ISRAEL HAYOM
by Boaz Bismuth
July 29, 2014

Can somebody finally explain to the Americans that Hamas is a terrorist organization, not any different from the terrorist organizations that America itself is fighting and has fought?

Perhaps there was someone in Jerusalem who agreed with U.S. President Barack Obama’s (strange) demands for a “humanitarian cease fire without pre-conditions,” and his consent (really, thank you so much Mr. President) for Israel’s demand to make a Gaza a weapons-free zone, but only within the framework of a future final-status accord.

Israel, it must be remembered, already agreed to six cease-fire proposals since the onset of Operation Protective Edge, including the Egyptian proposal that preceded the ground incursion. Hamas violated every single one. Incidentally, it was Hamas on Monday that perhaps solved the Israeli dilemma whether to say yes to the American proposal or not. The terrorist organization from Gaza, with its resumption of attacks on Monday, made Obama’s proposal, much like Secretary of State John Kerry’s proposal on Friday, unrealistic. If Obama wants to blame anyone, with all due respect let him turn to Hamas.

Hamas does not want a cease-fire. It continues to fire at Israeli population centers, and leaves the IDF without a choice: We are not stopping until we have victory, a clear one. Extremists of Hamas’ ilk are not a rare breed in this neighborhood. God help us if they do not understand that the IDF’s only option is victory. On Monday, Hamas did not want to stop shooting because of Obama’s failure to understand that he upgraded the terrorist group during his phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In doing so, the American president damaged Israeli deterrence, thereby ensuring the next round of fighting.

Hamas, currently feeling the Egyptian, Saudi, Israeli and Palestinian Authority’s noose tightening around its neck, was incredulous that Washington would actually be the one to throw it a lifesaver. Under normal circumstances, we would expect our sizable American friend — who has habitually said the good guys must always defeat the bad guys — to give Hamas a rope with which to hang itself. Can somebody finally explain to the Americans that Hamas is a terrorist organization, not any different from the terrorist organizations that America itself is fighting and has fought?……Speaking of “humanitarian,” it’s been a bit difficult to hear this word so many times over the past few days. This is a word, Mr. President, that does not even appear in the Hamas lexicon.

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