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Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=9363
Paying Protection Money to Hamas?
(Israel Hayom) Efraim Inbar - The developing international consensus to offer Gaza an economic package in order to convince Hamas to agree to a cease-fire looks like the "protection money" collected by the mafia. Moreover, what moral justification exists for helping people who are intent on killing innocent Israeli citizens? As long as Hamas stays in control, economic aid to Gaza strengthens its power and its grip over the poor Gazans. Allowing the continued rule of Hamas, as the U.S. plans, also undermines the rule of the more moderate PA leader Mahmoud Abbas. Instead of using the tough pictures coming out of Gaza to tell Gazans: "We told you all along that Hamas leadership would only make things worse," Western leaders seem to have foolishly decided to bribe Hamas into behaving. Promises of aid send the wrong signal. It tells Palestinians that their leadership can make grave, deadly mistakes, and nevertheless gullible Westerners and others will bail them out. It also signals to Hamas that it can continue seeking the destruction of Israel; for if Israel repeats its military action, merciful donor states will again repair the damage. The writer is director of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies and a professor of political studies at Bar-Ilan University.