves. I'm trying to be optimistic. This will either be Mr. Abbas' finest moment or his worst nightmare....his choice.

Please. Sharon, like everybody else, does not expect this to work. If Abbas succeeds in suppressing Hamas, great. But most likely scenario is civil war, chaos, and/or continued attacks on Israel. The Palestinians will not accept Israel's surrender and will give Sharon the justification he needs for entering Gaza and destroying Hamas. It will be very nasty and take a very strong stomach and Sharon needs to get Israeli domestic opinion behind him, which he did not do in the 1982 Lebanese expedition. Remember, Sharon has a lot of past experience, dating from the 1950s, pacifying Gaza.

First -- Islamic fundmentalism has been encouraged the US and Isreali secret services right through to the fall of the Soviet Union. This little factoid, is of course very easy to verify, but never ceases to amaze me. This does not excuse terrorist groups, but we should wonder at the military strategey of giving billions to religious lunatics. However, Hamas is not composed of lunatics, but people that range from hating every jew to just hating Israel and all it stands for, to people who just hate the occupation. If Hamas was so successful in the first place, it was because it actually provided relief for it's citizens, actually spending it's money on schools and mosques, as well as terrorist activities. Arabs in the Palestinian territories are not stupid, and if they support hamas it is also because of their rejection of fiscal corruption among the PA and their cronies. Who is to say if They will continue to blow themselves up? Perhaps, if there is any chance for a normal life, potential martyrs may actually have a real alternative. It's very convenient to say that your enemy is completely mad, because then you can easily sell the image of them as completely irrational. You see, it exonerates "the occupation" of any responisiblity of destroying people's psychic life. It makes it easy to forget what the impact of 40 or so years of collective humilation and punishment.

Hamas may think they're going to get Jerusalem, but I believe God has other plans for Jerusalem and it doesn't include Hamas.

Why is Abbas telling the Palestinian people that Jerusalem is going to be the capital of a Palestinian state? Why is he giving false hope to Palestinians? The Palestinians (any of them no matter what faction they represent) have never been in a position to negotiate and they are not going to be in such a position after 9,000 settlers leave "nowheresville" Gaza. The D-gagement is NOT an accomplishment for the PA. Abbas is irresponsible for making such claims about Jerusalem, especially since his power is hanging in the balance. He instead should be more realistic, "We have a long and hard road ahead of us. But this is the first step towards a Palestinian state."

How do the Palestinians propose to stop these thugs?

Anyone who thinks that Gaza exit will mean continuation of the peace process is wrong, as the terrorist groups whose stated goal is the destruction of Israel and expulsion of Jews will go on on their murderous campaign. However, that will only worsen Palestinian situation, and the Gaza exit may prove to be even more disasterous for the Palestinians then the past five years. The only remedy is for the Abbas to confront Hamas and the likes with force, something that he is not willing to do. Gaza exit is the great personal accomplishment for Sharon, and may proove to be the end to Palestinina aspirations to have a state in all of the disputed terretories.

I beleive Hamas,they do not make idle threats when it comes to terrorism,there favourite past time is killing Israeli civilians,with brain dead homicide bombers. Lenin convinced the Russian people that communism was the best way of life. The Arab terrorist organizations have convinced the young Arabs,that by blowing yourself up and killing innocent people is the best and fastest way to paradise.If this is so,why do their leaders not do it? come on Ismail Haniyye,try it once in your back garden,if it works then you can all do it.

Don't Israeli's see that the Palestinians are making fools out of them over this? It's time to wake up and smell the coffee. The price is going to be very high for both Israel and America. How long after the failure of Oslo was 911 and the current wave of attacks against Israel? Rewarding terror is like putting a big piece of wood on a fire, it smothers it for a couple of seconds, then goes up worse than ever. It makes me want to weep.