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Brutality Is at the Heart of Hamas Practice and Ideology
[Telegraph-UK] Ron Prosor - Earlier this month, Hamas launched a devastating bombardment of rocket-propelled grenades and machine-gun fire against a mosque in Rafah, killing at least 22 Palestinians and injuring over 100 more. Yet Hamas' disregard for the sanctity of a house of worship, and its contempt for the lives of neighboring civilians, is unlikely to be the subject of any probing reports from Human Rights Watch. Hamas opened Gaza's floodgates to a tsunami of extremism and the rise of rival Jihadist groups is a problem of Hamas' own making. Brutality is at the heart of Hamas practice and ideology, characterizing its actions against both Palestinians and Israelis. Throughout its history Hamas has unleashed waves of indiscriminate terror against any attempt at progress. Yet there are those who argue that Israel and the West must talk to Hamas, implying that it is on the verge of a switch to moderation. As Israel and the Palestinian leadership make continued efforts towards the social and economic progress essential to move forward, Hamas' brutality should serve as a warning to us all. The writer is the Israeli ambassador to Britain.