The Palestinian situation

[Silent Hunter]

I go away for three days (with no Internet access and little other news access) and when I come back, I discover that a virtual civil war has broken out in Gaza.

Can someone tell me why Hamas and Fatah are fighting each other?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Can someone tell me why Hamas and Fatah are fighting each other?

Fatah wasn't destroying Israel fast enough for Hamas' tastes.

[DownWithTheLeft]

This is just more proof that the existence of a Jewish state in Israel is the biggest road block to world peace

[MasterJedi]

Hamas pretty much has 100% control of the Gaza Strip and is starting to take over the West Bank. Abbas has also declared an emergency and dissolved the government.

And the terrorist organization guarentees no Palestinian state will ever be created for a long, long time.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

This is just more proof that the existence of a Jewish state in Israel is the biggest road block to world peace

Is it ok if I damn you for being an ankle grabbing liberal now? How dare you take one of their views!

[DownWithTheLeft]

This is just more proof that the existence of a Jewish state in Israel is the biggest road block to world peace

Is it ok if I damn you for being an ankle grabbing liberal now? How dare you take one of their views!

I must be the only liberal supporting ALL of the following:
*Protection of traditional marriage
*A Flat Tax
*No abortions w/o any exceptions
*Elimination of welfare
*Cutting social programs to fund the military
*No UHC
*Privitization of Social Security
*Prohibiting Flag Burning
*Elimination of Affirmative Action
*Prayer in school
*Deportation of Illegal Immigrants
*Return to the gold standard
*School vouchers

Need I go on?

[J. J.]

This is just more proof that the existence of a Jewish state in Israel is the biggest road block to world peace

Is it ok if I damn you for being an ankle grabbing liberal now? How dare you take one of their views!

I don't share DWTL's views, but I know a lot of conservatives that do.

[Colin]

This is just more proof that the existence of a Jewish state in Israel is the biggest road block to world peace

Is it ok if I damn you for being an ankle grabbing liberal now? How dare you take one of their views!

I don't share DWTL's views, but I know a lot of conservatives that do.

Yeah, usually they're the anti-Semitic ones.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Does every debate about the Middle East have to turn into that one?

[Colin]

Does every debate about the Middle East have to turn into that one?

At least I was being facetious.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Does every debate about the Middle East have to turn into that one?

At least I was being facetious.

True, true. But it's something that's really (repeat this word several times) pissing me off right now.

Talking of things pissing me off, has anyone seen today's Indie frontpage yet?



What gets me here, and what pissed me off so much, is the question mark.

Over a hundred people have died in just a few days, there are reports of Hamas shooting prisoners and dragging bodies through the streets, reports from the West Bank of Fatah supporters getting their own back, rumours of lynchings in Gaza... but the Indie, a "news"paper that has become infamous for using its frontpage as a comment page, is apparently unsure whether or not the events of the past few days (and there's no other sane description but a Civil War for it) are A Bad Thing.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

This is just more proof that the existence of a Jewish state in Israel is the biggest road block to world peace

Is it ok if I damn you for being an ankle grabbing liberal now? How dare you take one of their views!

I must be the only liberal supporting ALL of the following:
*Protection of traditional marriage
*A Flat Tax
*No abortions w/o any exceptions
*Elimination of welfare
*Cutting social programs to fund the military
*No UHC
*Privitization of Social Security
*Prohibiting Flag Burning
*Elimination of Affirmative Action
*Prayer in school
*Deportation of Illegal Immigrants
*Return to the gold standard
*School vouchers

Need I go on?

Obviously you didn't catch my drift. Also, don't you consider your first statement to be a little broad and silly? Is it perhaps a little bit general?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

but the Indie, a "news"paper that has become infamous for using its frontpage as a comment page, is apparently unsure whether or not the events of the past few days (and there's no other sane description but a Civil War for it) are A Bad Thing.

If the Palestinians can establish a stable leadership (and sometimes that requires the sword rather than the pen) out of this mess, it is possible that it could be good in the long run.  I doubt it.  Ever since Oslo, the Palestinians have time and again chosen to make the wrong choices.  The only bright side is that we may end up with a two-state solution, but I don't think having separate Hamas and Fatah states in Gaza and the West Bank will be viable in the long run .

[J. J.]

This is just more proof that the existence of a Jewish state in Israel is the biggest road block to world peace

Is it ok if I damn you for being an ankle grabbing liberal now? How dare you take one of their views!

I don't share DWTL's views, but I know a lot of conservatives that do.

Yeah, usually they're the anti-Semitic ones.

Wouldn't the anti-Semites also have to be anti-Palestinian?

[Colin]

This is just more proof that the existence of a Jewish state in Israel is the biggest road block to world peace

Is it ok if I damn you for being an ankle grabbing liberal now? How dare you take one of their views!

I don't share DWTL's views, but I know a lot of conservatives that do.

Yeah, usually they're the anti-Semitic ones.

Wouldn't the anti-Semites also have to be anti-Palestinian?

Well yes if anti-Semite meant being against Semitic people, Jews, Arabs, a few others I can't remember, but you know now it just means anti-Jewish. Ah semantics never cease to amaze me.

On a much more serious note. Mahmoud Abbas has sacked the unity government headed by Ismail Haniya and has declared a state of emergency.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6754499.stm

Most of the Fatah fighters who fought in Gaza fled to Egypt.

Can someone tell me why Hamas and Fatah are fighting each other?

Same reason they were fighting in December and in May, because Hamas feels Fatah is keeping them from their rightful place in power and Fatah fears a Hamas lead government. Both security forces/militias are afraid that they other will take over their fiefdoms and power vis a vis the government. Hamas, after two days of battle with Fatah forces in Gaza, has gained the whole Gaza Strip and there are reports that fighting has now moved into the West Bank.

[CultureKing]

well it seems like any likelyhood of peace has been pushed back at least 20 years now so...
New Expected Peace Date: 4517 AD

[minionofmidas]

Unfortunately there's virtually nothing here that is not besides the point.

[TX_1824]

Jimmy Carter in a statement came out in support of Hamas and that the US and UN should be in open conversation with this terrorist group. Why doesn't Carter just strap a suicide vest on and matyr himself?