Featured in today's New York Times is a symphathetic interview with Hamas's most prominent leader in Gaza and the West Bank, Mahmoud Zahar.Election Role Won't Soften Hamas Anger at the Israelis - New York Times
From the title of the article `Election Role Won't Soften Hamas Anger at the Israelis' through the little details presented ad hoc by the reporter throughout the article to the end, we have the phenomenon of a major, well known American newspaper acting as a shill for a group its own government rightly considers terrorists.
Just when you thought the Gray Lady could sink no lower, they surprise you!
Leaving aside the symphathetic portrait of Hamas and Zahar, the article does quote him as stating that Hamas will not recognize Israel, and that "The calmness has ended,", referring to the truce under which Palestinians agreed not to attack Israel through 2005. In view of the massive amounts of rockets launched against Israel as well as several terrorist bombings and numerous other incidents that occurred during this `truce', it's truly amazing that a reputable newspaper could allow this bilge to go out unchallenged.
Zahar also reiterates that the Palestinians have no intention of negotiating with any Israeli leadership, that he plans to integrate Hamas into the Palestinian mainstream and that Israel's withdrawal from Gaza had vindicated Hamas's policy of violent attacks, including the use of suicide bombers. "They escaped from Gaza," he said of the Israeli withdrawal. "This was not an Israeli gift."
After cozily mentioning Hamas' social programs and emphasizing Zahar's `reasonableness', the article ends with a friendly phone call between Zahar and Arafat 2, the `moderate' Abbas!
Astounding, really, even for the New York Times.
Personally, I'd be more impressed with Zahar making the up close and personal acquaintance of some tough love from an Israeli Apache heliocopter....
No comments:
Post a Comment