Regardless of what you cite there, Hamas officials have repeatedly indicated otherwise since what you cite. All documents and positions are open to amendments and additions, like Israel and territory.

Since Hamas has explicitly and repeatedly made offers of concession they should be considered rather than ignored. To ignore those overtures is both dishonest and deceptive. (This is precisely what the American media has done)

Further, are Israeli positions reconcilable with a Palestinian State? For recognition of the Palestinian people? Or, if you wish to deny these people a separate identity, then Israel has a duty to absorb these people who are living under Israeli, if indirect, authority.

What else could Hamas do? We do have to extend that license to them, or any entity. We are forced to do this for Israel. But, Palestinians, I suppose are supposed to either starve to death, or, pick the corrupt political leadership their oppressors insist upon. This IS the history of Cuba and the US before Castro. It took 50 yrs for the Platt Amendment to blow-up and Israel seems to be on a similar time schedule.

It pains me to say this, but I have profound reservations about the sincerity of any of the conciliatory rhetoric by the leadership of Hamas.

I think they're simply tailoring their pitch. Much like Amadenijad does, sad to say. Although I don't think he's as far gone as they are. A. might be jiving Hamas as much as he tries to jive Western liberals.

I do favor negotiations with the Iranian leadership- which isn't really Mr. A., thankfully. He's a lightweight. My reading is that the most intelligent of the Iranian leaders have an appreciation of life- a future in this existence, beyond merely martyrdom by force of arms as ticket to the glorious afterlife.

What's wrong with tailoring your pitch. I think you've fallen for the standard propaganda that there's some supreme crime in being anti-semitic. There's not. You can be racist, anti-semitic or homophobic, and you can still negotiate with the people you hate if you're getting a good deal. The very reality that Hamas does have a social and political wing indicates that they are capable of putting certain issues above hatred of Israel.

That is if they really do hate Israel, and it is not just a nation building ploy. Many people opine that Israel binds its nation (which has little in common socially or culturally) with equal parts hatred of Palestinians, though I assume they think there hatred is totally rational give the distorted narrative of their own history that they are taught. Even so, most polls show a majority of Israelis want a peace deal with Palestinians and are willing to give up land to do it.

hamas is very good at blowing up schools and hospitals and then blaming the Israelis. they also shoot palestinians in the street and claim that the Israelis did it.

hamas is one of the great propaganda machines in the world, they remind me a lot of democrat party. the u.n. is nothing more than a front for islam, i wouldn't believe a word they say.

That last post of yours. Did you pull that out of your own ass or someone else's?

When did that happen? I thought the UN was the engenderer of Israel's legitimacy?

Are you trying to say that a bunch of sneaky Islamists gave Israel statehood knowing it would be the worst thing they could do to the Jews? Hey, wait a minute! You might be right!

If we follow this logic, the US is Israel's worst enemy, by giving them everything they want. Holy Trafe, Batman

Those sneaky Muslims.

http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2007/06/the_washington_.html

or click on signature

"One of the most dangerous features of the joint Israeli/AIPAC/US/WINEP policy toward the "question" of Palestine has been the "dangerous illusion" that the Palestinians (and, indeed all the Middle Eastern peoples) are a bit like malicious children who can be coaxed, cajoled or manipulated into doing whatever the "grownups" want them to do. This editorial warns against thinking that this is true."

"Hamas offered Israel a ten year truce when it came to office after the election that it won. That was scorned. The Israelis want a permanent cession of "their" land, and until now will accept nothing else. They argue that a truce (hudna) would serve as "cover" for the recovery of strength by their enemies and nothing else. They are unlikely to get anything but a truce, so maybe they should think this over.

Most people do not now remember that the United States expended a great deal of money and effort in "growing" the infrastructure of the Palestinian Authority's semi-state, only to see it destroyed utterly by Israel. That destruction cleared the way for Hamas' rise to "glory." In that context how can Americans, believe anything that a right wing Israeli government says of its attitude toward Palestine."

Your brother, Abe, has an interesting piece about you in today's "Commentary."

Just as a guide for the perplexed, let me tell you what will be the glorious results of this Israeli attack:

1. Unless you can keep the entire world from seeing Gaza, any chance of maintaining the "equivalency" canard is gone. The photos, videos and stories are flodding out. It will be impossible to maintain the fiction that Gaza, a territoru occupied for forty years by Israel is an existential threat to Israel. Soon, anybody who considers themselves sentient will be ashamed to parrot that crap.

2. Good job with Obama, Israel! He will never, never trust you, and I wouldn't be surprised if he holds a grudge for the timing and methods of the attack, and the total lack of respect you show for his incoming admionistration. Say, don't forget to get a Goldstein or some other nut to threaten to take a shot Obama, or better still, his family, that'll help!

3. The Israeli Army is exposed as a brutal rabble who targets women, children and schools, and can't shoot straight into the bargain.

4. Americans heard all the same crap, from exactly the same people, as they did at the beginning of the Wat on Iraq, and it turns out to be just as true. Good going.

5. American Jews, the great majority of them, affluent, intermarried, and socially and politically active, will be done with you. Being "neutral" or "uninvolved" won't be enough. They will disavow you. You really should have looked at the stats on American Jews and the War on Iraq before you put them in this position. How do you like your shark, Zionists? Creamed, pickled, or jumped? the simple inertia which keeps so many Jews nominally attached to Israel will be gone in a flood of pictures of dead Gazan children. What do you got to match that? Eight people in how many years?

6. Well, you built yourself this new Zionist Jew in Israel, and you've got lots and lots of Rabbis to give statements. I don't see how quoting the Koran from centuries ago is going to stand up to quotes from those maniacs, all freshly minted.

7. As we have seen here, Zionists are not capable of having any kind of a conversation on this matter. You idiots did the worst thing you could do; you called on the whole world to witness your witlessness. You shoulda kept quiet.

But by all means, Zionists, keep bragging and threatening. We have all noriced how over the course of two articles, updates and over a thousand comments ("letters" in Salon parlance) a great groundswell of Zionist support, bolstered by representatives from all religions and communities has overwhelmingly shown the great public support for your position. Not! It's been the same eight or so people, and oh! how proud you must be of Hasbarists like Wallaby and Zoltan and Zenwick. But let me finish bt quoting the great Marty Peretz: "Don't fuck with the Jews" Yup, that's just the stuff to give the troops, Marty. Just like Mother makes.

I caught up on the letters posted after I went to bed.

My thanks to all who responded to me.