It seems that Hamas has decided to abandon suicide bombings, which to this point have caused the death of almost 300 Israelis.
The Islamic group which leads the Palestinian Authority says that it may or may not resort to "other" means of violence towards Israel if no progress is made toward Palestinian statehood.
Yihiyeh Musa, a member of the PA legislation council said Hamas has moved on to a "new era" which does not require the use of homicide attacks. They claim, "The suicide bombings happened in an exceptional period and they have now stopped. They came to an end as a change of belief."
I wonder if that has anything to do with America and the EU cutting of aid to the PA?
Hamas need about $150 million dollars every month to fund and pay the members of its government. Without the foreign money, the Palestinian economy would collapse.
Despite this, Mahmoud Abbas warned that if Israel tried to impose "unjust" boarders on Palestine, there would be war within ten years. Of course, they could consider just about anything "unjust", couldn't they?
Hamas was the first Islamic group to use homicide bombers as a terrorist tactic, which has lent inspiration to Muslim terror worldwide. They claim that the tactic was used only as one of extreme desperation, in response to extreme provocation.
Yeah, those women and children on buses and in cafes really provoked 'ya.
Many Palestinians believe that 'suicide' bombings damaged the PA's cause, and portrayed them as the aggressors instead of Israel.
"The occupation government with its outside allies succeeded in labeling all Palestinians as terrorists as a result of the suicide bombings," said Musa.
Yeah, pretty much, since the Palestinian majority
elected Hamas. If you morons didn't approve, then why on Earth would you elect them as your official government?
Some commentators say Hamas has always had a moderate wing. Khaled Hroub, director of the Cambridge Arab Media Project and the author of Hamas: Political Thought and Practice, said that even among members of Hamas, suicide bombing was controversial.
"If one looks at the conduct of Hamas in 1996 there was huge controversy even in the ranks of Hamas over its bombing campaign. Hroub says Hamas has the potential to make the transition to a purely political organization. 'The concept of the two-state solution is now the cornerstone of their thinking. I doubt we will see the old Hamas again,' he said.
Hamas now finds itself turning from poacher to gamekeeper. Islamic Jihad and the Fatah-linked Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade have said they will continue to attack Israel. But Hamas fears that if armed groups are carrying out attacks and firing missiles, it will make its government look weak. Hamas hopes to persuade other groups to stop their attacks but insists it will be be prepared to use force.
Sounds to me like Hamas is having buyer's remorse! They can't use the kind of tactics they did in the past, or they risk bankruptcy from lack of international support, yet if they play by the rules, they alienate their hard-line base. I think, ladies and gentlemen, that Hamas has just screwed itself!
Thank you to The Religion Of Peace, found in my links section, for this picture:
