Comments on: Invasion of Gaza Continues (Updated)

By: Brett

Brett — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:14:26 +0000

That's what I'm wondering, too - do they actually have an idea as to who will replace Hamas? I suppose Fatah could take advantage of Hamas's weakness to try to re-take Gaza, but it'd be risky to them. They're already tainted with the label of being "stooges" to Israel (by many Palestinians, but of course also by many Arabs willing to fight to the last Palestinian) - how would it look if they "piggybacked" on Israel's power back into Gaza? I suppose the Israelis could just govern Gaza directly again, but that would be expensive.

By: Leisureguy

Leisureguy — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:40:18 +0000

They got rid of Fatah, and they got Hamas in its place. Who will step into the vacuum if they get rid of Hamas? Will that group be better? After all this?

By: charles johnson

charles johnson — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:30:39 +0000

good Hitchens column on this depressing situation.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:32:18 +0000

And forestalling a Palestinian state means that likely the Palestinians will all end up Israeli citizens.

It's likely that Israel is the only country in the middle east that would take them. As much as other Arab nations vocally support Palestine, the Palestinians themselves are treated like the black sheep of the Ummah, nobody actuallys wants them.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:28:12 +0000

The one thing that I think that Dr. Cole misses is that today’s Israelis belong where they are as much as the Palestinians do.

I assume you mean that Israelis belong in Israel, not in the West Bank, which is kind of how it reads to me.

By: Brett

Brett — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:10:31 +0000

It's one of those things where all the domestic stars line up for a certain policy to be anchored in, plus inertia from the Cold War. Any serious effort to weaken the connection to Israel would be met by major opposition from both parties - or so the narrative goes.

I'm not so sure about that. Didn't the first Bush Administration actually cut off Israel from aid over a short period to get them to come to the table? It didn't result in any long-lasting recriminations in Congress, if I recall correctly.