Comments on: Hamas and Israel: Conflicting Strategies http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2008/12/hamas_and_israel.html Secrecy News from the FAS Project on Government Secrecy Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:11:08 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Maxtrue http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2008/12/hamas_and_israel.html/comment-page-1#comment-2415 Maxtrue Sun, 04 Jan 2009 22:12:35 +0000 http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/?p=2163#comment-2415 I am surprised that so little international context is supplied by the author. Nor is it weighed in the broader balance of immediate US interests. Hizb'Allah, Syria and Iran have much to lose in the present conflict. Mike is right. Sure, Hamas can change. Reality at the moment doesn't suggest that has happened. No, there is nothing wrong in negotiation between hostile positions, but Democracy in itself doesn't legitimize terrorists. Possibilities exist between moderate Palestinians and moderate Israelis and the author maps out one strategy between these groups. In real time, Palestinians elected a violent group who declared "death to Israel". How can legitimizing terror lead to moderation? Did the author anticipate the extent moderate Arabs are divided over Gaza? Unfortunately, actions take place in the broader Middle East context and Israel must act to stop the aspect of Hamas and its sponsors. It seems our adversaries have much at stake in the present hostilities (even provoking them), that the author over looks. I am surprised that so little international context is supplied by the author. Nor is it weighed in the broader balance of immediate US interests. Hizb’Allah, Syria and Iran have much to lose in the present conflict.

Mike is right. Sure, Hamas can change. Reality at the moment doesn’t suggest that has happened. No, there is nothing wrong in negotiation between hostile positions, but Democracy in itself doesn’t legitimize terrorists.

Possibilities exist between moderate Palestinians and moderate Israelis and the author maps out one strategy between these groups. In real time, Palestinians elected a violent group who declared “death to Israel”. How can legitimizing terror lead to moderation? Did the author anticipate the extent moderate Arabs are divided over Gaza?

Unfortunately, actions take place in the broader Middle East context and Israel must act to stop the aspect of Hamas and its sponsors. It seems our adversaries have much at stake in the present hostilities (even provoking them), that the author over looks.

]]> By: Steven Aftergood http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2008/12/hamas_and_israel.html/comment-page-1#comment-2409 Steven Aftergood Thu, 01 Jan 2009 22:47:52 +0000 http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/?p=2163#comment-2409 I hope that it is more than an extensive Hamas apologia and that it provides some insight into Hamas' motivations and aspirations short of Israel's destruction. I don't think it is sufficient under the circumstances to identify Hamas as "the guilty party" and simply a terrorist group. The logic of that approach excludes any possibility of compromise and accommodation and points to continued violent conflict until one side is eliminated. My hope is that another possibility exists. I hope that it is more than an extensive Hamas apologia and that it provides some insight into Hamas’ motivations and aspirations short of Israel’s destruction. I don’t think it is sufficient under the circumstances to identify Hamas as “the guilty party” and simply a terrorist group. The logic of that approach excludes any possibility of compromise and accommodation and points to continued violent conflict until one side is eliminated. My hope is that another possibility exists.

]]> By: Mike http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2008/12/hamas_and_israel.html/comment-page-1#comment-2408 Mike Thu, 01 Jan 2009 22:45:43 +0000 http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/?p=2163#comment-2408 What, in heavens name, would cause you to push an extensive HAMAS apologia at a time when even Arab neighbors view HAMAS as the guilty party in the current conflict? Is it a secret that HAMAS desires not peace but rather the total destruction of Israel? Is it a secret that the U.S. and most moderate governments consider HAMAS a terrorist group? What, in heavens name, would cause you to push an extensive HAMAS apologia at a time when even Arab neighbors view HAMAS as the guilty party in the current conflict? Is it a secret that HAMAS desires not peace but rather the total destruction of Israel? Is it a secret that the U.S. and most moderate governments consider HAMAS a terrorist group?

]]>