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Palestinians See Israeli "Concessions for Peace" as Signs of Weakness

(Gatestone Institute) Khaled Abu Toameh - Hamas continues to enjoy enormous popularity among Palestinians, not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank. Khalil Al-Haya, a senior Hamas official, said recently in Gaza, "We will not recognize Israel because it will inevitably go away. And we will not backtrack on the option of armed struggle until the liberation of all Palestine....The liberation of Gaza is just the first step toward the liberation of Palestine - all Palestine. There is no future for the Israeli entity on our homeland." When Hamas leaders talk about the "liberation" of Gaza, they are referring to the unilateral Israeli disengagement from that area in 2005. Hamas and many Palestinians continue to see the Israeli disengagement as a sign of weakness. This is why Hamas won the Palestinian parliamentary elections in 2006, when it took credit for driving Israel out of Gaza through suicide bombings and rockets. It also explains why many Palestinians continue to support Hamas - because they still believe that violence is the way to defeat Israel. Many Palestinians see Israeli concessions, gestures and unilateral moves as proof of capitulation, rather than positive signs testifying to Israel's peaceful intentions. These "concessions for peace" by Israel further increase the Palestinian appetite for launching armed attacks against Israel.
2016-12-16 00:00:00
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