Meshal: The West seeks to 'starve the Palestinian people'

[Violet_Crumble]

TEHRAN - Hamas leader Khaled Meshal on Saturday slammed the West for backing the latest American sanction on the Hamas-led Palestinian government.

Visiting Tehran for a support conference of the Palestinians, Meshal was quoted by the ISNA news agency as blaming the West for "wanting the Palestinian people to starve."

Meshal blamed the Europeans for having decided to cut their financial aid to the Palestinians and ignoring the results of a democratic election process.

"We thought that Europeans with their democratic claims had a more rational and fair approach towards Palestine but now we see that even the Europeans move in line with the United States and put pressure on us," Meshal said.

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/705953.html

Here's a question: What's more important to him? Refusing to recognise Israel or making sure the Palestinian people are fed?

Violet...

[saltpoint]

1. In any case I don't see Condoleeza Rice resolving the conflict.

The perception by Palestinians that we support the brutishness of Israel is pervasive, not to say universal.

Hammas' equally recalcitrant refusal to recognize Israel is pre-medieval and equally graceless.

I do NOT like the idea that Condoleeza Rice is the American negotiator for peace, or resolution, or whatever it is she's aiming for.

She's not up to the task.

As dull and flat-spirited as Warren Christopher is, even he is a better negotiator. I used to work for him. He's very dull and he's also very decent. I would trust him more than I would trust Dr. Rice.

[DELUSIONAL]

2. She's too busy buying spike heels and leather

[saltpoint]

4. That could be it, yes. First things first in Condi's World.

[pelsar]

3. no question about it....

The hamas is standing firm on their beliefs.....they have been elected by the palestenains as the recognized leadeship...the west whether or not it agrees with the philosophy of the hamas and the palestenains people should have no affect on the humanitarian values of the west.

what kind of hypocrasy is this...we'll help you as long as you agree with us?...thats democracy?...thats liberal values?....

The hamas has everyright to either recognize israel or not (has israel recognized the hamas?).....the palestenian people are in dire need, the west has made sure of that, its simply hypocritical to all of sudden "pull the rug out from under them"...

the hypocrasy of the west has no limits....

[Violet_Crumble]

6. Humanitarian values...

The countries who have ceased their funding to the PA have all made it very clear that they're going to make sure that there is humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. They just don't want any funding going to Hamas. There's really no surprise there seeing as how Hamas hang out with that Iranian nutjob and both lots want to see Israel destroyed....

Now that Hamas are dominant in the PA, they do have an obligation to recognise the existance of Israel. Not doing so negates past agreements between the PA and Israel. How is there supposed to be peace if Hamas won't recognise Israel? Maybe if they hadn't been responsible for causing so many suicide bombings it wouldn't be such a big deal, but Hamas more than anyone needs to show Israel that they've turned their backs on the past and prove to Israel that they are capable of talking...

Violet...

[King Mongo]

7. Both sides must be pressured to recognize that both exist...

Is it fair to only pressure the Hamas while Israel is attempting to annex all of Jerusalem? No. If Israel recognized that Palestine existed as an independent unoccupied nation, then it wouldn't be attempting to annex territory. Thus, both sides must be equally criticized since both are responsible for the current situation.

[pelsar]

8. the hamas doesnt have to "prove anything"....

what the palesteaniand do and dont do is they're right....The hamas may one day "recognize" israel, in the same way israel has "recognized" the palestenaisns...so in the meantime the palestenain in the street should starve?

or worse with all those guns around have a civil war started?

[Violet_Crumble]

11. Yes, they do have to prove something...

Recognition by the Palestinians and Israelis of each others right to exist isn't some 'oh we can get round to that in a few generations...maybe!' sort of thing. It's the bedrock from which the trust has to be built in order for there to be negotiations. Hamas doesn't want peace, trust, or negotiations. It wants to use the Palestinian in the street as a moral weapon because they don't really care at all about whether Palestinians starve or not...

Violet...

[King Mongo]

14. Hamas is the largest, most organized and most reliable...

...human aid organization in Palestine. Thus, it doesn't seem realistic to claim that they don't care if Palestinians starve given that their actions and reputation demonstrate otherwise.

As for peace and negotiations, it seems to me that the Hamas is split. Some members want peace while others don't. This situation could cause war between Hamas members, or simply a split into two new groups.

As for trust, it seems as if most Palestinians voted for the Hamas because they trust it more than the Fatah. Most Palestinians believe that they can trust the Hamas more than any other Palestinian group. Maybe this is the result of past activities performed by the Hamas? If most Palestinians trust the Hamas, then maybe the Hamas can be trusted more than any other group?

[Phx_Dem]

12. would be a good idea

to somehow find a way to fund PA security forces.

[King Mongo]

5. The west is not responsible...

...for the well-being of Palestinians. We can help, but we are in no way obligated to help. Palestinians need to work towards being independent from the "west" so that they don't have to rely on the West, especially on topics like free elections.

[pelsar]

9. they had free elections...

and they chose who should best represent them....just like the US chose the republicans....no difference

[King Mongo]

10. Agreed.

And that is why the Hamas should be treated the same as the Likud. If trade to Israel was not restricted when Isrealis elected the Likud party into power, then trade should not be restricted to Palestine for the same reason. Palestinian elections must be respected equally as Israeli elections and if the "West" is bigoted in favor of Israel, then Palestinians need to work towards being financially and economically independent from bigoted nations so that bigots do not influence their political decisions.

[Phx_Dem]

13. Who did the US elect in '00, '04?

we will never know.