I cited and wrote in introducing the best study to date of Hamas (by two sober ISRAELI experts, it should be noted):
> > [QUOTE] > > ...Mishal and ... Sela show that contrary to its violent image, Hamas is > > essentially a social and political organization, providing extensive > > community services and responding to political realities through > > bargaining and power brokering. > > [END QUOTE] > > > > In other words, it is not a bunch of deranged Islamic fanatics bent on > > genocide against Jews or martyrdom in the process of achieving it, as it > > has been depicted by one contributor here; it is rather a well-organized, > > rational and pragmatic political force that provides real services and > > deals with the many pressing human needs in Gaza. > And Alan responded in typical knee-jerk fashion: > Oh, really? > > Then who are the ones that smuggled in the rockets and fired them at Israel? > > And why have they not revised their ludicrously anti-Semitic charter? > Alan, There is a good discussion of Hamas' internal debates about the tactics of using violence in the Mishal and Sela book that you could easily read, if only you would go to the trouble of getting a library card, that is. Forgive me if I do not summarize it for you, but as I said once previously, if I have to keep spoon feeding you basic information like this, I will soon be forced to start charging you tuition for continuing adult education via this list. The question about the charter is an easy one to answer, though. This is a bargaining chip for negotiations. The PLO formerly had a similar plank in its charter, which was similarly the focus of considerable mock outrage on the part of Israel and its allies abroad, and which the PLO ultimately dropped when a general peace agreement was achieved as part of the Oslo process (not that doing so helped it in the end). BTW, if you do ever visit the library, Alan, you might also check out a few books on diplomacy and negotiations. You appear to think that both involve shoving one's demands down the throat of the other side by the threat or actual use of force. That is not diplomacy or negotiation; it is bluster and aggression. And walling up 1.5 million people in a place like Gaza is a serious crime against humanity. Jimmy Carter is absolutely right about that one. But you cannot even address that issue, can you? John Marchioro --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Persons posting messages to not_honyaku assume all responsibility for their messages. The list owner does not review messages prior to posting, and accepts no responsibility for the content of messages posted. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
