Hamas: 2, world: nil.

Azitiz

We have lost, time to buy a gun and to quote, it will eventually be 'Every (freedom loving) man for himself". G-d help us.

fat_fretty

Not surprising, more manipulation by Hamas, Al Jazeera and the supplicant western media. Did anyone not notice however, how much money these 'poor suffering Palestinians' have got, enough to buy not only food according to the BBC pictures, but motorcycles, electronic goods and other such luxuries. We are being misled, sometimes I just feel like giving up at all this, but then that means that Hamas and all their friends have won, so maybe I will become more of an activist and start writing to the BBC et al. I enjoy reading your columns, and your appearances on tv, including BBC Question Time, when invariably you appear to be outnumbered, but you still keep fighting your corner. Keep up the good work!

epaminondas

"(does anyone imagine that if any of those countries had been hit by 4000 rockets in two and a half years they would not have simply flattened the attackers making war upon them?)" In fact resolute and prompt action of exactly this form, would have been OVER - making this kind of propaganda gift, a product of laziness and Europe's oldest problem irrelevant. Israel is a afraid to act, and Europe afraid to think Olmert is completely incompetent

johd

err, that wall was built by Israel, not Egypt.

Joe Strummer

As a Brit, I am embarrassed for what supposedly passes as impartial and unbiased reporting from the Middle East by British broadcasters, especially regarding anything to do with Israel. Day after day the gross anti- Israeli distortions and half truths peddled as fact ( until the truth finally emerges months down the line only to be then quietly buried )seep into the subconscious of the average British person who if they knew what was really going on would rail against those who are committing these immoral acts. Do these broadcasters and reporters really believe they are helping the Palestinians by propagating this myth that they are perennial victims and that Israel is the violent aggressor.? All they are doing is encouraging and abetting more terrorism and more violence by Hamas and other psychopaths and the only ones who suffer at the end of this are both the ordinary Palestinians and Israelis. Shame on them.!

mike in canada

It is becoming apparent that the UK has all but lost its backbone, guts and balls! Where are the men and women who stood alone against the Third Reich, how did they raise their children? - to be spineless, fools - I expect this from Canadians - a land of losers - its OK for me to say that, I was born and raised in Canukistan, a country I no longer recognise. I was brought up on the heroes of Great Britain, King Arthur, although he may be a mith, Richard The Lionhearted, Captain Cook, Lord Nelson, Chuchill, Queen Elizabeth, the list goes on - now you grovel at the slightest show of hurt, your papers are garbage, your politicians are gutless -sharia law is just around the corner. TOO MANY leftist and bolsheviks, too many men and women ready to hide their heads in the sand until it is too late, too many Haters of JEWS, -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 June 1940 "I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone. At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty's Government-every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength. Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God's good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old." Thus ends Great Briton - a tried old country, ready to rollover and die - it is sad that a country that gave so much to the world now has nothing to give itself.

Puneet Madaan

Hamas perserved its Nazi heritage of propaganda very well...

Bruce

Good analysis as always Melanie. It's another affirmation that I rely too heavily on a select bunch of news providers for my 'facts' surrounding the perennial unhappiness in Gaza.

M B Clyde

I'm thoroughly confused about all this. They're supposed to be starving and destitute. I've read reports of people coming back with mattresses,'mattresses are so expensive in Gaza', motor-bikes, food for three months - where do they get the money from? How far did they travel into Egypt to get these goods (I've heard reports of 35 km) and how did they manage to travel that distance carrying a mattress? There's supposed to be no fuel, how could you travel that far and back without transport carrying a mattress? Why bother coming back if it's that bad? I wouldn't. Can't you get round by the coast - out at sea? I'm sorry but when you see the terrible poverty of Zimbabwe the 'plight' of Gazans is a bit hard to swallow.

