Comments on: But What Did You Really Expect?

By: joshuetree

joshuetree — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:03:26 +0000

The name HAMAS itself is telling of the relationship between the two groups – it is a Hebrew word for violence.
Violence seems to be the only way these two groups can seem to communicate. And even though Hamas itself is a fairly young group, and from the outset, Israel attempted to support Hamas in an anti-Arafat sort of movement, there is a deep seeded hatred and intolerance between the two groups. The religious and territorial underpinnings of this conflict are almost one hundred years old, and have been fought in much the same way as today (just with bigger weapons). Something clearly needs to be done in order to break this cycle of violence between the two groups, but it needs to be more than the UN’s standard “lets all be friends” call for peace.

By: macaquerman

macaquerman — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:58:01 +0000

The insulting manner in which you’re addressing Spencer is the kind of hate speech that just shouldn’t be allowed.
Shame, shame!!!

By: Spencer Ackerman

Spencer Ackerman — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:17:53 +0000

I suppose I could have been more precise and said that the Egyptian government doesn’t like Hamas, which seems pretty inarguable. I thought that was clear enough — it’s standard practice to use the name of a foreign country to refer to its government — but will correct if that’s clearer.

By: selise

selise — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 22:02:25 +0000

my opinion may not matter much (at all?) - but i don’t think the issue is tone (yours or hers). i think it’s about accuracy.

so what’s really happening? do egyptians really not like hamas or are they more likely to support hamas?

also, how isolated is hamas from other palestinians? i’ve been reading of protests in villages in the west bank - is it very different among palestinians in jordan, etc.?

By: selise

selise — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:55:22 +0000

thank you. i don’t know very much about egyptian society – but i’ve learned a lot about how wrong it is to characterize a country by it’s rulers (see george w bush).

By: Spencer Ackerman

Spencer Ackerman — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:54:52 +0000

So you come into my place to insult me over making a point that’s pretty similar in the final analysis to yours; then throw in links to your work; and then say I have to work on my tone?

By: hcobban

hcobban — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:46:53 +0000

Spencer, you really understand very little indeed about Middle Eastern societies if you write something like this, “Egypt– which really doesn’t like the idea of living next to Hamastan.” What Egypt are you talking about? Have you been there at all recently? Do you have any idea how high feelings are running in Egypt these days against Israel, and in support of Hamas?

Maybe you should lose your smirky tone when you write about the tragic and momentous events unfolding in Gaza, and try to learn something about the actual political dynamics at work there and in neighboring countries? (You could start with some of the things I’ve been posting on Just World News these past couple of days, like here, or here, or here.)

By: Spencer Ackerman

Spencer Ackerman — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:13:01 +0000

I am reporting that story now.

By: Teddy Partridge

Teddy Partridge — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:43:52 +0000

Collective punishment is a war crime, as is disproportionate response.

Where are the voices for peace?