The Israeli Occupation in a Microcosm

[Dâriûsh]

My mistake.

I just reread the article I was using for a source and you are correct. I was guilty of reading a little too fast and perhaps seeing what I wanted to see.

I stand corrected.

That doesn’t change the fact that the Hamas is increasingly popular. Which is indeed worrying.

[Kraxis]

That doesn’t change the fact that the Hamas is increasingly popular. Which is indeed worrying.

I think that we can all agree to that.

And Goof I doubt that anyone actually apologizes for Hamas. Most people I hear talk about them, and have no personal connection with them (not being Palestinian for instance), say that as a reason for why people support them.
Imagine you are being opressed, then someone comes by and tell you that they have schools and hospitals. You of course become happy since three of your children are sick and have been that way for years. Then later the same man tells you that he and his organisation fight against the percieved opressor. At that point most people do not think how that fight is done.

It is not surprising that Hamas is most popular where the toughest situation for the Palestinians have been, Gaza. Densely populated, very small and with a visible Israeli presence and obvious destruction.

I dislike Hamas just as much as the next guy, but that does not mean I can't see where it comes from. And no, I don't know what will end the conflict as you can be sure that Hamas won't stop. Hopefully the withdrawal from Gaza will cause a fall in the support for Hamas in Gaza and elsewhere... But I don't think so.

[Geoffrey S]

I dislike Hamas just as much as the next guy, but that does not mean I can't see where it comes from. And no, I don't know what will end the conflict as you can be sure that Hamas won't stop. Hopefully the withdrawal from Gaza will cause a fall in the support for Hamas in Gaza and elsewhere... But I don't think so.

I agree. Hamas feeds off the feelings of the unhappy Palestinian masses. No way they'll let a Palestinian state have the chance to develop, which is a situation where they'll lose support; Hamas and other terrorist groups thrive on the chaos caused by conflict with Israel, any time when another group is at the helm of the Palestinian people and things get better is bad for them. The withdrawl from Gaza is certainly not going to stop Hamas from causing unrest.

[Tribesman]

Hopefully the withdrawal from Gaza will cause a fall in the support for Hamas in Gaza and elsewhere... But I don't think so.

Well their share of the vote declined by over 10% so maybe there is a little hope .
Then again the next generation of voters may be more radicalised than the current one .
It may well work out that the clever ******** hearts and minds policy of healthcare and education provision will pay off in increasing their support .

I suppose there is always the slim chance that they may moderate their stance in the way that many of the other Palestinian parties/groups have , but that at the moment seems a very slim chance .