sebastian

Well..........yes. Correct. It would be reassuring to know that the western media operated only double standards instead of the multiple criteria it actually functions on. But the Arabs seem hardly called to account on anything. Their incessant hatred - even in their schools - as directed to Israel and Jews is more often than not blithely ignored; and the gross mendacity and unreliability of the so-called Palestinian leaders both past and present is seldom exposed, reported or reflected upon. Moreover, the political/theological manifesto or agenda of particularly (but not exclusively) Hamas is not for polite company either, so it seems. We don't hear of its Nazi-like ideological tendencies nor of its gross breaches of "human rights" aginst its own internal opposition and against those unsympathetic either to Islam per se (Arab Christians, for instance) or to Hamas' uncompromising and inflexible style of faith. Utter, brutal totalitarianism that the western media largely closes its eyes to. We never see the so-called status of the artificially and conveniently invented Palestinian State (that served Arafat's conceited meglomaiac ambitions to the end and which now provides his wife with an oddly lavish, overseas pension) openly doubted. It's merely assumed that it has a right to exist. But why? The muslim Arabs have appropriated approximately 99% of Arabia after either physically expelling or theologically trampling on all others in an act of gross regional ethnic or religious cleansing - frequently bloody - over time. There's room enough in muslim occupied Jordan or Egypt - which is where "Palestinian" roots actually lie. Except neither of these places wants them. Melanie supplies the reasons. One should stress, too, that neither of those Governments will permit challenges to its authority from ambitious and ultimately autocratic, Islamist pretenders; so they've shifted that potential internal threat and made Israel face it instead. "Go over there and do it and we'll more or less let you get on with it. Challenge us though, and we'll crush you." It happened in Lebanon recently, and in Hama in Syria some decades ago: though where were the muslim squeals of "genocide" then? Has this sort of point been made by the ever compliant and weak-thinking BBC, for instance? Not to my knowledge. There is, in the western world, a tendency to self-negation and defeatist self-doubt that's gripped us like a plague: an awful, debilitating sickness of guilt-ridden, ceasless self examination. Since Israel is more a western country than not, it, too, must suffer this; or be made to suffer it: infected by those western, media influences already racked with the disease. So Israel's very wrong: a sort of wicked colonial power; but Arabs? Factions of Arabia's brutal, muslim colonialists? They - the discontent Jordanians masquerading as "Palestinians" - are the perfect, carefully crafted, sustained-in-suffering victims. And how we adore victims. How equisitely cathartic to lavish excuses on them. Or, even better, to transfuse their own otherwise implausible excuses for their predicaments into our remorsefully accommodating bloodstream. Like a narcotic for our own misguided, habitual shame. Hamas is a dreadful outfit that's brought suffering and false hope onto its own people: using them as a sort of economic and social self-destructing suicide bomb, better to wring pity and cash from a readily fooled and oversentimental Europe and America; or from regionally ambitious, anti-Israel Iran. Sickening stuff. Especially since Hamas leaders, like those who groom suiciders and send them out, keep very clear of the fatal business themselves. They seem to wear awfully smart, globe-trotter suits and to look sleek and well dined these days. Over this Israel/Palestine issue particularly, there's a gross, media imbalance: a bias towards to "victims". But the "victims" are like that because of themselves or their leadership. Not because of a shortage of opportunity or the scarcity of donations from outside. This is seldoconsidered though by a media unhealthily addicted to criticisms of Israel. The media should cure this habitual bias.

Mladen Andrijasevic

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1201070777685&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Hamas staged some 'blackouts,' Palestinian journalists admit

Alan Stoddart

As Jeremy Bowen knows 'The tears of a child say so much more than the facts ever will'. Is there any point in blogging?...at first yes, to get the information out there that has been denied by the likes of the BBC. But you may have noticed the BBC sails on regardless. Its last internal report into BBC bias did not mention the Middle East. There are endless blogs and websites dedicated to revealing BBC/media prejudice but they are talking to the converted. Until you join together and start a vigorous and effective campaign they will continue to ignore you. You need to get the debate going in public. So far the likes of Mark Thompson have managed to sideline all serious discussion...his latest speech on 'Trust' is the latest example where he believes the BBC's greatest problem is phone-in competitions and naming Blue Peter cats. His belief is that the sceptics are people who are merely attempting to appear mature and worldly wise when in fact they have a distorted view of reality because they are too stupid, ignorant and uneducated to understand the modern world, and it is the BBC's job to educate them. How to change his complacency and smugness? You must organise, have complete dedication and determination and belief in your cause. Boots on the ground demonstrating, waving placards, legal disruption of BBC output will soon get your story in the news. Such demonstrations need to be backed by comprehensive evidence and sober assessments presented to people who count and can twist the BBC's arm. The BBC will continue to ignore you and mould the people's views of the world and hence the world itself unless you take the war to them. Get campaigning on the Balen Report. We know the public have in reality little real interest in the Middle East but the effects that BBC distortion of News has on their lives should be spelt out in no uncertain terms...from the encouragement of Muslim radicalisation and terrorism to the destruction of British culture, political and social structures and the sidelining of the British people by mass immigration. Your country is being taken by numerous colonisers..Islam, the EU and other immigration. At the moment your voice has been silenced, speak up. Take a stand. Knowledge gives strength to the arm.

