A top Hamas political official told The Associated Press the Islamic militant group is willing to agree to a truce of five years or more with Israel and that it would lay down its weapons and convert into a political party if an independent Palestinian state is established along pre-1967 borders.
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Hamas is the elected head of a stateless people who’s land was stolen by Europeans. You label them terrorists, I label them as justified warriors for the land and genocide to which they have been subjugated.
This isn’t a both sides argument, as western media tries again and again to frame every fucking story. This is the oppressed fighting back.
Terrorist labels aren’t used for armed forces protecting settlers as they rampage Palestinian villages. Terrorist labels aren’t used as hospitals are leveled. Terrorist labels aren’t used when they drop leaflets to tell civilians to move to a place to avoid getting shelled and then SHELLING that place. Terrorist labels aren’t used when a large percentage of children of a whole People grow up without parents because of mass murder. Terrorism isnt used for the decades of genocide. Decades.
Terrorist labels get used when those children become adults and respond how most of us would respond to the conditions of the open air prison in which they reside and will likely die early. Why on earth would you expect them to be peaceful?
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And why haven’t they had an election in 18 years? Because they are a subjugated people and Israel won’t allow elections.
There are no good sides here, but that’s a particularly bad gotcha argument.
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Living under an Apartheid State with no human or civil rights, subjected to violence Occupying Force on a daily basis, is not ‘having a border with them’
Edit:
To clarify, my point is that free and fair elections are impossible under an Apartheid Regime.
Hamas certainly tortures and kills political rivals, and has been exposed for corruption. In addition, Fatah is also corrupt, seen as working at the behest of Israel at the expense of Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Both have been funded by Israel as part of a Divide and Conquer tactic. Israel also has a long history of assassinating more moderate and leftist political Palestinian rivals.
Hamas Victory Driven By Desire To End Corruption WPO
Hamas Political Violence in Gaza - HRW 2009
Gaza: Palestinians tortured, summarily killed by Hamas forces during 2014 conflict - Amnesty
Gaza: Journalist facing prison term for exposing corruption in Hamas-controlled ministry - Amnesty
Palestinians furious and fed up with corruption of Abbas’s ‘mafia’ PA - MEE
“Divide and Rule”: How Israel Helped Start Hamas to Weaken Palestinian Hopes for Statehood - DemocracyNow
Rise and Kill First: The Secret History of Israel’s Targeted Assassinations – review - The Guardian
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Israel controls the maritime space in front of and air space over Gaza, the anagraphical and fiscal systems and the access of goods and people.
Israel has had control of Gaza with the occupation and blockade since 1967, enforcing policies for the de-development of Gaza’s economy. The Israeli imposed closure on Gaza began in 1991, temporarily, becoming permanent in 1993. The barrier began around Gaza around 1972.
With the Blockade, Israel controls all the sea, airspace, and border. Fishermen can’t fish outside of 6-12 nautical miles before getting arrested or shot. Israel controls all travel in and out of Gaza. Over 60% of people were already food insecure before October 7th because Israel deliberately restricts food entering Gaza. Israel’s policies of Water control left everyone in Gaza with half the water of the emergency WHO standards, now significantly less. Internationally, Gaza is recognized as Occupied.
Israel has shut off all food, water, electricity, and aid to Gaza. Because as occupiers they have that power over occupied territories. They’ve also repeatedly targeted refugee camps, hospitals, safe zones, and aid trucks.
The Gaza Strip: The Political Economy of De-Development - Third Edition by Sara M. Roy
Israel claims it is no longer occupying the Gaza Strip. What does international law say?
The Gaza Strip − why the history of the densely populated enclave is key to understanding the current conflict
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If they were so in favor of Elections how come Hamas is the ones who cracked down on all those Palestinian protests the previous summer?
Jesus fucking Christ.