Why Is The New York Times Legitimizing Hamas?

Hamas Pushing for Lead Role in a New Gaza
By JAMES BENNET 12:16 PM ET
Hamas, a far more disciplined, methodical movement than Fatah, wants to strengthen its hold on Palestinian society.

That's the lede and headline for an article about the power that Hamas holds over the Gazan population.

Why is the New York Times legitimizing a terrorist group? Let me absolutely clear. Hamas is a terrorist group, which has targeted Americans in the past and has the blood of innocents all over its grubby hands.

Hamas isn't pushing for a lead role in rebuilding Gaza. They're pushing for a lead role in destroying Israel. And that vocal call for Israel's destruction has gotten it a big following in Gaza, which has been a hotbed for terrorist groups since the Israelis granted civil administrative control to the Palestinians in 1994.

Hamas has absolutely no interest in peaceful coexistence with Israel. It is their stated goal to impose an Islamic state where Israel once stood. They continue to preach hatred towards Israel and Jews in general. They do not accept Israel's claims to Jerusalem or any other spot within Israel.

Hamas has "a mission," said Ziad Abu Amr, a political scientist and independent legislator who serves as a liaison between Mr. Abbas and Hamas. "They want to Islamicize the state and society. Yes, in the final analysis, they want control."

From the mosque roof on Friday, the green Hamas flag fluttered as usual. But three black, white, green and red Palestinian national flags stood there as well, modified to suggest Hamas's fundamentalist message. Across the blank white field, someone had stitched the words, "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet."

Fatah has been worse than awful in its stewardship of Gaza and the West Bank since they were granted civil administrative control over Arab areas as a result of the Oslo Accords of 1994. The standard of living in those areas have fallen because of Fatah and PA graft, corruption, and the continuing intifada which resulted in Israel's decision to cut off those territories and limit access.

Hamas has made inroads because they have promised to provide those services. But, Hamas' larger goal is to garner recruits for their suicide bomber corps, and to increase their ranks for the fight against Israel. If that means taking on the PA beforehand, Hamas is more than capable of giving the PA more than it could handle.

Hamas enjoys tremendous support in Gaza because they have radicalized the population. The PA has put off elections in the past because they have seen the writing on the wall; they cannot hope to maintain control if it were put to elections because Hamas would win a crushing victory.