Hamas Claims Shift Away From Violence

Good news if it pans out:

Hamas has confirmed that it will shift tactics away from violent attacks onIsrael as part of a rapprochement with the Palestinian Authority.

A spokesman for the Hamas prime minister, Ismail Haniya, told the Guardian that the Islamic party, which has controlled Gaza for the past five years, was shifting its emphasis from armed struggle to non-violent resistance.

"Violence is no longer the primary option but if Israel pushes us, we reserve the right to defend ourselves with force," said the spokesman, Taher al-Nounu. On this understanding, he said, all Palestinian factions operating in the Gaza Strip have agreed to halt the firing of rockets and mortars into Israel…..

Hamas believes the events of the Arab spring, in which uprisings have thrown off the old autocratic order and ushered in democratic, moderate Islamic governments in Tunisia and Egypt, have changed the landscape of the Middle East and is repositioning itself accordingly away from the Syria-Iran axis that has sustained it for decades, closer to the orbit of regional lslamist powers like Turkey and Qatar.

Haniya still sounding bellicose for domestic consumption, though:

This softened tone on the international stage is not yet evident in Haniya's domestic rhetoric. Speaking at a rally in Kateeba Square, Gaza City, to mark the 24th anniversary of the foundation of the movement last week, the prime minister vowed to continue the "resistance".

Reason on Hamas.

Comments

[Old Mexican]

Hamas has confirmed that it will shift tactics away from violent attacks onIsrael as part of a rapprochement with the Palestinian Authority.

Those shifty bastards want to undermine Bachmann’s narrative! The nerve of them!

By the way, in a totally unrelated news story, the Penta-fucking-gon says that the purpose of Iran’s nuclear program, if anything, is mainly as a deterrent.

http://milwaukeestory.com/inde…..ttack-344/

Well, I guess Ron Paul was right. He shall be punished!

[Surly Chef]

The Pentagon is no longer serious.

[Lost_In_Translation]

No, they’re engaged in dangerous thinking…

[Appalachian Australian]

The only nation that has used nuclear capabilities as something other than a deterrent is the U.S.

Obviously, if you haven’t engaged in a nuclear strike against civilians, you aren’t to be trusted.

[Douglas Fletcher]

It was only a “deterrent” for other nations because the US was deterring them from using their weapons aggressively. Do you really imagine that Stalin or the Nazis would have restrained themselves if they had developed their nuclear bombs first? Get real.

[Colin]

If this is true, they’ll certainly lose Ron Paul’s support.

[R C Dean]

Anyone want to give an over/under on the number of days before Hamas rockets or mortars them some Jews again?

I detect unlimited wiggle room in this little qualifier: “if Israel pushes us, we reserve the right to defend ourselves with force.” Doesn’t the existence of Israel itself constitute Israel pushing Palestinians around?

[T]

Or it’ll turn into one of those jokes like the IRA and Sinn Fein was. Hamas will disavow all knowledge of the violent extremists who are shelling Israel. But if you need to get a message to those horrible, nasty people, pass it along to us and we’ll make sure they get it.

[Lost_In_Translation]

It’d be nice if the Israelis stopped bulldozing the Palestinian homes for new settlements (disclaimer, don’t know if this is currently ongoing, but it certainly contributed to the hate)

[Appalachian Australian]

Last I heard, the Israelis are busy dealing with a domestic right-wing terrorism problem with (former) settlers throwing rocks at both Palestinians and Israeli soldiers/police and lighting buildings on fire.

[Old Man With Candy]

AFAIK, they left Gaza (the Hamas precinct) completely in 2005. So I doubt they’re bulldozing anything of Hamas’s.

[Douglas Fletcher]

“Causing more hate” in Palestine is like spitting in the ocean.

[V]

The situation in the Gaza Strip isn’t so simple has HAMAS rocketing or mortaring Israel. There are a number of groups in the Gaza Strip, and sometimes they listen to HAMAS, and sometimes they don’t. But HAMAS isn’t a normal dictatorship, it remains conducive to political pressure. It was voted in, and can be voted out as well.

[Aresen]

Cue Underzog in 3, 2, 1…

[Restoras]

Wait, Egypt now has a democratic, moderate government? When did the military give up power?

[Frayed Knot]

Uh huh. And now what did he say in Arabic?

[Appalachian Australian]

Let’s review the policy positions concerning Hamas of two Republican candidates for office:

? Rick Perry is concerned Hamas is invading the U.S. via the Mexican border with Texas.

? Newt Gingrich assures us Palestinians are a made-up state and a made-up people, so like… we shouldn’t worry about them since they don’t really exist. And are non-people are something. And shouldn’t feel bad about, um, keneticising them.

? Michele Bachmann just wants to get World War III going since Hamas is obviously just a front group for Iran.

? Rick Santorum reminds us gay marriage is a mortal threat to America and the judgment of God will rain down upon us, so we’d better take care of that and then we can get started with WWIII.

? Ron Paul (a fringe candidate who can’t win) thinks we can leave things alone and that Israel will probably take care of any problems that arise before they reach our borders.

[Jews 'n Things]

“Rick Santorum reminds us gay marriage is a mortal threat to America and the judgment of God will rain down upon us, so we’d better take care of that and then we can get started with WWIII”

Rick Santorum has sucked more cock than Rue Paul.

[Tom Walls]

Oy, what’s next? a Hersbollah to go with the Hisbollah?

[Mr. Mark]

New marching orders from their paymasters. Hamas is a puppet organization. Hezbollah as well.

[Appalachian Australian]

This talk makes as much sense as “South Korea is a puppet state for the U.S. imperialist dogs” or whatever you hear people like Ch?vez and Kim Jong-il (PBUH) saying.

[Douglas Fletcher]

You’re wrong again.

[Trespassers W]

Where is MNG by the way?

[R C Dean]

Hiding from the beatdown he has coming over Fast and Furious.

He and John pissed all over each other shortly before the latest round of hearings and document dump, which completely vindicated John.

[mad libertarian guy]

Waiting for the news that Fast and Furious was, indeed, an operation designed to cause a problem so that those who caused said problem could swoop in and save the day with stricter gun regulations is forgotten.