Who leads Gaza. Hamas. Who are they? They are a terrorist organization who have an express goal of eliminating Israel. Hardly a conversation starter for neighboring countries. Can you imagine Canada being led by a political party that says we want to destroy the United States?
People will claim that this is because of Israel's blockade of Gaza, but here too we need a quick history lesson. In 2005 when the Israelis left Gaza, they did so leaving 3000 greenhouses from which the new occupants might have grown food and spices for export to the rest of the world. Instead they chose to loot and destroy the gift left behind from those who offered an olive branch of peace.
When did the blockade begin of Gaza? Not until Gaza showed that they would rather import concrete to build tunnels into Israel, rather than housing and hospitals for their people. While the world complains about Israel targeting Alawda Biscuit and Ice Cream Factory, the El Majd Industrial and Trading Corporation, and other private sector companies I heard gross silence from both the world and the US President when it came to the kidnapping, torture, and murder of three Jewish teenagers which started the current conflict.
It is interesting to question economic development in Gaza because while most families subsist on dollars a day, the leadership is living large. Prior to his death, Forbes Magazine, suggested Yasser Arafat might be worth $300 M himself though Israeli intelligence suspected more than a billion. Which number is really less important than the idea that these "freedom fighters" are in dire straights because their leadership hoards money for themselves while hiding in reinforced bunkers. At the same time they send out the children of those making roughly $3000 US per annum and ask them to stay at the sites where they launch rockets from knowing a response will be coming shortly.
The Gaza military strategy is the same and is summed up by Prime Minister Netanyahu when he said "We are using missile defense to protect out civilians, and they're using civilian to protect their missiles."
No one should kid themselves. This conflict is about Hamas' desire to elimenate Israel. They know they can not do it militarily so are choosing to put their citizens - the ones they victimize - into harm's way. A nation who does this must have some reason and the only strateguc reason must be to garner international support and stoke anti-Semitic feelings around the world.
What is sad is that despite previous offers of friendship and help, it was Hamas who said no to the Egyptian cease fire proposal. Israel was in. While Hamas has had previous offers of economic assistance it chose to focus on how to smuggle rather than how to succeed. Instead of building infrastructure, it chose to build tunnels into Israel for the purposes of kidnapping and murder. It endangers citizens rather than protect them.
When we do not admit these things or force the world to recognize the truth, we harm it ourselves.
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