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Hamas Regularly Inflicts War on Israel, Suffering on Gazans
(Boston Herald) Jeff Robbins - Amnesty International has released a report finding that during its war against Israel last summer Hamas engaged in a "brutal campaign of abductions, torture and unlawful killings" against Palestinians. The report detailed the "extrajudicial execution of at least 23 Palestinians and the arrest and torture of dozens of others." Also on Tuesday, the World Bank issued a report showing that, after promises to help rebuild Gaza, Gaza's best friends have stiffed it. Qatar, which helped Hamas launch the attack on Israel in the first place, has paid only 10% of its pledge. Saudi Arabia too has paid only 10%. Kuwait promised $200 million, and has paid not a dime. By contrast, American taxpayers have largely fulfilled our government's $200 million pledge. Donor aid that actually does arrive in Gaza is frequently diverted by a regime interested in replenishing its arsenals and rebuilding tunnels from which to stage raids on Israelis. Gaza's problem is not that Israel, tired of seeing its communities attacked, imposed a blockade to try to keep the rockets out of Gaza. Its problem is Hamas, which insists on a strain of extremism unpalatable even to the Arab states, and on keeping a destitute populace destitute so that it can maintain its campaign to eliminate Israel. When, as seems inevitable, Hamas once again decides to resume major attacks on Israel and Israel in turn is obliged to try to stop them, those who have indulged Hamas and the suffering it causes will find a way to avoid confronting Gaza's fundamental fact of life: As long as Hamas runs their lives, the people of Gaza have precious little reason for hope. The writer, an attorney in Boston, is a former U.S. delegate to the UN Human Rights Council.