In 2006 Hamas “won” the Gazan elections with less than 50% of the vote. The next year they literally eliminated their political rivals in Gaza, the Fatah party, and have not held elections since.
For 17 years Hamas has held an unwilling population hostage – taken their land, their money, and their children – and used them as cannon fodder and human shields.
For 17 years Hamas has taken hundreds of millions of dollars and instead of spending it on Gazans, has trained and armed a gang of some 50,000 thugs.
For 17 years Hamas has played the victim to the foreign press while silencing the voices of Gaza.
Hamas does not represent Gaza, Palestine, Arabs, or Islam.
Hamas is not a legitimate ruling party and has unequivocally demonstrated its disregard for human rights and international law.
Hamas has nothing to offer Gaza.
But how do you get rid of Hamas? A criminal organization holding an entire population hostage?
How do you excise the tumor without destroying the health of the body?
I don’t know – no one I know personally does – and my sense is that we are all grappling with that question on some level, whether we’re aware of it or not.
Because whatever happens over the coming weeks, it wasn’t chosen by the children of Gaza.
