In comments referring to the Gaza conflict Obama added: “I was deeply concerned by the loss of Palestinian and Israeli life in recent days and by the substantial suffering and humanitarian needs in Gaza. Our hearts go out to Palestinian civilians who are in need of immediate food, clean water, and basic medical care, and who’ve faced suffocating poverty for far too long.”
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Photo Essay: Jewish Holocaust and Gaza (Part I)
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Hamas' response to Obama's comments were rejection.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1057946.html
Hamas: Obama does not represent change
By The Associated Press
Tags: Gaza Strip, Hamas
Hamas says President Barack Obama's position toward the Palestinians does not represent change and will lead to the same mistakes as his predecessor.
Hamas is not only the most intelligent group out there, they also seem to be the only ones capable of telling the truth.
Sorry, but Hamas is right. Why not go directly to the Palestinian people and let them decide in a vote? Israel will never have a rightful place among the family of nations, if it tries to legitimize itself through the use of force and the backing of USA. Let Palestine vote.
More from the Hamas statement:
Osama Hamdan, a Hamas spokesman, told Al Jazeera that Obama's remarks seemed to show that the US viewed the situation through "Israeli eyes".
"It seems that Obama is trying to repeat the same mistakes that George Bush made without taking into consideration Bush's experience that resulted in the explosion of the region instead of reaching stability and peace in it," he said.
"I think this is an unfortunate start for President Obama in the region and the Middle East issue. And it looks like the next four years, if it continues with the same tone, will be a total failure."
More than 1,300 Palestinians, and 13 Israelis, died after Israel began its offensive in Gaza on December 27, before both sides separately declared a ceasefire on January 18.
'Unfortunate start'
Meshal urges West to lift boycott on Gaza Strip
Damascus-based Hamas political leader Khaled Meshal urged the West on Wednesday to lift its boycott of the Islamist group that controls the Gaza Strip.
"I tell European nations…three years of trying to eliminate Hamas is enough. It is time for you to deal with Hamas, which has gained legitimacy through struggle," Meshal said in a televised speech from the Syrian capital.
The Hamas leader also urged Obama and European leaders to glean the "required lessons" from their countries' support for the "Israeli aggression."
Hamas calls for reconciliation with Fatah
Hamas called Thursday for reconciliation with supporters of rival Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas but insisted on pursuing resistance against Israel.
The condition appeared to preclude any agreement with Abbas, who seeks a peace deal with Israel and whose moderate Fatah faction was not among the groups that backed the statement by eight Damascus-based radical Palestinian factions including Hamas.
Meshal urges West to lift boycott on Gaza Strip
@Mohammad,
The problem with the Palestinian elections in 2005 is that it didn't require parties to disarm. Parties in Iraq and Kosovo had to disarm in order to run. Can you imagine if the Republicans had their own militia independent of the army? Look at Lebanon last year. They killed their own over a political dispute. Look at Gaza and the coup and counter coup between Fatah and Hamas.
When armed factions run for elections, it looks like the Palestinians are choosing who is the best armed to attack Israel instead of who is the best to improve the lives of the Palestinians. Look what Hamas did? They were the best armed but their "foreign policy" hurt the Gazans at home.
Michael W,
With all due respect, to compare the situation in Gaza to American politics is downright absurd. The Palestinians are being illegally occupied by a greater power who has no respect for them as human beings. Whenever discussing the issue, it is imperative to make that the first and most important point. You will quickly realize that all subsequent comparisons are more often than not ridiculous.
yeah.well, michael, how about disarming your own psychotic public? its members run amok with high-powered assault weapons and kill school-children roughly once a month, right at so-called 'home', even without going overseas and doing it 'for their country'.
Whether you are critical of Michael's point or not, it still remains as essential in content.
Muhammed,
I don't know what you are talking about "let the Palestinians vote".
I think he means giving the Palestinians who elected Hamas a vote on the existence of the State of Israel. And given their treatment of Fatah, of its Jews.
Non-starter. What do you think an Israeli vote on the existence of Palestine would look like NOW, after 8 years of rockets?
Abbas' term expired on January 9. It is time for Palestinians to choose their own leadership, and not have the the USA and EU hand Abbas a no-bid contract to dole out the reconstruction money.
Are the only people in the region who shall be allowed to elect their representation those who carry an Israeli passport?
Israel and the US tried many strategies to enable Abbas to control Gaza. Elections (didn't go their way), coup (was pre-tempted by Hamas), collective punishment (failed), siege (failed)…
Looks like they finally landed on one: utterly destroy the territory and allow only Abbas to control money for rebuilding.
At long last, Abbas will be the de facto leader of Gaza. Mission Accomplished!
Obama signals "evenhandedness"? Historian Juan Cole, a mighty fan of the new president, heard his words and drew a different conclusion: "When he finally spoke on the Gaza War, Obama strongly took Israel's side, but he did express at least a little interest in the conditions under which Gazans live; he asked for an end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza.." (Informed Comment 1.23)
A "little" is the most that can be expected from a commander-in-chief whose head is controlled by his seat.
That wasn't evenhandedness. Not even close. He condemned Hamas's terrorist actions by name. When talking about the Gaza War, he only expresses sympathy for the losses of both sides–there's no talk of Israel's crimes against Palestinians. And he clearly has no intention of treating Palestinian democracy with any respect. We may not like Hamas (I don't), but they won the elections in 2006 and Obama has long been part of the US mainstream in supporting actions (including the blockade) aimed at toppling them. Imagine him treating the results of an Israeli election this way.
This is evenhandedness in precisely the style of a certain type of liberal Zionist–they sincerely desire peace and happiness for both sides, but not if it means acknowledging that Israel has been in the wrong, that Israel has been guilty of enormous human rights violations, that Israel practices terrorism like Hamas, but on a larger scale. That hurts their feelings, their self-image, and no peace is worth that. It's imperial condescension with a humanitarian gloss. (And yeah, I'm looking right at you, Richard Witty). Phil's Obamamania has blinded him to the obvious.
Obama has showed his half-white hand: More of the usual; even worse, I see his appointees as a group who will give the USA the third Gulf War. He will also ignore any link between such a war and
the failing US economy. Or, we will get a draft for the next war, to energize the US economy AND save Israel. The American masses will pay the bill. Especially the goys.
Actually my guess is not either/or, just a reflection of Obama's selfishness. Like Bush Jr, he is Obama Jr.