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What Hamas wants.....

If you believe what most of the media reports - that is, what the politicians a la George Bush, Julia Gillard [Australia's acting PM] etc. etc. are saying - the whole conflagration in Gaza lies is the fault of the Palestinians and Hamas. Interesting to reflect on when for 18 months the Gazans have been virtually cut off from the world by Israel. Israel has controlled the borders of Gaza, the airspace and sea outlets and not paid over the taxes which Israel collects. And Israel has the timerity to suggest [as did Israel's ambassor to the UK on BBC TV last night] that Israel had expected the Gazans to develop Gaza post the so-called pull out from Gaza by the Israelis in 2005.

So, what is it that Hamas wants and is on about?

Mousa Abu Marzook is the deputy of the political bureau of Hamas, the Islamic Resistance Movement. He writes in "Hamas Speaks" in an op-ed piece in the LA Times:

"Renewed calls today for our movement to "recognize the right of Israel to exist," in the face of murderous onslaught, ring as hollow as Israel's continuing claims to be acting in "self-defense" as her jets bomb civilians. Without debating here the Zionist state's fictive, existential "right," which of the many Israels, precisely, would the West have us recognize? Is it the Israel that militarily occupies land belonging to three of its neighbors, ignoring international law and scores of U.N. resolutions over decades? Is it the Israel that illegally settles its citizens on other people's land, seizes water sources and uproots olive trees? Is it the Israel that in 60 years has never acknowledged the forced expulsion of Palestinians from their farms and villages as the foundational act of its statehood and denies refugees their right to return?"

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