phil

Well said Joe Strummer -I have written the same thing so many times ,to no avail -many people i know who are not anti Jewish are anti Israeli -they get their information from the British press and newsnight ,so it is no wonder their reason is distorted.Israel really needs to find a way to put its case across in a better way than it has done for so long -sadly telling the truth does not seem to work.Melanie is the only one we can rely on and I bow my head to her courage

roGER

Mel, I never know if you're ignorant or merely telling lies... The barrier on the Egyptian side of the Gaza Strip was built by ISRAEL, when Isreal ILLEGALLY OCCUPIED the Gaza Strip for over 35 years. Isreal only withdrew from Gaza after establishing agreements with Egypt that controlled access to the strip from the Egyptian side. In effect Egypt must follow Israeli orders regarding who is and isn't allowed to access the strip. Egypt honoured these agreements until the wall around the Gaza ghetto was blown up. The fact your arguments rely on lies doesn't make them terribly convincing!

greykangaroo

Precisely. By the way, its all quiet on the western front down here in Oz. Not a word about hamas's war of rockets on Israel, not a word about an Egyptian barricade. Pathetic. Why does our media help spread the biggest lie of our lifetime? What does our media have to gain from constantly supporting the arabs over the israelis? why does it take sides in reportage at all? Have they no pride at all in their profession? Utterly bloody pathetic.

M B Clyde

For Pete's sake let's stop this lunatic aid to the Palestinians now. Just what's in it for us? What, exactly? I'm fed up with this intractable immature deceitful ungrateful people not moving to a solution and polluting global politics with their mess. It is European aid that has prevented a genuine crisis (as opposed to a staged one) from happenning and therefore a political solution emerging. Malthus was right. Let their actions catch up with them. Then they will face reality. Then there will be progress. Let the Arab and Muslim world carry the can of the humanitarian crisis. Let's do the old body swerve, pull out, and let the burden fall on them. With a world recession looming, it'll shortly be every man for himself. Why should precious European money be spent on getting Palestinians motorcycles and mattresses so they can get married at 17 and breed beyond their non-existant resources? High nuptiality is behind the irresponsible population explosion that contributes to the problem - exactly what Malthus observed was the case when those without economic prospects were foolishly patronised by paternalist authorities in a misplaced sense of responsibility. Palestinians - grow up. Everybody else had to.

Maven

But isn't it wonderful how the Palestinians are now re-united with their homeland and families - in Egypt. I read that they couldn't understand why the Egyptians were so poor and their goods so cheap. Life is better in Gaza with paved streets, running water, electricty, hospitals, schools etc. In fact, Gaza is like Disneyland compared to Egypt

EyeSee

The BBC report last night was pure torture as they tried to portray it as an Israeli-caused problem and had to somehow mention Egypt too. It took some twisted language, editing and chutzpah!

EyeSee

Johd. I don't know who built the wall; it may have been three blind rock Hyrax for all I know. But it is there, between Egypt and Gaza, to keep the Palestinians out of Egypt. Why do you suppose that is and why do we know about the Israeli one and not the Egyptian one, until now?

Barry Larking

"The resulting outcry by a so-called civilised world community that has resolutely refused even to report the rocket barrages ..."

BBC TV Breakfast today used the phrase "repeated" to describe the continuous rocket attacks on Sderot. Thre is a lot of difference to an English ear in the use of those two words.

Blimey! Where did the wall come from? I missed the international outcry on that and the UN demanding it be removed. Dates any one?

Mark from Boston

While what you say about Hamas' media manipulation rings true, isn't the Israeli leadership unbelievably stupid to implement the blockade, a policy that gives Hamas such a rich opportunity to spread it's propaganda.

Jason

When the west is destroyed, I hope the last thing we do is hang the journalists who helped our enemies. Treason used to be taken seriously. After we stopped taking it seriously, it's been all downhill. I blame baby boomers. Ruddy hippy twits.

Ahad Ha'amoratzim

Mark from Boston, the world press on a regular basis spreads the most absurd and unfounded propaganda that Hamas chooses to create. Israel is not being stupid by starting a necessary and lawful blockade; they are being stupid by failing to take necessary, justified (and in the end humane) action against Gaza for fear the of false and unthinking accusations of a world press predisposed to the view of Israelis and Jews as inhumane monsters.

Maven

Ah roGER I see you are a student of Palestinian Propaganda School. Melanie never said Egypt built the wall between Egypt and Gaza. It was originally the Philadelphi route that Israel patrolled between Gaza and Egypt. It was then handed to Egypt who were rightly asked to prevent easy access whereby arms could be smuggled. Now it has been breached the Egyptians are wondering how to get the Palestinians back into Gaza because they don't want them They don't want them conspiring with the Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt WANTS the wall in place as much as Israel does. Melanie rightly asks why a wall protecting Israel in mostly West Bank is called an Apartheid Wall but the one in Gaza is never called that. The conclusion is because its Egypt on one side. Why don't people campaign for Egypt wall to come down?

