Israel drove suitcases stuffed with cash into Gaza to keep Hamas in power
Israeli officials are facing backlash after years of Prime Minister Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu quietly allowing Hamas to remain in power.
But reporting in the New York Times has revealed that Netanyahu's government was more hands-on about helping Hamas: they helped a Qatari diplomat bring suitcases of cash into Gaza, indirectly boosting the militant organization, according to the report.
The calculus — the Times reported on Sunday, citing Israeli officials, Netanyahu's critics, and the man's own reported statements — was to keep Hamas strong enough to counteract the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, allowing Netanyahu to avoid a two-state peace solution and keep both sides weak.
Israeli security officials got it wrong; they didn't think Hamas was capable, or even interested, in launching a large attack against the Jewish state.
This isn't a new discovery, is it? People already know about this, it's been like this for years. This has always been one of Netanyahu's many criticisms, even at home.
It's important to make the distinction between the Israeli religious authority funneling money to Hamas to create a political antagonist to the PLO/PA in the '90-'00s, and the object of this article.
Then there's money coming from all over the world as support to Palestine. They need this money to buy food/commodities from the rest of the world. Israel has always overseen this flow of money, just like they and Egypt keep watch over which goods enter and leave.
This money was always passed to the PA as executive government of Palestine. But since 2006, Hamas took control of Gaza. So the aid money goes to Hamas. And because Hamas can't have a bank account, it's brought in cash.
How would the world have reacted if Israel had blocked aid money from entering Gaza since 2006? How many Gazans would have died?
Right, but Gaza needs aid because Israel has blockaded Gaza for decades (which Israel has claimed was an act of war when Egypt blockaded Israel). If Israel lifted the blockade, then they wouldn't need to worry about funneling aid to Gaza.
What makes you think they're worried about funneling aid to Gaza?
Yeah they would just need to worry about more weapons that could kill israelis lol. There is a reason the blockade is there
They blockade Gaza to keep weapons out so Gaza smuggles weapons in to break the blockade...
Huh.
Sounds like they're creating their own problem.
The cause of the blockade premeditates the smuggling so no.
If you a lock a terrorist and other terrorists fight you over it, the terrorists are still at fault.
Dont let the anti semitism stop your brain from working.
The cause of the blockage was terrorism (or "freedom fighters", depending on your POV) that was caused by Israel failing to negotiate in good faith on a two state solution, and actively repressing Palestinian organizations that were garnering international support.
Again: Israel is causing most of their own problems; it's like they've never heard of blowback.
BTW - if you think opposition to Israeli politics is the same thing as antisemitism, well, you aren't arguing in good faith. That would be like saying that opposition to US foreign policy is because you hate Jesus.
I already explained elsewhere why it is antisemitic. You can read that, or you can admit that you dont care and talk in bad faith.
And only one government there wants the other side wiped out. Hint: it is the one chanting from river to sea.
Thank god none of you idiots have power. Keep crying as hamas terrorists keep getting wiped off the map.
Do you realize that an Israeli minister said that nuking Gaza is an option?
And was immediately called a lunatic by his own conservative colleagues on television right after
Doesn't matter. An Israeli minister in a government elected by the Israelis said it. That's their true intention.
Obviously they will ridicule him, because who would support that? People only support normal indiscriminate bombings of innocent civilians, but nuking is just a bit much. Maybe if Palestinians lived a little farther away, then it would be viable.
That is ridiculous. It is like saying matt gaetz represents the intentions of all americans.
You're free to study the history of Zionism, and watch recent and current videos of many Israelis (incliding Israeli soldiers) saying that all the land belongs to them (Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq).
Those aren't a couple of people. Those are the beliefs of Zionists.
I think its fair to say the blockade didnt work to keep things out of gaza. So other than being a type of effective security theater it seems to have been bad policy on its own terms
Great job they did keeping weapons out. Now combine this with all the intelligence they ignored that an attack was coming and try to take it seriously.
Mistakes happen. Doesnt mean you need to do more lmao.
Based on the facts that are coming out, i don't think this was a mistake.
What facts? The only real thing is that mossad was too arrogant in thinking hamas couldnt paraglide in and kill israelis.
It's just an inconvenient one. It makes it a lot harder to jerk about how "complex" the situation is when there's such an obvious villain. Everything Hamas has done, Netanyahu is an accomplice to.
The only complexity here is for people who can't fathom the concept of two bad guys. The only good people here are the civilians being happily sacrificed for Hamas and Netanyahu. Their leaders sip cocktails in luxury and don't care about how many die.
Exactly. It's heartbreaking. You don't need to wave a flag to be upset. It's just innocent people dying constantly.
Reporting on corruption, especially when fatal, needs to be repeated for as long as people are unaware.