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Source: https://nationalpost.com/opinion/hamas-has-always-been-an-impediment-to-peace
Hamas Has Always Been an Impediment to Peace
(National Post-Canada) George Monastiriakos - No country wants peace in the Middle East more than Israel. Jerusalem's relentless efforts to be accepted in the community of Middle Eastern and North African states speak for themselves. Israel has consistently made reasonable and generous concessions to its neighbors in exchange for peace. Israel even dismantled Jewish communities and withdrew its forces from Gaza in 2005 as a sign of good faith to the Palestinians. Hamas mercilessly massacred members of Fatah to gain control of the enclave in 2007. Despite multiple reconciliation efforts, the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority (PA) governing the West Bank still isn't on speaking terms with Hamas-controlled Gaza. Hamas had 16 years to show the international community what type of state it could build. Hamas embezzled foreign assistance and prioritized manufacturing weapons instead of building infrastructure. Hamas repurposed Gaza's pipes to build rockets while begging Israel for running water. Rather than building homes to house the homeless in Gaza's refugee camps, Hamas built an extensive network of underground tunnels to launch attacks against the Jewish state. No sane and self-respecting country would accept the brutal crimes against humanity that Hamas perpetrated against Israelis on Oct. 7, nor would they tolerate the endless amount of hatred and terrorism it has exported to Israel over the years. The writer is a fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.