Report: Hamas admits losing control in Gaza

What Hamas wants to do is keep firing rockets into Israel without penalty and without diluting its demand for rebuilding materials, more aid and open crossings. The way they plan to do this is by using Arafat's old ploy of "the previously unnamed group" to blame their terror attacks on - Black September, Black June, AlAksa Martyrs Brigade, etc., all of which he actually controlled and ordered in every detail. IDF should continue to hit back 7-fold for every actual or attempted attack across the Gaza "border". Gaza crossings should stay clamped shut, fuel and other imports kept to a bare minimum, until Hamastan surrenders its rockets and frees Shalit. No requirement of any "international law" to allow enemy or insurgent group to receive rebuilding supplies, water for agriculture or right to ship cash crops while continuing to fight. There WAS a military solution to the Tamil Tigers. US Congress and American people support Israel on this, and the Irish navy ain't coming to "save" Gaza.

The only thing that distinguishes Hamas from Al-Queda is the fact that Hamas restricts its attacks to Israeli civilians whereas Al-Queda is generally interested in killing any civilians (Jewish, Christian, Atheist, Buddhist, Hindu or Muslims that don't agree with it.) Also, since al-Queda has no interest in a Palestinian state - it wants Islamic nations to be ruled by the Caliphate - this change could signal the end of the Palestinian national cause. If the Gazans throw their support behind Al-Queda it could be the worst choice they have made yet - and that's saying something.

Congrats you are spot-on.Unlike most of the lunatic posters who seem to be alternating between dancing in the street & finding an other way to demonize Israel,you have shown what the real issue is.If Iraq has taught us anything,it is that the divide between Shites & Sunnis is deep & violent & that Iran & its surrogates work to exploit this & make it worse.The consequence has been the countless deaths due to car bombs & other acts of terror.The leadership of the so-called moderate Arab nations need to realize that their years of antagonism & attempts to delegitimize Israel by any means has allowed this divide to be exploited by Iran & that is the real threat to them & to peace in the overall middle east.If Israel didn't exist this divide would & its exploitation by Iran presents a problem for the Arab world & ultimately the west.Israel does not benefit from this divide nor does it exploit it. It also doesn't benefit by instability in the Arab world,particularly among Palestinians.

...is that Hamas is tearing itself apart. The Hamas leaders in Gaza (Zahar, Haniyeh) are devout Sunnis tied to to the Ikwan (Muslim Brotherhood) based in Egypt. The Hamas leaders in Damascus (Meshal in particular), on the other hand, have hitched their wagon to Shi'ite Iran - Persian heretics. The Gazan leaders are fed up to the back teeth with Meshal, who lives comfortably at a safe distance in Syria and enjoys posturing to the media as a hardliner while Gazans bleed and suffer. Al-Mabhouh was in the Meshal camp,a Hamas link to Iran. The precise info about his whereabouts came from the Gazans. The split between them and the Damascus leaders is now red raw and in the open. This was the real story of the Dubai killing which was pushed into the background by the clownish antics of the Dubai police chief.

Hamas was in full control in the beginning. Its social programs were helping the Gazans, then along came Israel on its mission to destroy the 16month long cease fire and began arresting their politicians, withholding port taxes, having my government declare their humanitarian fund collecting here deemed as "terrorist funding" and then Israel killed the family picnicking on the beach, and another family. This has been Israels hope and dream to see hamas go down. In the meantime, what will arise from their ashes? It may be Israels worst nightmare. In either case you reap what you sow. Just as Israel did by bombing their prisons, bombing the Pal security tanks and disabling PA security forces in the past. Israel does not want to see a successful Palestine.

This might be a realistic solution: have the U.S., Russia and China attack and invade Israel AND the Palestinian Territories. This will unite the two "enemies" to fight against the common foe. They will lose the war of course, but then, whatever is left could be made into a theme park of some kind?

More excuse for more Cast Lead.

