Image problem
Hamas says that it is misunderstood by the world and that the west has the wrong image of the "peaceful non-violent" group:
The exiled political leader of Hamas said Friday the world has the wrong image of the Islamic militant group and he urged the international community to stop viewing it through the eyes of Israel.
"We believe that most of the leaders in Europe, in the West, have ... a wrong image about Hamas, because this image doesn't reflect us. It reflects how some people, especially Israel, see Hamas," Khaled Mashaal told The Associated Press, surrounded by bodyguards on a commercial flight from Ankara to Istanbul.
"We want the world, and especially the countries in the West, to understand us, to understand Hamas well, to understand the will of the Palestinian people, the national goals of Hamas and the Palestinian people."
Oh, Ok! I get it now. It's the jews who are lying about you that's giving you a bad image, and not shit like that video for example, where one of your suicide-bombers gives a farewell statement that says that you will drink the blood of the jews, because there is no sweeter blood than their blood! No, that's not it at all! Yeah. Ok! I believe that!
posted by The Sandmonkey @ 2/18/2006 11:24:00 AM
15 Comments:
*GAK* Sandmonkey,
I think they should reconsider...
If they were to actually drink the blood of all the Israelis in Israel, then...
How much of their own bodily composition would become Jewish?
We are what we eat afterall!
Would they suddenly become possessed at midnight to climb over the wall to break the windows in Hiram Mashovitz's bagel shop for a snack of lox and bagels?
Would their women suddenly have an uncontrollable desire to fly to Miami to look at retirement Condos and go shopping at Bergdorf's??
All hell could break loose.
Not that I'm adhering to insulting stereotyping here.
Howie...Sadie...Bernie..I'm just kidding, please don't burn the Spanish embassy in NY. Go to Yonkers and enjoy the great gefilte at Morrie's deli, it's a lot more fun.
A more optimistic approach..
Hamas has genuinely learned that it is not in their self-interest or in the interest of the Palestinian people to maintain their image of aggression.
As the link above clearly shows, they have quite a way to go but let's optimistically believe that their rhetoric will be credible.
The problem with Hamas is their schizophrenic and hyprocritcal approach to both internal and external politics. In essence, they perfrom philanthropy (such as the schools in Gaza) yet promote aggression against Israel.
Moreover, they've recently learned to use euphemisms of peace and the desire to proliferate peace to set a new standard to their image. Let us hope that it is in their genuine self-interest to do so.
Maybe peace should be given a chance. You don't get peace by isolating Hamas. Actually their spokesperson has come with some rather conciliatory remarks - though they may be contradicted by politicians of other creeds or convictions. There is probably a lot of debate going on in Hamas at the moment about what direction they should move in. It is in the intest of peace to support the moderate forces.
Pressure must be put on them. They should still receive money. Because what happens if funds from the EU, UN and ÚS dry out? They may turn to uncontrollable or sinister sources for finance - and they're probably not hard to come back. These other forces will then get an influence upon them.
Everybody understands HAMAS quite well, thats the problem! Now meshaal wants to create a smoke screen & mix facts with ambgiuity, but it wont fool anyone im afraid.
They stil say they wont negotiate, so why did the palestinians vote for them? so they can stay like this in limbo for the next decade? a Hamas official threatened a third intifada & im wonderign from where will they get the money? third time will finish off palestinians & weaken them like never before. hamas to change 180 degrees in order to fulfill the minimum aspirations of the palestinian people, so is it pride that prevents hamas from recognising israel? Do they really think they can destroy the israeli state? but there is a catch to this goal, just like Israel cannot annihilate palestinians definitively, so does the other flip side, hamas will never get rid of the jews definitively!
the sooner they start to change the better,otherwise the picture will be blacker than black.
I feel sorry for Abbas.
Hamas is a fascist org. no more no less. The worst anti semitic group since ww2
there will be no peace.
No more than there will be peace with Al Quada
In either case, it will ultimately be a win-win situation for the cause of peace.
Worse comes to worse, and Hamas refuses to reconcile and refuses to change, it cannot help but be viewed as irrelevent by a big part of its voter constituency because it will be demonstrated that nothing good can come out of its rhetorical program in the practical world.
Hamas has no choice but to reform or lose relevency. :-)
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
CD,
"Maybe peace should be given a chance."
No justice, no peace. Let HAMAS earn a chance, by imprisoning their terrorist membership. Including the children. And including their leaders.
This is non-negotiable, in my opinion. I'll be agitating to impeach Bush, or any other US President, who deals with HAMAS before they have brought their terrorists to justice.
"You don't get peace by isolating Hamas."
HAMAS isolated itself, when it embraced terrorism.
Prup,
"that might be a slim ray of hope that they will learn and that 'power will civilize them.'"
When did power ever civilize anyone?
"And really, they are the ones who matter."
We all matter.
"The exiled political leader of Hamas said Friday the world has the wrong image of the Islamic militant group and he urged the international community to stop viewing it through the eyes of Israel."
I think Hamas do not quite understand that many in the west simply don't want to see all the Jews dead.
The west sees Hamas through the eyes of Israel, that is true. It's called empathy. And it is because the west sees Hamas through the eyes of Israel, and because the west does not like what it sees, that the west doesn't like Hamas.
I seem to remember that Mr Arrafat was also a terrorist before he became a statesman and leader. Sam, you have a better grasp on this as you are there (ME), is it possible that Hamas, having gained power might find that it's easy to criticise from the sidelines but when you get the big gig you have to deliver. Bit like 'be careful what you wish for' ?
I seem to remember that Arafat was first a terrorist and then an embezzler, but never a statesman and leader.
"Pressure must be put on them. They should still receive money. Because what happens if funds from the EU, UN and ÚS dry out? They may turn to uncontrollable or sinister sources for finance - and they're probably not hard to come back. These other forces will then get an influence upon them."
Here's a thought for Hamas. How about growing up and actually producing something that the world want's to buy instead of producing only death and destruction. Maybe you might just earn a little self respect for yourselves. I for one am really getting tired of the world having to bribe these savages in the hopes that they won't kill anyone today.
Those who mention the terrorist nature of the PLO & how it changed, forget that Hamas is not the PLO or the PA.
Hamas has a charter more rigid than the PLO had, i doubt if they will recognise Israel now simply because they were voted by people who knew their chrter well & Hamas know those who voted for them expect them to be more ferocious & display more hardline strategies with Israel than the weakling PA, so why would Hamas change their policies? If they do, they will lose credibility in the eys of palestinians, Hamas hardline is derived from the palestinian frustration of the PA so Hamas dare not walk the same path as the PA or they will lose popular support.
Will that mean more suffering for the palestinians? yes it does. Is it wise of them to choose such a group to lead them at this moment in time? Nothing to do with wisdom, in my opinion, palestinians at this point have given up on any peace & so, will continue with an intifada to cause the israelis headaches & wait for future generations to do something, in the meantime, israel might get tired & bored & decide to give them more land, which i dont see ever happening as a result of these policies they have undertaken, but thats the way the palestinians think at the moment.
Otherwise, can someone tell me why did they vote for Hamas knowing how intransigent they are & that the peace process & negotiations will cease..without mentioning those health sevices they provide for the poor people please, because its absolutely silly.
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