Sunday, July 08, 2007

Is a good word for Hamas akin to support for terrorism?

From a recent news report (from 4-July):

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum accused Johnston's captors of smearing the Palestinian people's reputation and of seeking "to prove to the world that we are a group of militias that fight each other to gain personal ends.''

Well. Quite right. The BBC had been so effective in campaigning for the release of their staffer Allan Johnston, that Hamas had little choice but to work for his release.

That is, if Hamas is not one of a "group of militias that fight each other to gain personal ends".

It does look like Hamas has evolved beyond simply that.

Not that I'm a supporter of Hamas - it's just worth noting that point.

As with another: Hamas was ousted from the Palestinian government. I can't see how this could be legal. Certainly with Hamas out of government, frozen aid for Palestine could flow again - and the European Union, as a good bellweather for ethics, was one of those organisations that froze support.

But if they're making any pretence that the Palestinian Authority is a legitimate government, then surely they have to follow their own legal framework. So how is it that Hamas can be summarily removed from the Palestinian government - whether one condones them or not?

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