The Blood of Palestinians

Hamas, ruling the Gaza Strip as their Islamist fiefdom, has done a great disservice to the people whose interests they insist their actions represent.  They have done so in the past and they continue to do so despite the lessons of their near history.  In the conflicts that Hamas has instigated, it is the civilian population of Gaza that suffers monumentally.  That suffering, when it occurs on the Israeli side, to Israeli civilians, is of huge concern to the Government of Israel.

Hamas engages in a mental shrug.  Not that the deaths of Palestinian civilians doesn't mean anything to Hamas.  What those deaths represent is an opportunity, a public relations tool which they are skilled at using to demonstrate to the world at large the dreadful predations on the people of Gaza that the Israelis are capable of.  That Gaza is a population-heavy country in a tight geography doesn't seem to matter much to Hamas and the other allied terror groups.

There are areas from which their rockets can be launched where returning fire will threaten only those who man the launch sites.  And there are also heavily used areas that are population-dense, areas that house mosques, schools, hospitals, shopping centres, housing complexes and community centres, and they too are used to launch missiles across the border into Israel.  The Hamas militias know full well there will be answering fire.

And the tragedies that ensue with the killing of women and children and the elderly provide a useful method by which the world can be informed of Israel's violations of the rules of conflict. Opening the door for Hamas to solemnly declare that Israel is engaging in 'genocide'.   A declaration that is taken up with passion by those who support the 'Palestinian cause'. 

Nothing will dissuade Hamas from its mission to destroy the Jews, and return the ground upon which the state sits to Arab Palestinian possession. 

"The Israel Defence Forces will continue to hit Hamas hard and are prepared to broaden the action inside Gaza", warned Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.  "We are here tonight on the eve of a possible ground operation.  This is not our first time in Gaza", briefed Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz to regular soldiers and reservists, preparing them for orders which may or may not yet be issued.

"The Israelis should be aware of the grave results of such a raid, and they should bring their body bags", responded Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri when he was questioned about the massing of Israeli forces for a possible ground invasion of Gaza.  It helps, immeasurably, that Egypt is supporting Hamas.  Which is to say the new Egypt of the Muslim Brotherhood, hastening to reassure its junior counterpart.

The solidarity visit to Gaza by Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil acted as a vindication spur to Hamas that it is on the right track.  "Egypt will spare no effort ... to stop the aggression and to achieve a truce", vowed Mr. Kandil.  Blinkered against the truth that continued Hamas firing of rockets into Israel represents the aggression, and it is to that signal truth that Egypt should be addressing its concern and its solution.

Counting on Israel holding its fire in the knowledge that the Egyptian Prime Minister's safety is in their hands, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh felt safe enough to emerge from hiding to accompany Mr. Kandil.  Touring Gaza City's Shifa Hospital an injured four-year-old boy arrived with his father, and the Egyptian Prime Minister assisted in placing the child on a stretcher, smearing his shirt with blood.

"Now you see the blood of Palestinians, it's on you" said Mr. Haniyah dramatically.  But the fact is, the blood of Palestinians is 'on' Mr. Haniyah, 'on' his conscience if he has one, 'on' his record of achievements on behalf of the people of Gaza.  Each and every time that Hamas decides to launch yet another rocket against Israel, it is declaring its people open to be sacrificed for that ambition to annihilate Israel.