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Sunday, February 19, 2006

The Terror Authority Springs Into Nonsensical Action

Low comedy from deep within the Muslim world, newly represented by double talking terrorists. Just yesterday, Hamas came into power. As I noted, its first order of business was to indemnify itself—rhetorically, if not legally—from the obligations of Oslo, and to assert that, no, the nation of Israel does not have the right to exist in this world. Despite Hamas’ being essentially a successor government (and thus required under international law to abide by treaties to which the previous government acceded), the party has renounced any treaty that recognized Israel.

Can you guess what the second order of business was? That’s right: to condemn Israel’s decision to cease sending cash to the Palestinian Authority. Specifically, $42.2 million. Since the PA and its new Hamas bosses run almost entirely on the swiftly-eroding goodwill of the rest of the world (terrorism doesn’t pay very well), Hamas is now demanding that Israel reconsider its decision to cut funding. A representative said: “This is a faulty decison, and the Israelis must reconsider their decision. It will only increase hatred.”

UPDATE: I am curious what Abdel Aziz Duaik meant when he said that the Israeli decision will “only increase hatred.” Does he mean that it will foster general ill will between the two parties, or is it a threat that Palestinians will be violently emboldened by any aggressive sanctioning on Israel’s part? More importantly, in these days of cartoon jihad, is there any reason to presume the best?

UPDATE: Reader Peter Ingemi makes an interesting historical parallel:

I think this is going to be a Ben Butler moment for Israel.

General Ben Butler, in addition to his proclamation in New Orleans and his thefts, was famous for deciding not to return fugitive slaves to their owners at the start of the Civil War, before policy was made. Ben said that, since Virginia claimed to be a foreign country, the Fugitive Slave Act won’t apply, saying that the south “must render it one of the infelicities of their position that in this matter at least they shall be taken at their word.”

Since Hamas clams that Israel is not a valid state it stands to reason that it can’t take money from a state that doesn’t exist, so as far as Israel is concerned Hamas “must render it one of the infelicities of [its] position that in this matter at least they shall be taken at their word.”

Though something tells me it doesn’t much mind the inconsistency.

Posted on February 19, 2006 08:38 AM. Permalink