Which Side Refuses Peace?

[Annie]

Yeah I know, so confusing. I mean, it takes two, right? The Palis will never want peace:

Hamas government approved, vows to fight Israel


Mar 28, 10:58 AM (ET)

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

GAZA (Reuters) - A Hamas-dominated Palestinian parliament approved the Islamic militant group's cabinet and program on Tuesday, clearing the way for it to take control of the government two months after its shock election victory.

Chanting "God is Greatest" after the 71-to-36 vote, Hamas lawmakers hugged and kissed Ismail Haniyeh, their teary-eyed prime minister-designate who vowed to not to abandon the fight against Israel.

"The Koran is our constitution, Jihad is our way, and death for the sake of God is our highest aspiration," Hamas lawmaker Hamed Bitawi said.

Tuesday's comments stood in contrast to a more conciliatory speech by Haniyeh on Monday in which he stressed the new government's push for peace and dialogue. The earlier speech drew fire from some lawmakers for not stressing resistance.

The vote of confidence came on the day Israel held a general election that interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was expected to win on a platform of imposing Israel's final borders with the Palestinians if peacemaking remains stalled.

The new cabinet, dominated by Hamas loyalists, was expected to be sworn in on Wednesday by President Mahmoud Abbas, whose long-dominant Fatah faction refused to join the new government.

Hamas, committed by its charter to Israel's destruction, inherits an aid-dependent Palestinian Authority that is on the brink of financial collapse.

A threatened cut in Western aid could make it more difficult for Hamas to pay the salaries of an estimated 140,000 Palestinian Authority workers, including security personnel. Aid groups say a funding crisis could lead to chaos and violence.

CHANGE IN TONE

In presenting the cabinet for parliamentary approval on Monday, Haniyeh sought to reach out to the West by saying his government was ready for talks with the "Quartet" of Middle East mediators on bringing a "just peace" to the region.

In contrast on Tuesday, Haniyeh said: "We were born from the womb of resistance, we will protect resistance and the arm of resistance will not be touched," said Haniyeh.

Addressing Mariam Farhat, a newly-elected Hamas lawmaker whose three sons died fighting Israel, Haniyeh said: "This the fruit of the sacrifices by martyrs, including your sons. You've got to be proud of this day."

Israel seized on Haniyeh's change of tone, saying it reflected the new government's "extremist" policies.

"I hope the sort of remarks we heard today help to dissolve any possible illusion that might exist as to the true character of this new Palestinian leadership," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev.

The United States, grouped in the Quartet with the European Union, Russia and the United Nations, has also rejected talks with Hamas until it renounces violence, accepts interim peace deals and recognizes Israel's right to exist.

Hamas has carried out nearly 60 suicide bombings against Israelis since 2000, but has largely abided by a year-old truce. Define 'largely.' Oh yea, the wall has had a wee bit of an impact on attacks for the last year also.

After the vote, Haniyeh and several newly-approved cabinet ministers prayed at the house of Hamas co-founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike in 2004.

"We are coming to congratulate you and to say that the blood of our Sheikh (Yassin) did not go in vain," Haniyeh told Yassin's widow.

 

[dmp]

One. Tactical. Nuke.

That's all it take. Really simple.

 

[5stringJeff]

One. Tactical. Nuke.

That's all it take. Really simple.

It's a bit close to the homeland to use nukes, even tactical ones.

I'd use MOABs and/or daisy cutters.

 

[dmp]

It's a bit close to the homeland to use nukes, even tactical ones.

I'd use MOABs and/or daisy cutters.

Good call - Ord Pwn3s.

 

[Gunny]

Yeah I know, so confusing. I mean, it takes two, right? The Palis will never want peace:

It's their funeral. They're out in the open on their own turf now.

 

[Just a guy]

I heard that Isreael has some new sort of approach which goes like:
If you don't recognize us, - we can't negotiate. We will withdraw to a unilateral standard we think is fair. Period.

Pretty cool. They do the "negotiation" for Hamas, and cuts future debate on the matter. Next time Palistine wants to negotiate it is sort of too late.

I don't want to nuke Palisitine or anything. I think they deserves the right to create suitable living conditions, a soverign state and all that, and now they have had the chance. But failing to accept their counterpart has truley shown how inept they are handling foreign affairs. There should be some sort of license to run a country.

 

[Annie]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060329...bIUvioA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

Hamas Takes Power but Loses Canadian Aid

By SARAH EL DEEB, Associated Press Writer 41 minutes ago

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Hamas formally took power Wednesday, and the newly installed prime minister pledged to cooperate with President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the defeated
Fatah party.
ADVERTISEMENT

At a news conference in Gaza after Abbas swore in Ismail Haniyeh and his Cabinet, Haniyeh said his relations with Abbas would stress "cooperation and harmony, based on the supreme interest of the people." Haniyeh said he and Abbas would confront "Israeli aggression against the people" as well as internal chaos.

He called Hamas' assumption of power "a great moment."

The swearing-in ceremony, which came just a day after
Israel's national election, ended a two-month transition period of ambiguity since Hamas' election victory in January.

The 24-member Cabinet includes 14 ministers who served time in Israeli prisons.

With a Hamas government installed, the lines of confrontation with Israel were clearly drawn. Hamas insists it will not soften its violent ideology toward the Jewish state.

Israel's presumed prime minister-designate, Ehud Olmert, has countered that if Hamas will not bend, he will set the borders of a Palestinian state by himself and keep large areas of the
West Bank.

With Hamas at the helm, the
Palestinian Authority also faces a crippling international economic boycott. Canada announced it was suspending assistance to the Palestinian Authority, with Hamas calling the decision hasty and unfair.

"With Hamas taking over now, you can't have business as usual," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said.

Israel suspended tens of millions of dollars in monthly tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority after Hamas' election victory last month, and Regev said the Israeli Cabinet would decide on additional sanctions next week.

Abbas, a moderate, administered the oath to some of the Cabinet ministers in a brief ceremony at Gaza City's parliament building.

With Israel banning the travel of Hamas leaders between the West Bank and Gaza, the remaining ministers held a separate ceremony in the West Bank. The two settings were hooked up by videoconference.

The first to be sworn in was Haniyeh, who walked along a red carpet, then placed his hand on a copy of the Muslim holy book, the Quran, laid out on a low table.

Haniyeh pledged to be "loyal to the homeland and its sacred places."

An expressionless Abbas looked on.

 

[Gunny]

I heard that Isreael has some new sort of approach which goes like:
If you don't recognize us, - we can't negotiate. We will withdraw to a unilateral standard we think is fair. Period.

Pretty cool. They do the "negotiation" for Hamas, and cuts future debate on the matter. Next time Palistine wants to negotiate it is sort of too late.

I don't want to nuke Palisitine or anything. I think they deserves the right to create suitable living conditions, a soverign state and all that, and now they have had the chance. But failing to accept their counterpart has truley shown how inept they are handling foreign affairs. There should be some sort of license to run a country.

They can't ask for more. They had no country and Israel certainly was under no obligation to provide them with one. Pursuing peace, Israel GAVE them land. And what did they do to show their thanks?

In a popular election, the majority of Palestinians voted in a known, international terrorist organization as their gov't. Showing their true colors. The majority holds the same ideals concering Israel as Hamas does.

As I said, their funeral. They're a wide-open target now. No more hiding out among the populace of a 3rd nation.

 

[Just a guy]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060329...bIUvioA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

This was what I heard about, maybe it wasn't that dramatic as thought when I heard it. But the palestinians will find it hard to act from now on...

It's their funeral. [GunnyL]