Opinion

Israel Hayom

The same old Hamas

Hamas instigates violence, and essentially extorts ‎‎“protection” by threatening to “burn down the house” ‎while “hedonist” Israel tries to use a ridiculous ‎fan against the smoke. ‎

Yahya Sinwar, leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Feb. 24, 2017. Photo by Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90.
Yahya Sinwar, leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Feb. 24, 2017. Photo by Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90.
(Israeli American Council)
Reuven Berko
Dr. Reuven Berko was the adviser on Arab affairs to the Jerusalem district police and a writer for Israel Hayom.

The ink on the interview Hamas military leader Yahya ‎Sinwar gave Yediot Ahronot was not even dry before ‎many Israelis fell for this murderer’s promises of ‎euphoric peace. Two days later, however, Hamas ‎published the “full” version of the interview, which ‎included much harsher language. ‎

This was followed by a wave of arson terrorism on ‎the Israel-Gaza border and the brutal attack in the Barkan Industrial Park, ‎which naturally garnered praise from Hamas and the ‎other terrorist groups in Gaza.‎

Caving into Hamas pressure, La Repubblica journalist ‎Francesca Borri, which interviewed Sinwar, was quick ‎to post a video in which she states that she ‎interviewed Sinwar on behalf of the Italian daily ‎and a British paper, not Israeli media. ‎

Yediot’s claim that the interview was held on its ‎behalf is false in its entirety. “I am a freelancer, ‎and my stories are translated into 24 languages. ‎Sinwar knew it. I do not work for Israeli media,” ‎she said. ‎

‎“When Sinwar talked with me, he was addressing the ‎world, including Israel, with aim of removing the ‎siege the international community as a whole is ‎responsible for,” she said. ‎

She stressed that she asked him whether this ‎was the first time he was granting an interview to “Western media”—not “Israeli media,” as Yediot ‎claimed.‎

Borri further said that Sinwar “wouldn’t hear of ‎‎’normalization,'” cryptically adding that “at the ‎end of the day, we’re all pretty smart. What ‎happened is clear to everyone.”

Woe the disappointment. As it turns out, Hamas—the offspring of the Muslim Brotherhood and the ‎sister-movement of Islamic Jihad, Al-Qaeda and ‎Islamic State—has no intention of relinquishing ‎its call for Israel’s destruction.‎

Sinwar has no intention of laying down his arms and ‎setting aside the desire to murder Israelis. He ‎simply explained that his “weakness” is the source ‎of his “strength” as giant, impatient, nuclear ‎Israel does not wish to eliminate him because it is ‎not in its interest. ‎

The bastard is right.‎

The Arab historian Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406) once ‎explained the periodicity by which “hedonistic and ‎fortified” forces are defeated by the “daring, ‎hungry people lurking outside.” ‎

Strangely, things turned out differently in Gaza, ‎where the once mighty Philistines were brought down ‎by Samson’s foxes, which he used to burn down‎ their ‎fields. Seeking revenge, the Philistines used ‎Delilah to tempt Samson and reveal the source of his ‎power, and he was blinded. But in the end, Samson, in ‎his despair, brought down the house and destroyed ‎the Philistines.‎

As history would have it, Gaza is now home to a mob ‎that burns our fields. Hamas leaders freely violate ‎the principles of Islam, which prohibit the murder ‎of women and children, or the burning of crops and ‎trees. ‎

Murder, betrayal, rape, arson and breaking promises? ‎All can be loosely interpreted by willing clerics ‎and sheiks, while Israelis are easily fooled by the ‎deceptive perception created by false statements and ‎agreements. ‎

What kind of society raises people who can so easily ‎turn on their benefactors? Tie up a Jewish woman whom ‎they know and murder her in cold blood? Unrequited ‎love, marital conflict, sexual-identity dilemmas, ‎unwanted pregnancies; these can all be resolved ‎with the murder of Jews. This is done with the ‎blessings of Allah and his inciting messengers, and ‎awards the perpetrator a stipend from the ‎Palestinian Authority. ‎

Hamas instigates violence, and essentially extorts ‎‎“protection” by threatening to “burn down the house” ‎while “hedonist” Israel tries to use a ridiculous ‎fan against the smoke. ‎

Hamas must be struck down and deterred before its ‎incendiary kites spark a raging blaze. We should ‎become as blind as Samson to take down buildings. It ‎will not be a pretty sight but Hamas will get the ‎message.

Dr. Reuven Berko was the adviser on Arab affairs to the Jerusalem district police and a writer for Israel Hayom.

The opinions and facts presented in this article are those of the author, and neither JNS nor its partners assume any responsibility for them.
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