read this - right on the money!, page-8

kacy,

You do not know Hamas' intent and almost certainly that intent would not be to "kill as many Israelis as possible". I expect is is more along the lines of demonstrating a public measure of defiance to the Israelis who have them herded into what is little more than an oversize concentration camp. I cannot imagine how I would feel If I were subject to the same kinds of humiliations as the Palestinians; year on year, decade on decade.

For those of us who genuinely support the existence of Israel and are able to contemplate life beyond the next election, the current invasion of Gaza is insane. It will only serve to strengthen Hamas and weaken Israel's support throughout the world. Palestinians have shown amazing resilience and if they can sustain their defiance for 60 years, how much longer are they prepared to wait for change in Israel?

What will happen if the West hardens it attitude towards Israel and withdraws economic and military support? What will happen if the current financial meltdown begins to really bite into the US standard of living? How many of the West's leaders are truly comfortable with Israeli brutality towards their Palestinian brothers and sisters? The Palestinians have already demonstrated that they have the patience to wait for change. Israel's brutal invasion will only hasten that change.

The current round of agony in Gaza arises not from Palestinian rockets, but from the refusal by Israel to accept the democratic election of Hamas. Israel chose to blockade Gaza in response to the election outcome and precipitated a slow starvation of the entire Gaza population. To what end? So far Israel has succeeded in pushing more Palestinians into supporting Hamas. Hamas in turn demonstrates defiance against Israel by firing largely ineffectual rockets.

Israel may have used the rockets as an excuse for invading Gaza but the real cause of friction has been the blockade. The blockade stayed in place during the ceasefire even though it served no productive purpose. This invasion will serve no productive purpose either. It is certain to kill and maim many hundreds of Palestinians and it will destroy even more of the battered Infrastructure of Gaza. Who will be there when the time comes to rebuild both the physical and social structures of Gaza?

The Palestinians will look for an organisation that is resilient, capable, trusted and incorruptible.

And they will find Hamas.