Andy Gill

Double standards will continue to operate against Israel as long as Arab oil money continues to buy influence at the UN, and as long as the threat of Islamic terrorism continues to buy influence in Europe.

Ahad Ha'amoratzim

MB Clyde commented "High nuptiality is behind the irresponsible population explosion that contributes to the problem." I would not be as concerned about the growing Palestinian population explosion as I am about the explosion of the growing Palestinan population -- particularly when they choose to explode among people who want to live. Populous places do not have to mean a violent and impoverished populace.

Ahad Ha'amoratzim

Andy Gill. I agree with you, sadly, that the double standards will continue to operate against Israel. Not just because of the oil money, but also because of Europe's urge to clear themselves of guilt over the Holocaut, lingering hatred for Jews as the supposed killers of christ (even among those who have little or no belief in christianity) along with all the blood libel and other myths that go with it, or and hatred among the left and the internationalists for Jews refusal to disappear. If the Arab propaganda war had been directed at e.g. the Scots or the Norwegians, I doubt that it would have found as willing an audience.

D.Smith

What happens if Hamas try the same tactic(mass civilian invasions)against Israel? Will the world,the world that only sees Israel as an agressor,permit Israel to defend it's borders or will the western media hurl abuse at that nation.Israel can expect no sympathy or help from the west.They will be on their own and God help them.It is perhaps difficult to quantify just how much Hamas/Iran has been emboldened by a craven political class and media elite in the West.We should be ashamed.

Steve Lee, London

Why do they want electricity? It's nasty infidel technology isn't it?

YA

Debka reports hamas capture of Northern Sinai as irreversible - "Palestinian Waziristan". Terrorists, defeated by IDF on Israeli-Gaza borfer, now establish operating bases in Sinai to continue "resistance" under cover of Egyptian sovereignety. Last one actually becomes farce, as well as peace treaty with Egypt.
Brainless EU was subsidizing Gazan "freedom fighters" for years - here is result, another no go Islamist enclave at the gates of Europe, the heaven for crime, arms smuggling, piracy and terrorism.

Arthur

I am no fan of fanatics and terrorists, nor indeed of biased media coverage. However, a majority of Palestinians may have voted for Hamas back in 2006 because, after 10 years, it had become clear that Fatah was corrupt and downright incompetent. In this sense, the focus of the election at the time may have been domestically rather than externally oriented. To the outside, Hamas is seen - and most certainly experienced - as a violent organisation. To many Palestinians, though, Hamas may be the group that has most consistently brought light bulbs, built medical facilities and so on. To be sure, it's a tough issue. But isn't the extreme polarisation of the discussion as a whole part of the problem as regards seeking a genuine way forward? Simply by attempting a qualification, Ms Phillips might say that I was a (paraphrased) "useful idiot blinded by prejudice against the Jewish state." An idiot I most certainly am, though hardly a useful one, and certainly not one prejudiced against the Jewish state.

Ahad Ha'amoratzim

Artheur, very true that "However, a majority of Palestinians may have voted for Hamas back in 2006 because, after 10 years, it had become clear that Fatah was corrupt and downright incompetent." Israel knew this from seeing the gangster state that the PLO created in South Lebanon in the 1970s, but bought into the transparent lies peddled at Oslo in the foolish hope that turning Yesha over to the terrorists would bring peace. Olmert, Peres, Livni and the like have still not learned. Putting the PLO in charge is the one justifiable grievance against Israel that the Arabs of Gaza, Judea and the Shomron can point to, though they were certainly complicit with Israel when it happened.

YA

''..D.Smith, January 25th, 2008 11:28pm
What happens if Hamas try the same tactic(mass civilian invasions)against Israel?.."
FYI - they have tried and not once. Hamas have spent 2000 and 2001 years trying to devise some Mogadisho-style technique for this purpose. Last time they tried to overwhelm checkpoint in Gaza, result was 15 casualties.
In general, Gaza population should be realistic about what Israeils can and can't do. And surely enough realistic to understand that the idea of unarmed foot march as a way to liberate Sderot and Ashkelon from Jewish presence, - is completely moronic.

John

Err ... 'Isreal' (how telling that constant misspelling is!) did not occupy the Gaza strip 'illegally'. It occupied it as a result of winning a genocidal war launched against it by Egypt, Jordan and Syria. You know, 1967 and all that. This occupation was perfectly legal, unless one has decided that Jews cannot legally defend themselves. Now, where have we heard that before?