SS:"Oh noooo !!! hurry Israel !! you need another `evil force` to fight otherwise you will have to make peace.." Peace? Who with? The group who are committed to your destruction or the newer more extreme ones? Get real.

"extremism which is based on bias and lack of proper education needs to be stopped." Thank you for supporting the Israeli position.

For years we've been told how one and a half million Gazans suffer for the extremism of a few thousand. But not only was Hamas elected by a majority of Gazans, it is now becoming clear that Hamas is not radical enough for the average Gazan!

There has been a split growing between the Hamas leadership in Gaza and that in Damascus. The situation around the exchange for Gilad Shalit is an indication pointed out by the resignation of one of the Hamas leaders in the negotiations. And the problem for Hamas is that the people in Gaza are realizing that their plight is not only the fault of the Israeli blockade but also in a large part the absolute stubbornness of the Hamas leadership in Damascus. Whatever support Hamas had among the people has been eroded by watching Meshal and others flit around the middle east, eating well, staying at the best hotels while they suffer because of a complete lack of flexibility. The problem for Israel is just as bad as the problem for Hamas. But the ball is in Hamas' court. Either they begin to think of the people of Gaza and start to make compromises or they will become irrelevant. In the end, Israel may very well have to go in massively and finish the job if that happens.

Wow, imagine that, someone who wants to really, really, really destroy Israel. Sounds like big, bad Hamas is running for thier lives. Soon we'll see the Hamas Air Force trying to fly from 10 story buildings.

Aside from their terrorist ways, they were actually providing stability for about 36 hours a few yrs ago for the Pals.

Oh noooo !!! hurry Israel !! you need another 'evil force' to fight otherwise you will have to make peace..........

Attention Israel!! Hamas could be the best friend of zionists (realize that?) Those small fanatics groups - Al Qaida style will spread like a pleague in Gaza and later in West Bank! Just remenber Chechenia - former soviet republik. Open your eyes!!

The recent Islamic campaign against Israel has two strong components. 1. Build strong militant regimes on Israels border. However, now they have been installed, the inability to govern them is becoming quite evident and they will eventually see them destroyed from within. 2. Initiate an ALL OUT sleaze and defamation campaign around the globe. Attack all things Israeli and Jewish. These constant and shrill parries are starting to alarm the majority of interested bystanders and in doing so are creating an anti Muslim backlash that is coming back in far greater weight than was the combined output. The success of Wilders in the Netherlands is just one example of this push back. Expect this type of thing to cascade forward in the future. Herein lies good news for Israel, the seeds (of hate and fear)are growing out of control and the 'time is on their side' philosophy now appears to be working against them.

I remember the day when the PLO was considered by Israel as extremist and Hamas was created with the "assistance" of Israel. Later, Hamas is the extremist and Fatah is a moderate! Now, there are more extremists, all because there is no peace! When the Palestinians have nothing to lose, they will become more extremists! I tell the extremists on the Israeli side that you will deal with the extremists on the Palestinian side (trust me the Palestinians are more willing to die) unless a Palestinian state is created and peace is established!

How can they be more lethal than death, if Hamas doctrine is to eradicate the Jews, then how is the mesure of severity in radicalism differs. The strugle is for power, between gangs, and its no different than the mafia in Israel, the mesure by which they rule, which who can be more rutless than the other, can't apply to conventional war.

As Israel help create Hamas to counter Arafat's influence and regreted its shortsightedness, now the same mistake is being made by blockading Gaza and fermenting supra fundamentalism that will make life unbearable for Israel.

Unhappiness with the leaders of Fatah allowed Hamas to take over. Now unhappiness with the leadership of Hamas is allowing other radical groups to come forward. The people are sick and tired of crappy leadership and stubborness in leadership. When will a true strong leadership rise up. A leadership that really cares enough for the people to realize that Israelis are there to live and work in peace.

Well, this "moderate" governing force in Gaza is not, alas, all that moderate in relation to its nemesis Israel.

extremism which is based on bias and lack of proper education needs to be stopped.